It was so aptly said by Mark Twain, “To change your life you need to change your priorities” but what if it is an everyday debacle to choose the priorities amongst plethora of choices that we have! And so is the case with management students today…
  If God asked an MBA student to make a wish to smoothen their MBA journey, what would the student ask for?  
  Will it be time? Will it be work life balance? Will it be good content? Will it be wisdom to choose and decide? Will it be AI help? Will it be communication skills? Will it be upskilling? Will it be networking? Will it be good internships? 
  What will it be that will make them have a smooth MBA journey with a good placement offer at the end of 2 years?
 “To be or not to be” is the dilemma which every management student is facing in this busy digital age.
  Management students are often juggling between academics, extracurriculars, internships, physical and mental wellbeing. 
To achieve a healthy work-life balance, it is essential to ensure productivity, mental health, and long-term success.
 Some of the challenges which management students face in the digital age are:
 Managing Digital Distractions like social media with Platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn which consume most of the time if not managed properly. Even notification overload like constant pings from emails, messaging apps and academic platforms disrupt focus and productivity.
 Information Overload takes a toll with volume of online courses, articles, and case studies can make it difficult to focus on relevant and high-quality content. Choosing between multiple opportunities, such as webinars, certifications, and networking events, can lead to decision fatigue.
 Balancing Academic and Professional Growth involves Internship Pressure with many management programs emphasizing on internships and live projects which creates added workload alongside academic requirements.
Skill Development and specially staying updated with digital tools, AI and analytics as well as industry trends demands extra time and effort.
 Lack of Face-to-Face Interaction has reduced personal connection and online classes and remote networking impacts quality of relationships.
 Collaborative Challenges are becoming more challenging as teamwork is suffering from communication gaps in virtual settings.
 Health Impacts involves screen fatigue with prolonged screen exposure leading to eye strain, headaches, and reduced productivity.
Students are moving to sedentary lifestyle with long sitting hours during contributing to physical health issues.
 Mental Health Strain involves balancing digital responsibilities leading to stress, anxiety, and burnout.
Financial Strain is also happening because of high-quality devices, software subscriptions, and stable internet which is necessary but expensive also online certifications and premium resources add to educational expenses.
 Students are also facing cybersecurity risks and students engaging in internships or applications face risks of falling for fraudulent schemes.
 Staying updated with evolving tools like AI, big data, and blockchain is overwhelming but essential and not all students have the same level of familiarity or access to advanced technology.
  Now the million-dollar question is how should they overcome these challenges?
  Answer is to have a structured approach with mindfulness being the key ingredient. Mindfulness means living in the moment without thinking too much about past and future.
 Students need to follow certain basics: 
 Prioritize key activities: students should manage their time wisely, they may use the famous Pareto principle to prioritise, with 80 percent productivity coming from 20 percent of the key activities. They may use digital tools like calendars and task managers and reminders to structure their day. They should set SMART Goals and break tasks into Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound objectives. They should avoid overcommitting and focus on what truly aligns with your career and personal aspirations.
 Limit Distractions: Students need to limit distractions and boost productivity by minimizing digital distractions and use browser extensions to block distracting websites during study hours. They should follow Pomodoro Technique and work in focused intervals (25–30 minutes) followed by short breaks. Single tasking should now be preferred over multitasking to complete one task at a time with full attention to ensure higher quality work.
 Focus on Well Being: Self investment is the biggest investment, and students should invest in their wellbeing by doing self-care and engage in regular physical activity, like yoga or gym sessions, to maintain physical and mental health. They should practice mindfulness and dedicate time to meditation or journaling to reflect and relax. They should spend quality time with friends and family to nurture emotional well-being and though they can adopt technology but stay human! Using learning platforms, productivity apps, and networking tools to enhance efficiency, however, avoid excessive screen Time. Students should follow digital detox and schedule periods of time to disconnect from devices and engage in offline activities.
 Hence to deal with this paradox of choices that management students have, they should first recognize that balance is not about equal time for everything but aligning their actions with their priorities and values. They should regularly assess their habits and adjust as needed to thrive academically, personally, and professionally while staying resilient in the digital age.