Life has been full these past few years. Between running my outdoor fitness business BodyBySelle, teaching group fitness at Oxygen Yoga and Fitness and with the City of Port Coquitlam, competing in the bikini category with the Canadian Physique Alliance, working a municipal job during school, and being a full-time student at SFU, it’s safe to say I’ve had a lot going on. I’ve also stayed involved on campus through SFU Recreation and recently became the Vice President of SFU LYFE. I’m not sharing all this to sound impressive. I just know a lot of students are in the same boat, trying to manage a bunch of responsibilities at once while still chasing personal goals. It’s not always easy, and I definitely don’t do it perfectly, but over time I’ve learned how to balance everything in a way that feels sustainable and still allows me to grow. One of the biggest things that helps me stay organized is planning out my week ahead of time. Every Sunday, I sit down with Google Calendar and my Notes app and map everything out. I schedule classes, workouts, work shifts, and even downtime. I’ve learned that if I don’t intentionally set time aside to rest or reset, I’ll end up burnt out halfway through the week. I also leave space between tasks so that I’m not rushing from one thing to another. That breathing room helps more than I expected. Another thing I’ve learned is the importance of knowing my non-negotiables. These are the things that keep me grounded no matter how busy life gets. For me, that includes sleep, movement, and some quiet time to be alone and reflect. Even when I’m swamped, I try not to sacrifice those. Sometimes it’s just a short walk or five minutes of silence, but it makes a difference in how I feel and show up in everything else I do. I’ve also started grouping similar tasks together so that I’m not constantly switching gears. I used to jump from answering emails to studying to prepping workout plans and it left me feeling scattered and drained. Now I try to batch tasks. If I’m doing schoolwork, I focus just on that. If I’m planning workouts or bootcamp content, I do it in one sitting. Staying focused on one type of task at a time helps me work more efficiently and feel less overwhelmed. Saying no has also become a big part of finding balance. I used to say yes to every opportunity, every shift, and every invite. It took a while, but I realized that I can’t do everything all at once and still be my best. Now, before I say yes to something, I ask myself if it actually fits into my priorities or if it’s just going to stretch me too thin. Protecting my time has helped me avoid burnout and be more present in the things that matter most to me. Another thing I always come back to is my reason for doing all of this in the first place. Whether it’s helping people feel strong through fitness, learning something new in school, or growing my business, everything I do ties back to a deeper purpose. When I’m tired or overwhelmed, reconnecting with that purpose gives me motivation and direction. It reminds me that even the tough days are part of something meaningful. One of the hardest but most valuable lessons I’ve learned is letting go of perfection. Some weeks are amazing. Others are messy. I’ve missed workouts, forgotten to post things, pushed deadlines, and had moments where I felt completely off. But I’ve realized that consistency and effort matter more than doing things perfectly. It’s about showing up, even if it’s not at 100 percent, and trusting that those small steps still move you forward. If there’s one thing I’d want other students or young professionals to take away, it’s this: you don’t have to have it all figured out to make progress. You can be chasing big goals and still take care of yourself. Rest doesn’t mean weakness. Being intentional with your time isn’t selfish. And needing to slow down sometimes doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. Everyone’s pace looks different, and that’s okay. What matters most is finding a rhythm that works for you and supports the kind of life you want to build. You don’t need to do it all. You just need to do what matters, with heart, purpose, and a little grace for yourself along the way.
So insightful! Thank you for sharing 🙂