Let’s be honest: juggling work, school, and life is not east! You are always going to feel like at least one area isn’t getting enough attention. Fortunately, thousands of students just like you have done this before, and have learned that juggling is really about balance. We’ve pulled together five tips to help you manage juggling work, school, and life without dropping the ball.
BUILD A SUPPORT SYSTEM
This is the most important foundation you can have when you are carrying a heavy load. Talk to your boss and co-workers about this new chapter of your life. Let them know that you may not be able to take on new tasks for a while or that you need some flexibility so that you can continue to be the best employee possible while you are getting your education. Talk to your friends and family about finding ways to rearrange responsibilities or schedules so that nobody, including you, is overloaded. Also let your professors and school staff know what is on your plate—they have seen it all before and probably have some suggestions that will help!
MANAGE YOUR TIME
With your time divided across home, work, and school deadlines, it’s more important than ever that you find a way to effectively manage everything. Consider how your smartphone calendar, an old-fashioned daily planner, or a similar tool can be used to help you keep track of when projects are due, when you need to pick up your child or attend a game, or when you are seeing friends. You can also look into time management strategies that can help you be more effective with the limited time you do have.
CREATE A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
While there are certainly parts of your day that you can’t flex (class times, event dates, possibly work schedules), do the best to accommodate where you can. Establish a homework and study routine that you can adjust when necessary. Always be ready to adapt when significant school projects are due, new work crises arise, or a wrench gets thrown into your personal life (you or your child is sick, the car breaks down, you have to run extra errands).
ESTABLISH YOUR BOUNDARIES
With so much going on, it’s very easy for one area of your life to creep into the others. You need to be firm with the limits of what you can reasonably manage. Create a schedule that allows you time for everything from school to family, social time, and work, and then stick to it as much as possible. Ask your support system to help you focus and stay on task, limiting interruptions.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Finally, make sure to set aside time for yourself. Even with so many things to accomplish, you need to take steps to keep from becoming burnt out and exhausted. Prioritizing self-care includes making sure to get a good night’s sleep, taking breaks, eating well, and doing your best to keep from becoming overwhelmed by stress. Maintaining your physical and emotional well-being will actually help you to be more efficient and effective. Remember, you are only human!
Whether you are just beginning to look at vocational training, or you are already immersed in your program, it’s never too late to put these measures into place to help you find balance in the middle of juggling work, school, and life. If you are currently deciding where to attend, we hope you will consider one of UEI College’s Career Training Programs. Our experienced instructors and faculty are committed to helping you prepare for a life you can be proud of, offering you respect, support and advice, every step of the way.
