“Add this to your schedule, Keri. You have to babysit Saturday night,” My mom informed me one day. Another thing to do, oh the joy, I thought. I love babysitting, don’t get me wrong, but that means balancing everything else I have to do before Saturday night. Some find this task stressful, some find it easy. It all depends on how you manage your days.
 

Has this ever happened to you? Do you sometimes feel overburdened with everything you have to do? School, homework, activities, babysitting, practicing an instrument, and everything else has to be finished by a certain time. How does one have enough hours in a day to get it all done?!
 

There are a few tricks I have figured out to maintain a successful schedule without the craziness of trying to fit everything you have to do in. Time management is definitely something you need to adapt, if you haven’t already. Managing your time will help balance all the activities out.
 

Well, that’s great, you might be thinking. But how do I do that? Good question. Here are some helpful hints that will help you start organizing and de-stressing your life.
 

Everybody has 24 hours in a day. It may seem like a lot of time, but it depends on how you spend it. If you’re spending half your days on Facebook or Myspace, chances are you aren’t checking off things on that check-list of yours. Look at Jack Bauer on the show 24. He has 24 hours in a day, just like you and me, but I have never seen him surfing the web or gabbing on the phone to his friends… unless, of course, he absolutely has to in order to save the world. Of course, sometimes I do wonder how he gets people from one place to another so quickly or the government agencies to cooperate, even Madame President – oh yeah, 24 is pure entertainment – fantasy, not a reality show. Not like my world or yours!
 

Now I’m not saying you have to deactivate your blog accounts and never use the computer again. All I’m saying is limit yourself on the computer if you find yourself doing that instead of what needs to be done.
 

Buy yourself a planner. It honestly helps to schedule everything. DON’T FORGET to write EVERYTHING down, including homework assignments, when homework assignments are due, babysitting dates, etc. In fact, on the first blank page, write down everything and I mean EVERYTHING you have to do from the time you get up.  Include meals, showers, make up, brushing your hair, getting dressed,  sleeping,  talking to friends, drive time to activities, devotions, exercise, well, you get the picture.  Every one of those tasks adds time to your schedule.  Plan when you are going to do homework based on what your planner says. If you find yourself struggling to finish homework on the morning that it’s due, you haven’t written everything down in your planner… and if you have, you aren’t sticking to it. When you include every single activity in a 24 hour period, you might conclude, “No wonder I’m  stressed!”
 

Maybe you are involved in way too many activities. Perhaps you’re involved in soccer, dance, youth group, choir, and guitar lessons…not to mention homework and school! You have reason to always feel busy and overly active, because you are! You might want to limit yourself from some activities. Give yourself some time to relax and sit down, without having to go anywhere. It will help you in the long run.
 

Although these suggestions may help, God is in control of your life. If you are feeling overly stressed and burdened, talk to Him. Ask Him to give you rest and a clear mind. After all, He tells us himself in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” To me, this verse is comforting, especially when I’m feeling tired and stressed.  This is an invitation to take time out, to bring all of those stresses to Him and re-evaluate – am I weary and burdened because I have too much on my plate?
 

Time management will help you de-stress your life. Having a planner will help you stay organized. Limiting yourself on the computer (phone, video games, etc.) will give you more time in your 24 hour day. Finally, God is there to comfort you when you are feeling down. He will give you the strength and courage to keep going. Don’t lose hope. You are on your way to having a stress-free schedule. Way to go!