The IAA can feel like a firehose. The pace is fast, the expectations are high, and the deadlines rarely wait. The only reason I’m not drowning is that I trained for this kind of pressure for years as a Division I athlete.
Swimming taught me discipline, efficiency, and resilience under demanding conditions. Those same habits now shape how I manage my time, work, and sanity within this program.
Over time, I’ve developed a structure that helps me achieve this. It’s a combination of mindset, tools, and boundaries that keeps me on track. This piece is about those systems that help me stay grounded when the workload builds.
The Mindset that Stuck
Years of athletics shaped not only my discipline but also my mindset toward performance and structure. Four lessons from swimming still guide how I approach the IAA:
● “Just get it done” mindset. Motivation wasn’t optional in swimming. The sets had to be completed whether I felt ready or not. That taught me to rely on discipline instead of waiting for inspiration. At the IAA, I use the same mindset when projects pile up or deadlines overlap. The work has to get done, and showing up consistently is what makes it happen.
● Feedback as fuel. My high school coach believed in direct, immediate critique. You took feedback, adjusted, and improved. There was no room for ego. That approach helps me adapt quickly in the IAA, especially when new concepts appear mid-project. During our Summer Practicum, for instance, we learned new statistical techniques and immediately applied them to refine our model. Instead of feeling frustrated, I saw it as another opportunity to improve.
● Micro-productivity. I learned how to use short bursts of time – ten minutes before class, during a lunch break, or even during a walk across campus — to knock out small tasks. At the IAA, this typically involves reviewing notes between sessions or finishing a few lines of code before meetings. Small efforts accumulate, and those moments prevent small tasks from becoming big stressors.
● Work/rest balance. In swimming, recovery was part of our training. If you don’t rest, you don’t perform. I’ve learned to treat studying the same way. I use short study blocks with real breaks in between, and I plan time to see friends or unplug completely. When I rest on purpose, I always come back sharper.
Tools and Systems That Keep Me Steady
The mindset matters, but tools make it manageable. I rely on simple systems that keep everything visible and organized before the chaos takes hold.
● Google Calendar. I plan out my schedule months in advance and color-code everything: classes, assignments, workouts, and social plans. Having it all in one place helps me see where I actually have time to spare. I also share my calendar with teammates when we’re working on projects so we can coordinate quickly.
● Excel tracker. This is my big-picture view. Each semester, I compile a list of every assignment, deadline, and milestone across all my classes. When I can see everything at once, I’m less likely to let something sneak up on me. For example, a project due in six weeks doesn’t feel distant when you know you’ll be buried in other deliverables two weeks before.
● Notion hub. This is my daily command center. I keep a checklist for immediate tasks, a master list for ongoing ones, and a planner column that syncs with my calendar. I also personalize it with quotes and song lyrics that make me feel grounded. It’s part planner, part reminder of why I care about the work in the first place.
● Visual reminders. Each semester, I make a new desktop background in Canva with photos, quotes, and reminders of what matters. It’s simple, but it keeps my priorities visible. Seeing it every time I open my laptop keeps me grounded.
● Pre-planned meals and outfits. Every Sunday night, I plan my meals and set out outfits for the week. It may seem insignificant, but it saves a surprising amount of time and energy. When I skip it, I feel more scattered; there are more decisions to make, more rushing around, and more stress.
● Scheduled workouts and rest. I block off time for these the same way I schedule classes or meetings. Morning workouts help me clear my head, and planned downtime keeps me from burning out. Treating them as part of my routine, not something “extra,” makes a huge difference.
These tools help me avoid feeling like I’m constantly playing catch-up. They create structure without feeling rigid, which keeps me flexible for when plans inevitably shift.
How I Stay Balanced
No system works if you ignore balance. The busier I get, the more intentional I have to be about protecting time for the things that keep me grounded.
● Workouts and meals as resets. These are the times I step away from the noise. A good workout or meal with friends helps me mentally reset, allowing me to return to my work with genuine energy.
● Social reminders. I keep visual or digital reminders of friends and family to help me stay in touch with them. In a program this demanding, connection takes planning, and I treat it like any other important commitment.
● Direct communication. Swimming taught me to communicate clearly. At the IAA, that same habit keeps team projects efficient. Being direct saves time, reduces misunderstandings, and allows everyone to focus on solutions rather than confusion.
● Team energy as productivity. Good collaboration is its own form of organization. Our most productive team moments have come from honest discussions about what is working and what is not. Maintaining open communication helps distribute the pressure and reinforces shared accountability.
Ultimately, organization extends beyond tools and calendars. It encompasses how you manage your energy, set boundaries, and maintain perspective.
Conclusion
This system is not about rigid productivity hacks. It is about maintaining performance and balance when life moves fast. The IAA pushes every skill to its limit, but with the right structure, that pressure becomes manageable instead of overwhelming.
If you take one thing from this, start small. Color-code your calendar. Block time for breaks. Treat feedback as an opportunity for improvement, not criticism. Small systems compound, and over time, they build consistency.
Because the truth is, the pace never really slows down. It just changes shape. But when you’ve built habits that keep you balanced, you can meet the firehose head-on without burning out.
Columnist: Kyra Dalbo