By 
Presiding over a school schedule is not all rainbows and butterflies, you know – It’s a real challenge. After a long day of classes, papers, homework, and extracurriculars, all you want to do is lie on your bed and binge a little Netflix. We get it. Unfortunately, binge-watching your favorite show won’t be enough to pay the bills. Therefore, you’ve got to figure out a way to attain an unbreakable balance between working a job and staying on top of the school schedule.
Indeed, both (school and work) are significant commitments. For many students, having a job while attending school has become a financial necessity. However, many find ways to make both ends meet regardless of the odds. That said, you too can learn how to make it work, all the while getting rid of those pesky habits that urge you to procrastinate.
But the question is: How?
Don’t worry; we’ve got a few tips up our sleeves to help you handle the pressure. Listed below are some of the most effective and can’t miss tips to help you successfully juggle between those tedious hours of learning and working.
Consider Online Classes
Since virtual learning is the new norm, going back to school and working full-time is now possible. Most online platforms offer students the flexibility needed to work when they can, without showing up at a particular time in a physical location. Others even provide self-paced classes, giving students the chance to start and pause when they need to.
Regardless of what you’re considering majoring in, online learning can help you strike a sweet balance between almost everything. For instance, most finance and accounting students/professionals prefer masters in accounting online for higher education prospects. Even if you’re aiming for an advanced degree, finding a credible institute with feasible schedules and quality education shouldn’t be that hard.
By simply going on an online searching spree, you can find a suitable match. Just ensure to look for online classes that will satisfy your learning style.
Strengthen your Support System
When you make a life transition like returning to school, it impacts your partner (if any) and family, not just you. So before you apply for the school, talk to your loved ones, especially if you have one or two older people in your family. Who among your relatives/close friends can help if the burden is too much for your family? Are they capable of taking on new responsibilities at home?
Indeed, enrolling in a graduate program can help you enhance your career significantly. Ascertain that your partner and family are aware of your goals, that they support the commitment. And that they are happy to guide and help you through it all.
Write Realistic and Clear Goals
Set achievable learning goals, jot them down, and stick to them. These objectives could include project completion dates, additional credit scores, and test scores.
According to a Dominican University Study, setting goals is an excellent way to enhance productivity. Researchers gathered 267 participants from several institutions and networking groups. They discovered that more than 70% of those who gave weekly written updates met and exceeded their goals. Only 35% of those who did not write down their goals came close to realizing them.
Find a Good Study Space
Setting up a dedicated study space might prove beneficial for students with hefty course loads and side jobs.
A dedicated space will always be connected with academics in your student mind, whether it’s a study room or a desk in the dorm. That means you will be less likely to get distracted by work or your phone when sitting down in your study spot.
When you sit on that chair, your mind will whisper, “Okay, for the next ninety minutes, we’re focusing on homework and nothing else,” which will help you remain focused.
Furthermore, a study space provides a stable, ordered environment where everything you need to complete schoolwork is readily available. Finally, a study room will help you keep your priorities in order by allowing you to focus and complete your homework on time. Hence, giving you more time to focus on your job.
Procrastinate Productively
Procrastination is inevitable, but there is a way for you to use it to your advantage. If you don’t want to complete a specific task at a particular time, go on to another one that needs to be completed. Similarly, if you’re not in the mood to read, for example, organize or do something else on your to-do list.
It’s natural for our moods to influence our attention levels, so it’s okay if you don’t feel prepared to complete a task. Instead of wasting time, focus on another critical task on your to-do list.
Cut Yourself Some Slack
With a routine like this, we know you’re constantly under stress. But learning the art of maintaining your physical and mental health will pave the path for a more robust human.
Even if you have to pull an all-nighter, schedule your time to get eight hours of sleep and a couple of hours of exercise each week. Reward/treat yourself to a good dinner, an evening with a super-relaxing product like these Delta 9 edibles, or a day trip out of town.
Keep in mind that graduate school is just for a short time, and the ultimate goal is to develop your career. Allow this to motivate you to restructure your time as needed, take on new challenges, and stay focused on your goals.
Keep your eyes on the prize.
We won’t sugar-coat it: combining education and job to pay the bills is difficult, let alone soul-crushing. When you quickly reach for the snooze button in the morning, know that you can’t afford to do so. Why? Because, well, money.
But look at it this way, you’ll be making money that may be used for vacation, rent, tuition, and non-dining hall meals. In the meantime, your buddies will be looking for quarters in the couch cushions or begging for allowance increases. So, if you can manage to pin to your head that you are soaking up experience/talent, which will later come in handy, you’ll make it through.
Ready to Play the School-Work Balance Game?
Yes, it can be challenging, but when push comes to shove, you get a taste of what you’re made of eventually. You circle back to why you started a job and applied for college in the first place – to make yourself proud by doing the impossible. And yes, the idea of maintaining a full-time job while putting so much effort into earning a degree seems overwhelming to many.
While it certainly won’t be easy, it can be an unavoidable necessity for those who wish to grow their careers through the empowerment of higher education. So, keep the above-said tips in mind, and soon you will be able to find balance in your life. Lastly, keep pushing through because one day, you’ll be glad that you didn’t give up.
Comments