It’s common for us to spend most of our weekday energy at work. It’s easy to feel like there’s no more time in the day between household responsibilities, family commitments, and your social life. Despite all of this, though, many people still choose to go back to school while working.
Many people feel daunted by the idea of returning to school while still maintaining a full-time job.
Having a full-time job and going to school at the same time takes a lot of planning and setting priorities. Some of the challenges you might face are finding time to study, keeping up with your work, and living a healthy life.
However, it is possible to work full-time and study part-time. We’ve compiled these methods and recommendations to help you succeed in your academics and profession.
1. Arrange Your Schedule Accordingly
Make a schedule at the beginning of each semester so that you can manage your time effectively right away.
Create a calendar that includes your class schedules and assignment deadlines. Then, calculate the time required for independent study, including reading, coursework, and project preparation. Put this event on your calendar among your other obligations to get a better sense of how it will fit into your schedule.
Plan in time for both personal and professional obligations. If you’re using an electronic version of the chart, you may switch to a new color by simply selecting it and clicking on it. Additionally, be sure to circle any meetings, deadlines, or other professional activities that need your attention. As a result, you can check for potential conflicts and avoid them.
2. Create Routines
After you have determined how much time you will need to complete your assignments, schedule time each week to organize your study sessions. To plan this, ask yourself the following:
- What do I need to do by the end of each day or session of studying?
- How long will it take to do this task?
- Where does this fit in with my other obligations and my work schedule?
Establishing a routine for yourself and sticking to them may be quite beneficial. While it may take some time to develop the habit, you will soon discover that you waste less time and are more productive when you put in the effort to get things done.
Depending on your mode of transportation, you may want to use your commute time to get some work done. If you’re taking a train or bus, you could use your phone, tablet, or laptop to catch up on important readings.
3. Get The Support of Your Employer
Although it may be nerve-wracking to approach an employer with your work-study status, it is in everyone’s best interest to do so as soon as possible. You might demonstrate your dedication by working on holidays or at very busy seasons of the year.
Check out your company’s study policies and talk to your manager to find out how they can help you the most.
Some topics worth considering include:
- Requesting modifications to your job schedule so that you may study more on certain days.
- Having the option to work from home on occasion might allow you to put your commuting time to better use.
- Making sure that big projects at work don’t interfere with study deadlines.
Your employer is more than likely to back your efforts if you’re pursuing a degree or degree apprenticeship while working full-time. If you don’t have their support yet, explain how you’ll utilize the skills and information you acquire to improve your performance in your current position.
4. Divide Up Your Time
Sitting for 8 hours straight does not usually equate to 8 hours of effective study. To use your mental energy more efficiently, divide your studying into smaller chunks and work in short, intense bursts with breaks.
If you have a tight schedule and can only study for a few hours at a time, such as over your lunch break or first thing in the morning, dividing your study time into chunks might help.
5. Choose What to Give Up
It takes discipline and determination to balance a full-time job with full-time schoolwork. Consider making one sacrifice every day to assist you reach your goal. Choose to abstain from something that will only affect you.
For instance, instead of watching television for an hour, spend that time to study. Instead of spending forty minutes on social media, use forty minutes to studying. Maintaining a work-life balance necessitates that you not sacrifice things like spending time with loved ones and getting regular exercise.
6. Develop A Study Routine
It might be challenging to focus on your studies when you are juggling work and family obligations. Consequently, preparing your mind for effective study is crucial.
To put your mind in the right frame of mind for studying, try listening to instrumental music.
Whenever you find yourself lacking the will to study, go back to the reasons you first enrolled in the course. Think about what you’ll get from your course and where it could take you once you’ve finished it.
7. Manage Distractions
It is difficult to concentrate when one is distracted. And distractions appear in the most unexpected places.
Put your phone on mute, “do not disturb,” or leave it in another room to prevent the temptation to check it while you’re studying.
If you share your living space with other people, you should make sure they are aware that they should not interrupt you when you are studying.
And try not to let those chores around the house get in the way. Put things like housework and other commitments in your planner, or find a quiet place away from home to study.
8. Learn How to Handle a Heavy Workload
Despite your best efforts, you may encounter conflicting deadlines from work and studies. If this occurs, do not be hesitant to seek assistance. You may seek assistance from your tutors or support workers with academic and course-related tasks.
Speak with your boss if a heavy burden at work is giving you problems. Is there any way you can reschedule deadlines so they fall when you aren’t as busy with schoolwork, or is there any additional help you can get?
It is crucial to recognize that you are acquiring not just new skills and information, but also a new routine. The majority of individuals will not achieve work-study balance immediately. It will need time to find a solution that matches your lifestyle.
9. Make Use of Technology
Since we have so many apps and gadgets, it makes sense to use them to help us reach our goals. There are a variety of study applications accessible, so explore them to see which one suits your needs. Apps and computer tools may also assist you with scheduling, taking notes, and even providing white noise so that you can study in peace.
10. Get Proper Rest and Put Your Health First
One must take care of their mental and physical wellness. To live healthily, it’s important to get adequate rest, to exercise, to eat well, and to manage stress effectively. You may not be able to completely eliminate stress, but you may learn to control it and so improve your health. Find out what works best for you, whether it’s getting more sleep, taking frequent breaks, going for walks outdoors, doing yoga, or eating nutritious food.
Eating correctly is also essential for maintaining health. With a more condensed schedule, you may be tempted to grab a ready-made meal or takeout, particularly around major deadlines or tests. This is OK on occasion, but it is essential to consume nutritional meals. Without it, your body and brain lack the resources they need to keep you functioning at your best.
To Wrap Up:
Trying to balance being a student and an employee may be quite demanding and stressful. However, you may transform this stress into drive and achieve remarkable outcomes.
It might take some time to execute the aforementioned suggestions for keeping an effective work-study routine. But ideally, these routines will motivate you to improve yourself and lead a more prosperous life in the not-too-distant future.
