The Work/Sleep/Social Life Balance

The work/sleep/social life triangle is a common picture spread through social media. The main idea is that you can easily balance two out of three of the components, but balancing all three is near impossible. However, at university, it’s pretty much vital to make time for all three.

WORK: Prioritising work is obviously extremely important at university, after all you are all here to work hard and leave with the best degree possible. However, this are also includes all other kinds of work you may have; part-time jobs, internships and applications for graduate schemes, as well as a million other work commitments. This area of student life can be unbelievably exhausting, just ask any third year trying to do their 5,000 word dissertation at the same time as revising for their 4 final exams. Achieving a high degree level at the end of your three years at Leicester is obviously the overall aim of university, but there is so much more to learn and experience here, aside from what can be measured in an exam hall.

SLEEP: Just like any other human being, students need sleep. We may not get enough of it (looking at you first years, binge watching Luke Cage and going to Shabang until 6am, 5 times a week), but you really do notice how exhausting life can be when trying to balance work and social life. Also, as most social activities take place in the evening and I personally seem to have a 9am lecture every day, sleep can sometimes be pushed to the back of your mind. However, it is so so so important that you get a good sleep routine down, for the sake of your mental, emotional and physical health, as well as making sure you have the energy to get through those long days in the library.

SOCIAL LIFE: As much as we think that social life at university revolves purely around going on nights out, it actually includes so much more than that. Social events include; extra-curricular, sports, gym, seeing friends, speaking to family and even chilling with your housemates, to name just a few. Having a social life is important for relaxing from the stress of work, but it is also great for character development and learning new skills that are vital in this world (e.g. confidence and public speaking). I personally feel as though people see having a social life as a form of procrastination from work, therefore a negative thing. However, in terms of having a good quality of life and a successful time here at the University of Leicester, it is just as important as making time for sleep and work.

After just a brief look into these three aspects of life, it is easy to see why they can be viewed as a near impossible balancing act. However, with time and practice, it gets so much easier to find a routine that works for you, with minimal sacrifice. Although, if you do find yourself struggling with the never-ending list of things to do during your time here at Leicester, be sure to check out all of the services offered by both your course and the Student Union, which aim to provide help with not only your studies and university career, but also your health, budgeting and welfare needs.