Designing a Life: Balancing Life as an Interior Design Student

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So you’ve decided to dive into college as an interior design major? Are you stuck to your computer-burnt out? Or are you missing out on time with your friends? As a design student, especially starting out, I struggled to balance my time and energy to do everything I wanted. Only by about my 3rd or 4th year did I feel I had the hang of it.

I don’t want that for you! I want you have it all now: amazing projects, time out with friends, a healthy body, and a healthy mind.

Here are 10 tips to maintaining a balanced schedule to have a fun college experience while excelling as an interior design student.

Tip #1: Set A Schedule and Space

Set a schedule for everyday of the week. Even your weekends. Schedule everything from your morning snack to the time it takes to walk to class. Stick to the schedule and you will be in control of your time, and more energy will go towards your tasks and relationships. Keep your workspace separate from your sleeping and relaxing spaces if you can. This will help your brain be ready for different activities throughout the day. You may not always execute schedule or spatial boundaries exactly, but the routine and structure will be there to build a good habit.

Tip #2: Task Management

No more daunting and never-ending to-do lists. Prioritize your tasks within your schedule, block out your tasks for a project (say research or rendering models) within a designated part of your schedule. For the next week, place your new tasks within a new block schedule.

Tip #3: Don’t Multi-Task

Focus on one task at a time. Stay focused on the task you planned to accomplish, and you will build self-discipline that will take you far in reaching your goals. Shut off your emails, put your phone on do not disturb and minimize as many distractions as you can. If you are efficient during your work time, your break times are more refreshing.

Tip #4: Take Small Breaks

For every hour or two of deep work on a project, take 10-15 minutes of a break. Text a friend, make a snack, or read a book or blog post (hint hint). No social media, it is FULL of stimulus to activate your brain. Resting your brain intermittently will help you be more efficient and inspire more creativity.

Tip #5: Exercise

Move your body to better your mind. Schedule in a workout class with a friend, walk to classes, or have a run at the end of the day. Plan to exercise at least 30 minutes every day. Trust me- your body and brain need it after attending classes or working on your studio projects.

Tip #6: Get Outside

This can be combined with your exercise for a time to disconnect and get some Vitamin D. Walk to classes or have a meal outside. Try a new hiking spot or catch a soccer or baseball game in your area. Just getting outside for 10-20 minutes a day can improve your mood and balance your circadian rhythm- your body’s natural time clock for rest and energy.

Tip #7: Commit to Less or More

Maybe you need to just say no to volunteering at that student networking event or taking on an extra shift at work? Or maybe you need to find a class that spark your interests aside from your major. For me that meant sticking to the scheduled hours I worked part-time and taking art classes to engage my creativity and step away from the computer.

Tip #8: Talk About Your Stressors

College is hard, and studying interior design is even harder. Make sure you have someone to talk to about your stressors and how to best manage them. This person could be a friend or family member, a professor, or counseling services on or off campus. The staff on campus are there to support your education, so find out how to make the most of your experience.

Tip #9: Disconnect

Step away from the computer! Schedule in time to really disconnect from school and social media during your day. Put your phone away while you take time to get ready for bed or read a book while eating breakfast instead of scrolling. Meditate, or knit, or journal. Find an outlet what works for you to disconnect from the world and from work.

Tip #10: Have A Break Day

One thing that helped me feel better about sitting down to work on projects was my break day. 12- 24 hours where I reset and disconnected. This is the day you spend unbridled time with friends, do your laundry, call your mom, etc. For example, Fridays I only had a class in the morning. This day I would go grocery shopping, do my laundry, or go out with my friends the rest of the day. What would your break day look like?

As classes start soon, try these tips to kick off a balanced schedule as an interior design student. Or bookmark and return to the tips when you need to reorient yourself. Best of luck this semester!

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