There is much more to school than just attending classes and getting good grades. If you are a social person, there’s a good chance you will have people you interact with that essentially make up your personal life.
Depending on your financial status and long-term interests, you might also be working part-time. Combining all of this is no easy feat and is one area that many students struggle with.
However, as overwhelming as juggling all three responsibilities can be, it is possible to strike a balance, and in this article, we go over the top tips to help you do just that.
9 Tips On Combining Studies, Work, And Personal Life
Here are the nine tips that will help you better manage your time so that you can get the most out of your academics, work, and personal life:
- Set Realistic Goals
- Create A Schedule
- Prioritize Your Tasks
- Learn To Say No
- Take Breaks
- Use Your Commute Time
- Learn To Delegate
- Be Flexible
- Take Care Of Yourself
1. Set Realistic Goals
Ambition is a good trait to have, but when it’s based on unrealistic goals, it can lead to negative outcomes. Many students that make the choice to combine school, work, and personal life, make the mistake of not understanding their limits.
There are times when you’re either too tired or don’t have enough time for everything. This can lead to you failing to meet deadlines, disappointing others and yourself, and in some cases, even depression.
Instead of facing all these negative outcomes, it can be a good idea to sit down and analyze what is achievable. Be kind to yourself by setting goals you are sure to reach, whether in a day or week.
2. Create A Schedule
Shuffling between different educational facilities can be a hassle. When you have multiple classes in a day and still have a job to handle, it’s easy to lose track of time and responsibilities.
In order to protect yourself from the cascading effect of missed deadlines, it can help to have a schedule. It doesn’t need to be too complex or detailed, but it should let you know at a glance where you need to be at any point in the day. With a schedule, you can plan your movement and interactions to make the most of your time.
3. Prioritize Your Tasks
It’s one thing to have a schedule, it’s another to prioritize your tasks. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed with work and end up having a filled-up calendar. However, a big part of your day might simply involve you doing unnecessary work.
Rather than chase every task, create a list ranking all of them by importance. For instance, if you have an essay assignment that is due the next morning, but you also have a test to prepare for, you should focus on studying.
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4. Learn To Say No
When people ask for help, there’s usually this desire to be there for them. While this is commendable, you also have to remember that it shouldn’t come at the cost of your physical or mental health. When you handle too many responsibilities, it’ll only slow you down.
When you aren’t performing at your best and you have people counting on you, this will only disappoint them. Even though it doesn’t always seem so, sometimes you’ll be doing them a favor by saying “No.” You don’t have to be rude about it but don’t feel the need to overshare and explain yourself if you don’t have to do so.
5. Take Breaks
When the body and mind are put through stress repeatedly, it can lead to an eventual breakdown. When it’s the body, you might face back aches and even illness.
And when it’s the mind, there’s mental fatigue and lack of motivation. None of these scenarios are great for the average student; talk less of one that’s juggling various responsibilities.
To prevent yourself from underperforming or needing medical help, you should take breaks regularly.
If you have a schedule, make sure to include resting periods between assignments. Also, when your body begins to show signs of strain, pause and recharge. Remember, only someone fit can work, so keep that in mind.
6. Use Your Commute Time
As stated earlier, there are periods in the day that we can spend being productive, and commute time is one of them. You can choose to listen to podcasts, study, or catch up on your favorite TV shows. This is an excellent way to make the most of your time.
7. Learn To Delegate
Sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one that can handle a task. While in some cases this might be true, it doesn’t have to remain that way. If possible, you should be looking out for ways to share your responsibilities with others. If it’s a school project, you can assign tasks to everyone in the group.
Always do your best to cooperate with your team members so you never have too much to handle. Talk to your colleagues and boss so that everyone is aware of their roles. This will create more time for personal activities, such as connecting with loved ones or taking some time to relax.
8. Be Flexible
As much as we might plan, there are times when certain events will be outside our control. This can be challenging, especially when dealing with a tight schedule, but it’s times like this you need to be flexible.
Life is unpredictable, so you need to be willing to adjust your schedule on demand. In order to achieve a good level of flexibility, you need to be organized. So, ensure you keep all your work and study materials in easy-to-find places so you don’t need to struggle to find them.
9. Take Care Of Yourself
As much as possible, you need to create time for self-care activities. This covers a wide range of events, which include going to the spa, exercising, eating healthy, meditation, or spending time with family. While every day we chase our goals, there are some things that are more important, so learn to prioritize and take care of yourself.
In Conclusion
Successfully combining studies, work, and personal life is not an easy thing to do. Remember to set realistic goals, prioritize tasks according to importance, learn to say no, and most importantly, take care of yourself.
By following the nine tips shared in this article today, you’ll be on track to achieve balance and success in all areas of your life.
Author’s Bio
Barbara Freeland is a life coach and writer with a passion for helping people. She enjoys writing as it gives her the opportunity to reach a wider audience.
Barbara uses her articles to share her experiences and that of others in simple formats that are impactful. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and going to the park with her dog.
