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School and work - the two things my week consists of (well, mostly). Between classes, homework and juggling two jobs, sometimes it seems almost impossible to keep up with it all. Luckily, I have been pretty good at finding a balance between my school/work load throughout my four years of college, and trust me, it hasn't been easy.
After creating a survey for college students and getting 100 participants to respond, 78 respondents said that they have a job in addition to being a full-time student. Including other activities such as sports, volunteer opportunities and being involved in other organizations, 31 respondents also added that they spend more than 25 hours a week doing these activities. Considering the number of hours a student spends on school alone, it is no wonder why many of us have such a hard time finding this balance.
Fifty-two percent is the number of respondents who said they have trouble balancing their schedule. Whether we want to admit it or not, we have all been through the struggle of being able to balance everything at once. So, now what? Below are five tips to help you balance your school/work load if you haven't quite figured it out!
1. Figure Out What You Can Handle
Simple, right? But many of us, including myself, refuse to say no to any opportunity that comes our way. Eventually, it is all work overload. So what do you do? Well that requires some thinking and scheduling on your end. Each student is different and some can handle more than others. So figure out what is best for you. Once you do that, you're already a step ahead of the game!
2. Don't Try Doing It All At Once
College students - the best procrastinators ever. Let's face it, we've all waited until the night before to finish a seven page paper before our 8:00 A.M. Many times, we try to do it all at once. Class, to work, to an organization meeting, back to work and than homework. And in between all this craziness we get so caught up that we don't realize it's just too much sometimes.
Take a step back and make time for the things that time lacks. Once you set aside the things that are most important, you will be able to plan accordingly and know what you can and can't do.
3. Make Time To Plan
As I discussed in a previous blog, planning is everything. I keep a planner of all my assignments, meetings and days and times I have to be at work each week. This is the biggest thing that has helped me balance my school/work load. I know where I have to be at what time and what I have to complete by the end of the day to get ready for the next. If you haven't already purchased a planner, I highly suggest you do!
4. Make Time For Yourself
Setting aside time to be alone each day is not a bad thing. Sometimes that's exactly what we need to reflect on what we need to get done, or to just relax for a few minutes. We are constantly rushing throughout the day that sometimes we just lose ourselves. Set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day to think, plan or just to unplug from school and work. You may realize that this will help you gather all your thoughts and keep you on track.
5. Breathe
Being overwhelmed with everything that goes on can get the best of us. Breathe. Everything always works itself out. Figure out what you can handle and stick to a schedule. Eventually, everything will fall into place!
Balancing this type of work load takes time, but is not impossible. For more tips to balance your school/work load, I highly suggest clicking on the link below!