What You Can Learn About Time Management from a Student Athlete
by Jordynn West, Contributor
There are so many things to love about running, but one of my favorites is how much the running process mirrors our everyday lives. This is especially true when it comes to finding the balance in pushing yourself to improve while managing your priorities.
As a student athlete, time management is the key to my success. Like most athletes, my schedule is very busy and changes on a day-to-day basis. It’s beneficial to establish ways to stay organized while also managing time and expectations effectively. This helps me prioritize and accomplish everything during the day from the classroom to the track. I’d love to share just a few of the ways I’m able to do that.
Plan Your Schedule in Advance
Between school, track practice and appointments, it can be difficult to stay organized, manage everything and find time for myself. One of the ways I do this is by planning out my schedule for the week with my dad every Sunday. I set a plan for everything from the time I wake up and go to school to the end of the day when I go to practice and get ready for bed. Even though things sometimes don’t go as planned, keeping a schedule helps serve as a checklist for the day to see what still needs to be accomplished. I’m able to keep my priorities in order while making sure I have free time for myself to decompress.
Throughout the season, I typically train four-to-five days per week with two days of active recovery. So, enjoying my free time is essential. I like spending time with family and friends, going to school activities, amusement parks or the mall in my spare time. Whether it is cooking, baking, watching YouTube videos or sleeping it’s important to find time to relax from a busy week of training.
Planning ahead and scheduling not only benefits my personal time, but my family’s time as well. I have a large family with three siblings who also have very busy schedules. We all share our weekly plans and tasks ahead of time, so we can manage expectations with our parents and ensure all of our needs are met. In our household, we’re big fans of using a dry erase calendar. We plan based on the calendar and ensure we’re not missing any activities for that week.
Staying Organized
The secret to my time management is working smarter, not harder, so I complete more in my day in less time. I have more than the usual amount of commitments as a student and managing my schedule everyday sometimes can seem impossible. It feels like there is always something new and already many things to do between my training schedule, schoolwork and working on my non-profit organization, JW Believe Foundation.
I’ve been able to find success without neglecting important things or becoming overwhelmed by by using to-do lists, calendars and reminders to manage all of this time. This can be done through simple things like through pen and paper, a physical calendar, or an app on your phone where you can easily refer to it and mark things off as they are completed.
I also receive tons of support from family, community, and other track athletes especially with my foundation. Lastly, it is also important to not overcommit yourself to certain activities, so you can ensure you stay on track and complete everything throughout the day.
Running is such a perfect metaphor for life: managing your time can be difficult sometimes but if you remain organized, manage expectations and plan, you will succeed.
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Jordynn West is a talented young athlete who has her sights set on becoming a professional runner. With a bright future ahead of her, she’s training to qualify for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, California. Get to know Jordynn and her passion for running here on RUNGRL.co.
Jordynn West
Contributor
Jordynn West is a 15-year-old runner from the Dallas area and specializes in mid-distance running events. In 2019, Jordynn took home 1st place with All-American designation in the 3000m and 1500m, and 4th in the 800m at the AAU Club Championships in Orlando. She aspires to to qualify for the 2028 Olympics.
In her free time, Jordynn documents her experiences of training and performances for track and writes for RUNGRL and other running publications such as Youth Runner Magazine. Her fierce demeanor and work ethic is reflected in all she does, whether it’s training or during competition.