“I'm sorry, I can't, I have BBYO.”

This is a phrase my school friends, boss, and family are probably tired of hearing by now. But let's face it, being a board member is a true commitment; therefore, it's incredibly important to set your boundaries and find a balance between schoolwork, BBYO, and other commitments. In this article, I'm going to share a few strategies I've used to better manage my time.  

You would think the busiest part of the typical teenager's day is the eight-hour school day, but for a BBG or Aleph, nine times out of ten it’s right when the last bell rings. From 4pm to 9pm I’m constantly booked, whether I’m on a zoom call for a cohort I'm part of, picking up a shift at work, studying for an upcoming test, in a board meeting, or a million other scenarios that if I were to write you would be scrolling for hours, with my schedule I tend to overbook myself. Now, I live by my Google Calendar. I color-code everything: school (yellow), BBYO (blue), work (green), personal time (purple). I always tend to overbook myself when it comes to scheduling. It helps me visualize my week and make sure I’m not overcommitting. If I see too much purple, I know it’s time to scale back.  

Even with all this organization, sometimes I get overwhelmed and feel like I’m drowning in to-dos. That’s when I take a 10-minute reset: a walk, journaling, or simply calling a friend (although that usually turns into an hour reset for me). It helps me recenter and tackle things one step at a time.

Every morning, I'll mentally note three non-negotiable tasks. Just three. If I get those done, I call it a win. It keeps me focused and prevents the guilt spiral of feeling like I didn’t do “enough.”

I’ve learned to be honest with my friends, teachers, and even my BBYO peers. For example, “Hey, I’m really overwhelmed this week. Can we reschedule?” Most people are way more understanding than we expect. Vulnerability builds trust. This also ties into learning that it is more than okay to ask for help when needed. At a recent board meeting, my advisor suggested that when someone asks for help in our board group chat, we applaud them! I personally think this is genius. We all have our limits. We can't be at 100 places at once, and, simply put, it's just some high school teens trying their best. It's so important to recognize that help is there if and when you need it.  

Being a teenage girl in leadership isn’t easy. But it’s also incredibly powerful. BBYO has taught me how to lead, speak up, and advocate for myself. So yeah, I’ll probably keep saying, “Sorry, I can’t, I have BBYO.” And maybe people will keep their eyes rolling. But I know that behind every “excuse” is a girl learning to lead, to balance, and to show up for herself.