Balance Your Work and Study Life With These 5 Tips

It is quite normal for students to work and study at the same time. While the reasons are primarily financial in nature, students aim to gather enough experience to adapt to future prospects. But, if you think about it, working and studying simultaneously is anything but simple. You have two different sets of commitment to take care of and you cannot slack off in either. You fail at work you lose your financial support; you fail at the education you lose your chances for a better future. So, it becomes imperative to balance the two.

There are many ways to achieve this goal. However, the bottom line is that the process will take time before it gains some form of permanence in your life. Adjusting these two takes more than just will, and you must dedicate yourself to ensuring that you successfully manage your work and studies.

I have 5 tips for you to consider.

1. Understand how much time you can give
   You only have 24 hours a day and you cannot be too picky about what you can and cannot do unless you have a proper plan. Consider your daily commitments. For example, go through your university timetable, check the number of lectures you have to attend every day, the time you are required to spend working, the time spent in transportation (if any), time for personal affairs, and whatnot. Get a clear picture of what needs urgency and what doesn’t. Accordingly, make a timetable. But, don’t make it too inflexible.

2. Discuss it with your employer
   The university won’t make many adjustments so it is always better to talk it out with your employer. Once you sign up for any kind of work, whether full-time or part-time, you should convey your apprehensions to the employer. Generally, employers are amenable to making certain adjustments for college-going students such as the reduction of day shifts, overtime pay, and weekly offs. Of course, you may or may not get any relaxation as it depends on the kind of employer you have. But, it is always a wise option to keep the employer in the loop.

3. Choose a workplace closer to your university
   Transportation from the workplace to university/home and vice versa can consume a lot of time. If you are living on campus, then find a workplace that is closer to the campus. This will save a chunk of time which can be used for other purposes. In case you live off-campus, try to find a place that is close to both home and university. A lot of students do not factor in the time wasted on unnecessary transportation. In case there is an option to choose your workplace, then always factor in the distance from home/university.

4. Do not push your limits
   When people tell me to ‘go beyond’, I tell them that it is not necessarily a piece of healthy advice. Pushing limits is acceptable so long as you are not punishing yourself. Many students end up picking up multiple part-time jobs alongside that impacts their physical and mental well-being. As I noted in the first point, you have only 24 hours all of which you cannot spend on education and work. You will need to get proper rest, work on your dietary needs, and involve in socialization and personal growth. Multitasking sounds good but it is not everyone’s cup of tea, and even if it is your cup of tea, don’t overdrink it. Set rational goals for yourself to be able to productively perform in both work and university.

5. Give time
   The last point is probably the most important one. We often start with big plans. But, as time goes by, we become overwhelmed by the sheer amount of adjustment we end up making. When you decide to overhaul your daily routine to accommodate two different kinds of commitments, you end up customizing a lot of your daily affairs. Many of us run out of patience due to the initial tension and stress. But, do not give in as once you adjust to the new routine you will find it easier to balance between work and study and notice improvement in your overall performance.