Balancing School Responsibilities While Pursuing Music

Tackling school responsibilities alongside your music interests can seem daunting. But we hope that some of these helpful tips can guide you towards a more balanced and rewarding path of discovery in both realms of your educational and musical journey. 

1. Recognize your priorities and manage your time accordingly

School is an important responsibility that will serve you well in most areas of your adult life. But making music may be just as equally important to you and proves to be an area of professional interest in the future post-graduation. When evaluating your usage of time to dedicate to either, try to evaluate your short-term priorities. Learning how to manage your time is an extremely valuable skill to obtain in all other aspects of your life.

Tips: 

• Write out daily itineraries of your tasks by importance and date of deadline 

• Ensure that you include music learning or experimentation at least once a week into your schedule. Set aside time over the weekend to work on music if homework or studying permits.

2. Reward yourself ‘music time’ AFTER completing school work 

Because grades are still important if you plan to attend secondary education, it is only fitting that you make sure to turn in all your assignments on time and study adequately before tests. While those things may not sound fun at the moment, try to complete those school duties before you spend time pursuing music. It is always easier to get the less fun and tedious work out of the way first anyway!

Tips: 

• Set small and bigger rewards for yourself depending on what types of school tasks you complete. For example, if you finish a term paper or exam, set aside the whole weekend to work on your musical passions. If it’s simply turning in any short assignment due for the day, grant yourself the rest of the night to work on music.

3. Maximize Your Day

A more obvious suggestion is to maximize your days to the fullest. From the moment you wake up to the moment you go to sleep, make it a conscious effort to fit in your school work and music time. Whether music is just a hobby for you or much more, if it is something you truly enjoy, then it is up to you to make sure it makes an appearance in your day-to-day life.

Tips: 

• Aim to get 8-10 hours of sleep

• Create habits for yourself in the morning and after school for when you choose to work on schoolwork. Work in a healthy remaining amount of time to your music

• Minimize screen time to an hour a day