Juggling Too Much

     Millions of teenagers wake up everymorning with a lot to look forward to and - with school, family andsports - a lot to juggle. Many say they are overwhelmed with homeworkand all the other factors of life. This stress can take a huge toll ontheir health because they do not know how to prioritize or take thingsone step at a time.

I know how overwhelming this stress can bebecause I too am involved in extra-curricular activities and have a veryheavy workload. I know how it can feel every night to be alreadythinking about what needs to get done the next day and the day afterthat. Between school, dance and family priorities, my life is full, butI have learned a few tips to relieve a lot of the stress and pressure Iam under. If you just took a few minutes for yourself, your day may notseem as intense. So, here is some advice: when you wake up in themorning, take a couple of minutes just to relax and take a few deepbreaths. Try to focus on all the good in your life and less on thestressful things.

Here are a few other tips:

Take one thing at a time and do not rush just to get a project outof the way. Make sure that when you do something, you do your best.

Make sure to schedule enough time between and after extracurricularsso your homework gets done.

When you are at practice or rehearsal, try not to think about the 20million other things you have to do and just focus. Remember, the mainthing is to have fun with what you’re doing.

Always think positively. If you are having a horrible day, thinkabout the things that make you happy.

Taking on too many activities can really stress you out. If you everfeel like you cannot handle it all, drop something or reschedule yourtime.

Onefinal idea: make sure you are aware of your family because they are theones who care about you and will help keep your feet on the ground.