Work and Play
You are not a machine. In fact, probably the singularly most important reason to learn concentration and motivation and sleeping properly and planning is that it all allows you to make sure that success and personal happiness are not mutually exclusive. The objective is to be able to manage all the obligations that come with high school and jobs and getting into college, while still pursuing goals that you set for yourself, as well as having time for family and friends and relaxation and activities you enjoy.How exactly you do this is largely a matter of preference, but the important thing is to make sure you’re enjoying yourself in high school despite all the obligations and potential stress. On weekdays, you will usually be pretty busy, but if you follow the steps in "Conquering Time", you will still have some time to yourself. Use this time to relax and do things you enjoy. Go get a drink or snack with some friends at a coffee shop or fast food restaurant for a break. Try to make time for family dinners at least a few days a week—you’re busy but you have to eat at some point, and it’s easy to neglect your family when you have so much going on in your life. Take some time to discuss things with them and let them know what’s going on in your life, and talk about what’s going on in theirs.
On weekends, it’s probably a good idea to take Fridays off. You have plenty of time later to do any work you have, and you probably had an intense week, so take Fridays to just relax or party or hang out with your friends. Saturdays, you might want to get some work done, though it doesn’t have to be schoolwork if you aren’t in the mood. Maybe sleep in, catch up on your reading in the afternoon, and take care of some chores and errands. On Saturday nights there’s usually something going on, so go out and have some fun. It seems like for most people Sundays end up being cram days, and probably will be for you too unless you don’t like that idea. But it usually works pretty well, because cramming work in on Sundays means you have time on Fridays and Saturdays at least to relax and do things for yourself.
Of course, these are just suggestions. Your own life is up to you. Just don’t let yourself be consumed by the pressure. Stay balanced and happy. Control the system, control time, don’t let them control you.
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