Balancing Excellence & Well-being: How to Thrive Beyond Academics
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
– Anne Lamott
Students, academics, and high achievers alike often feel torn in two directions — pushed towards excellence on one hand, and pulled towards personal well-being on the other. When achievements are on the line, it can seem like those two needs can never quite coexist.
When we interviewed University student Nerea Vilas on the Thriving Perspectives podcast, she brought this tension to the forefront. Her struggle reflects that of a more universal issue: truly, does any student ever strike a balance between work and play, or does stress from overworking predominate more frequently?
Her episode demystified the idea that to thrive in the academic world, solely focusing on your grades is the key. The true recipe for academic success, and one unfortunately far less often prized, comes from discovering that the ingredients to success encompass far more than just a number. These ingredients also include balance, personal growth, and the connection we find in our communities and relationships.
Whether you are a college student or lifelong academic reading this post, here I’ll offer an invitation for you to reset your focus. If you’re stuck in a constant push and grind towards excellence, or on the contrary, pulling too far away into comfort from excellence, we’ll explore healthy mediums for maintaining your well-being, mental health, and personal balance during seasons where doing so feels like an impossible feat.
We’ve all been there – in the sleepless nights before exams, the weekend evenings spent studying rather than celebrating, the endless November grind before the holidays, where every week feels more like a year due to the amount of content we cram in and the lack of enjoyment there is. And although we can feel alone in this, we’ve all experienced academic pressure superimposed by others: the pressure to study to become something we are not interested in, or to pigeonhole ourselves as “academics” to the point that we forget all other parts of ourselves and other areas of our lives.
In Nerea’s first years of university, she hyperfocused on academics. But a lack of balance taught her of what balance could truly be. As she said so beautifully:
“Academic success alone isn’t enough to sustain well-being or curiosity.”
So how do we exit the academic pressure cooker and redefine what success can look like beyond just achieving grades? As Nerea wisely told us, “I’m the person I spend the most time with — so that’s who I have to find balance with.”
We're human beings, not machines. The amount of time that we spend doing mental calculations in a day may reflect our strengths through what we do, but it does not reflect who we are inside. Therefore, we must not trick ourselves into thinking that well-being is synonymous with high achievement. We must understand that while achieving our potential through academic pursuits is a vital component of wholeness, it is simply just that: a part of the whole. There are other parts we ought to tend to.
Nerea is a bright and accomplished individual, but her success story comes not solely from her academic achievements. In fact, where she truly turned the corner in her university years was from realizing that meeting people and being social also fueled her growth. Benefits she noticed within herself from socializing as opposed to studying were increased confidence, curiosity, joy, and sense of belonging. Not to mention, tending to this part of her life gave her more energy for her studies as opposed to less.
Have you ever thought that you were strong from pushing through work and trying to get it done all on your own without ever reaching out to ask for help or create plans to take a break? I’ve certainly been there! But she learned that real strength can come from reaching out to create and connect with supportive communities, which is one of many ways that you can reset and thrive beyond academics, too.
Journalling Prompts for Thriving Beyond Academics
Of the five areas of your life below, which one could you nurture to find balance during this academically heavy – or stagnant – period of your life?
Physical Well-Being: How are you caring for your body through rest, movement, and nourishment?
Emotional & Mental Health: How are you tending to your stress, mindset, and inner peace?
Relationships & Community: How are you connecting with friends, family, or supportive networks?
Creativity & Passions: How are you making space for hobbies, play, or personal interests?
Purpose & Spirituality: How are you grounding yourself in values, meaning, or reflection?
