Do you ever have those stretched of time where it feels like every aspect of your life is just coming at you? Like you don’t know exactly when you’ll get everything done but that you definitely have to get it done at some point? When sleep and exercise sound like a reward instead of a necessity?

The past week and a half have been exactly that for me. I feel burnt out on schoolwork but motivated to get an internship and figure out my summer. I have work, meetings, doctor’s appointments (if you don’t always unintentionally schedule these during the most hectic week of your life, I’m impressed), etc.

I’ve been asking myself this question all week: how do you balance your homework load and internship applications? I think the answer is scheduling and lists. That’s all I’ve been doing lately. I have lists for important to do’s, things I want to Google while I’m studying, and ideas that might help me with other projects. These notes are all over– my computer, my desk, and shoved into textbooks to help me prioritize my needs this week. I’ve also had to make some big decisions in terms of prioritizing readings for classes or spending more time on a cover letter for a company I really love.

Lately, I’ve been scheduling my to do’s out after I make a massive list. Normally I just do one or the other, but combining the two has made my day way more productive. It helps you know what you need to spend the most time on, and what later projects (like sending emails to get an informational interview) you can use to give your brain a little break after writing a politics paper for three hours.

Another positive of scheduling out your to do’s is that you can make sure you’re eating, sleeping, and working out enough! Whenever I get overwhelming I neglect my basic needs and end up looking like this) and overall I’m less productive in the long run.

How do you get through a tough week balancing class and work? Comment suggestions below!