One of the main concerns of professionals considering enrolling in an online programme is whether they will be able to balance their job and their education. On the surface, it does not appear possible to balance all of your responsibilities. However, with a little effort, you might be able to design a work-study schedule that works for you.
If you have a full-time job, you'll need to find out how many hours you have left to devote to your studies. Evenings, weekends, and even midnight are all possibilities. It is recommended that you take credit hours in accordance with this schedule.
You can’t do it all. So define your priorities, not only in general terms, but also try and determine where you want to focus your energies more for the time being. If you are more focused on your career and want a degree as an aid for career advancement, plan your study schedule around your work schedule. If, on the other hand, having a degree is your top priority but you still want to work, then arrange your work around your study schedule.
If your priority is your studies and you want a job just to support yourself financially for the time being, there are several ways you can go about it. First, apply to work-study positions. Many colleges and universities offer these opportunities with a financial aid aspect that goes directly towards your student expenses. If not a work-study position, you could always look for job opportunities within your department. A lot of universities employ several students to help with the administrative tasks.
Make it a habit to create a weekly plan for yourself and ensure that you set time aside for studying every day. If you make the mistake of letting your studies pile up, you will be in a lot of trouble towards the year end or semester end. Create a study plan for yourself that adjusts your professional life, your education and personal life. A good way to go about it would be to get a calendar and write out what you need to accomplish on a daily basis. Once you finish a task, check it off the calendar. This way everything you have done and everything still pending would be easy to decipher.
Tip: If you have other family members, it's a good idea to post your calendar somewhere where anyone can see it. They would be able to stop making arrangements with you at times when you are unavailable.
If you are working and studying at the same time, there might be several opportunities for you to apply in real life. Similarly there might be chances for you to use what you have learned in your job for an assignment or presentation in your course. Take full advantage of such opportunities.
If you really want to accomplish the ideal balance between work and studies, you will need to become more efficient. The first order of business is to get organized. Keep your study and work routines in line. Make sure your work/study table is fully organized and you have fixed places for all your items of need. Getting a little organized in your overall lifestyle will ensure that you don’t end up wasting precious time looking for things buried under your clothes or hiding in some dark corner of your closet.
This is a habit that will help you in both your work and study schedule. When you are given a task by your manager, quickly note it down somewhere to make sure you don’t forget. Similarly in class, take good notes. The idea is not to write literally everything down. Just make sure you note down the most important points covered in the lecture. Your notes should be jotted down in such a manner that revising them later should be a smooth and simple process.
You'll need a specific location or locations where you can go to get stuff done if you want to have an effective work-study schedule. This may be a specific house corner, a study table, or a work station. It could even be odd places like the attic, the front lawn or the nearest coffee shop. Avoid places with lots of distractions such as the TV, loud noises etc. If you study or work better with music, try and choose music without lyrics to help you focus better.
In addition to letting your friend and family know about your schedule, it is important that you keep your managers in the loop as well. For instance, if you have exams coming up, you might need a few days off or early offs. Make sure your manager is informed of this well in time. Similarly if you have to miss class for something important at work, let your teachers know beforehand and cover up as soon as possible.
A major factor in doing your work along with studying is your health. Find a balance that allows you enough time to maintain your health as well. Make exercising part of your routine, even if it is for just 30 minutes. Get plenty of rest and make sure you sleep at least seven to eight hours a day. If you find yourself really tired and sleepy all throughout the week, then it means you need to change your routine. Catching up on your sleep on the weekends is not the ideal answer. Make sure you take proper meals every day. Eating grab-and-go meals, which may appear to be the fastest choice but are actually very unhealthy, is one of the big traps of a busy schedule. Instead of going to a fast food restaurant, you can go to the grocery store and buy a pre-made salad. It will not only be a nutritious treat for you, but it will also give you a boost of energy when you need it.
Balancing your job and studies can seem to be a difficult task at first, but with proper planning, you can easily stay on top of things. Keep these tips in mind, and you'll be ready to tackle the double load.