10 WAYS TO MAINTAIN A BALANCE BETWEEN ACADEMICS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Introduction:

Academics are crucial and have a substantial impact on determining the objective portrayal of one’s accomplishments. Co-curricular activities provide students the platform to discover their potential and capabilities other than coursework. It is essential for students to maintain equilibrium between academics and co-curricular activities for a lucrative education and profession. Extra-curricular activities magnify the process of learning, polish intelligence, and build a strong character and personality. The activities involve creative writing, scientific experiments, athletics, debates, arts, cultural programs and activities in class, etc. A very wrong concept of intelligence and personality is linked with education only. However, academics and extra-curricular activities must go hand in hand. The current competitive era requires a person to be competent in every field and the pressure of parents and teachers on children to become all-rounders is stratospheric. To sustain this pressure, students must arbitrate a balance between academics and extra-curricular activities.

Ways to maintain the balance between co-curricular activities and academics:

1. Don’t Overburden:

The pressure of a highly competitive society makes the student conscious of excelling in all the activities and academics. Taking part in so many activities simultaneously causes distorted attention, and there is an excellent chance of decreased performance. Students must know how to prioritize work and activities. Students should know what they really want to do instead of participating in every activity. Learn the art of making the right choice rather than getting overwhelmed and overburdened.

2. Schedule Time:

Mismanagement leads to stress and low performance. The vital part of preserving a balanced life is to make a schedule and then adhere to it. Make a daily or weekly timetable for all the responsibilities like assignments, events, activities, etc. Make a schedule to do the academic work. It will leave extra time before exams. Organizing extra-curricular activities in this remaining time will establish a balance between these two facets. Time management is an important skill that must be inculcated in children at an early age for the development of a strong personality.

3. Healthy Lifestyle:

An active lifestyle is essential in acquiring a balance between the two aspects. Getting enough sleep, staying active, and having a healthy diet will reinvigorate and keep the students more focused on specific goals.

4. Avoid procrastination:

Many students procrastinate to some extent but it happens mostly to the students who fail to manage their time and keep avoiding important work. Delaying the tasks elicit stress, falling behind in work, and unsatisfactory projects. Avoid overload of studies one night before an exam rather than study in small intervals during the week. The most common issue for students is that they keep finding the right time for study and school activities while giving their full attention to the work which is least important. The best approach to avoid this situation is that the student should not pile up the work, either studies or co-curricular activities by dividing them into smaller tasks for different time intervals.

5. Learn to say “NO”:

Some students cannot handle the extra-curricular activities during exams or realize that dealing with other activities will majorly affect their grades but they don’t have the courage to say ‘NO’ in front of teachers or parents. Be straightforward and say ‘NO’ if you are overburdened or overbooked. Knowing the limits that one can handle and mastering the art of politely refusing someone for extra work is necessary for students’ mental health.

6. Organize the work:

Students should organize their work in a way that they don’t have to work harder every time. “Work smarter, not harder” is basically for everyone who wants to succeed in this competitive community. Students should make notes while studying, highlight the important stuff, and add sticky notes or pages for other sources. Organizing the tasks and avoiding distractions like watching TV, using smartphones and partying, etc., during studies is essential for saving time and energy in the future for extra-curricular activities.

7. Take a break:

Doing something over and over without taking a break has a disconcerting effect on the mental and physical well-being of students. Research conducted by Alejandro Lleras revealed that taking a tactical break for 5 minutes after every 25 minutes increases concentration and boosts the quality of work. It is also vital to go on a vacation to relax and practice the co-curricular activities that are enjoyable. It will promote motivation and help to set aims for future accomplishments.

8. Adopt a positive attitude:

Embracing an optimistic approach and dispelling ambiguity is the correct method to start any work or activity. Some students anticipate having no skills and intelligence to ace the co-curricular activities. Keeping in mind the fact that everyone has skills that must be polished, begin the activity with the right mindset and positive approach. This way of thinking will definitely help the students in exploring their skills and achieving a balance between education and after-school programs.

9. Academics come first:

Co-curricular activities are believed to be requisite for a successful life but don’t ignore the fact that academics come first. The student should not overlook studies in trying to accomplish other activities. The importance of each of these two aspects must not be ignored in order to attain a balance.

10. Take assistance/help:

Some students fail to manage their time between studies and other activities. In this case, it is vital to seek a helping hand from teachers or parents. Asking for support and advice must not be considered as that person lacking the agility to do particular work or activities. This approach will help the students in strategic planning and maintaining equilibrium among the two discussed aspects.

Conclusion:

Upon considering the different points, it is summarized that rather than giving up on extra-curricular activities to get higher grades there are several techniques that can be applied to perpetuate both of these things. Between academics and co-curricular activities a very fine line exists that must be preserved by applying different methods of prioritizing, planning, organizing, taking advice, acquiring a positive mindset and keeping away from procrastination. The person who accomplishes sustaining this fine line will henceforward become multiskilled and versatile in every field.