As an IB student, having a well-structured daily routine is essential to staying organized for goals and tasks and not getting overwhelmed in the midst of all the assignments and upcoming deadlines. Here is how a day in my life looks like as an IBDP student and how I organize it so that I can balance upcoming tasks and my well-being.
The time I wake up depends fully on the day itself; but it’s often between 6:00-7:30 AM. For me, studying in the morning has always been refreshing and I find myself productive during those hours, so sometimes I wake up at around 6 AM to study and get work done before school. On other days, I wake up at 7-7:30 AM if I had studied the evening before. Then, I drag myself to school to be present at 8:20 AM. The time I finish school totally depends on the day and my lessons; but it’s between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. On the days I finish later (3:00-4 PM), I usually come back home. If I finish earlier (1 PM), I either come home or go out to study in the library or at a cafe.
As I come home, I usually plan out how the rest of my day will go. This helps me to organize myself and avoid stress. The methods I use differ every time, but they usually consist of the following: to-do lists (a must), blurting method, Pomodoro technique, Eisenhower method, and many more. I usually start off with a to-do list, and look at my schedule for the next day in order to see the tasks I have to get done.
Other than that, once a week, I make sure to go outside to study, either to the library or to a cafe for around 3 hours. This helps me to keep my body moving, get some fresh air, and maintain a change of environment, which is a need in the midst of all the work and assignments I have to get done in school. Additionally, I play tennis once a week, which is less about being athletic and more about making sure I don’t turn into a chair after hours of studying.
I usually study for around 4-5 hours each day, and then try to sleep by 10 PM at the earliest and 1 AM at the latest. Before bed, I either read a book for my English literature class, pick up one of my own, or watch a movie. However, sleep is a huge priority for me, as it directly impacts my productivity and focus for the next day, so whenever possible, I try to get enough rest for 8 hours (a.k.a, I dream of getting 8 hours of sleep).
By structuring my days this way, I stay organized, reduce stress, and manage my IBDP workload effectively while still making time for rest.