It wasn’t that long ago that most students had to work when they weren’t in classes. Events like the Great Depression pushed families into economic peril, causing them to ask their kids to pitch in by taking a part-time job after school. This trend continued with many students receiving financial aid from colleges being required to take a work/study job during the day to help supplement the money they were getting from scholarships, loans, and grants. But with the economy booming, this work/study requirement looked like it was going to become a thing of the past. However, the past has a way of catching up with you, and more students are finding that they need to hold down a part-time job while they are in college or high school. Whether working at a coffee shop or coaching youth sports, these afterschool and weekend jobs can cut into the time these kids need to study so they can maintain their grades in school. With the scholastic demands rising, this is not an easy task. Here are some helpful pointers for your student to maintain a healthy work/study balance so that he or she can get good grades, while also making money at their job.
Maintain an effective calendar
Proper planning is a big part of any activity. This is especially true if you are holding down a work/study job. You should consider keeping track of your work shifts and school deadlines. When is that project due? If you are collaborating on a group project, when do the others need your input? When is your next exam? All of these are things that you can find out and put into a calendar. There are many online and smartphone apps that help you maintain an effective and efficient schedule. This is not just about putting down dates and deadlines. It also involves prioritizing the things you need to get done.
When your semester starts, you should find out from your teachers and professors the dates of any projects, papers, tests, and exams. Put these into your schedule. Then you should add in your work schedule to the fullest extent possible. Once you have these, add in helpful reminders a week to 10 days before a deadline, like “term paper due on October 15” added to the entry on October 1. This will help you get started long before a due date so that your obligations don’t pile up on you. Also, put in a way to manage priorities. Some people use color coding with red being critical and green or blue symbolizing low priorities. An effective schedule will help you avoid missing deadlines and panicking when they approach.
Manage your free time
You may think you have no downtime when you first make your schedule. However, you will find that, even with a full course load and a busy work schedule, you will still have some free time. Don’t waste the time you have. You may be tempted to use this time for fun activities, like going to the movies or hanging out with friends. While it is a good idea to have some leisure time, be careful about procrastinating on your projects. Before agreeing for a night out with your friends, check your schedule to make sure you don’t have any deadlines approaching. If you do, then make sure to plan things for later in the day so you can get everything finished before you go out. You will be better prepared for your scholastic requirements, and also enjoy your time more since you won’t have homework hanging over your head.
Keep your employer advised about your schedule
Believe it or not, your employer cares about you and wants you to do well at your studies. Your employer also wants to make sure his or her employees are focused when they come to work. If you have a big deadline coming up, don’t be afraid to ask your employer for a day off, or to shift your work schedule to give you time to get your project done or study for your exam. Chances are, your employer will be willing to accommodate you by switching your shift with someone else.
Conversely, if you find yourself with plenty of free time and no deadlines coming up, you might consider asking for extra shifts. This is a great way to make more money during a period of relative calm in your semester. While there is no guarantee that your employer will agree to give you more time, at least it shows your employer that you take the job seriously. Showing initiative is a big part of excelling in the world of work.
Practice self-care
Burnout is a very real problem even for students who aren’t holding down a part-time job. Adding work/study to your life only increases the pressure and stress. Not only do you have to deal with the work environment, but you still have all of the requirements of your classes. There are a number of things you can do to help reduce stress so you don’t run the risk of burning out.
One of the most important things is to get plenty of rest. Maintaining a proper sleeping routine is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. Try to get at least 7 full hours of sleep each night. Some folks believe that napping can make up for lost sleep. This is not true as you never recover the sleep you lost.
Another part of self-care is maintaining a healthy diet. Eating foods that are nutritious and rich in anti-oxidants will help you feel better and boost your immune system. This will also help you keep your energy up.
Finally, a major part of self-care involves exercise, meditation or yoga. Doing an activity like this will keep you feeling better, release stress and tension, and stay balanced. Whether going to a gym or just putting down a mat at home, an hour of exercise, mediation or yoga each day can be easily fit into your schedule.
Relax! You got this!
You may be surprised to find out that if you follow these basic pointers, you will be able to keep an ideal work/study balance. Once you get into the routine, you will look back and wonder what you were stressing about before. At Dade Prep Academy, some of our students have part-time jobs. By following these steps, they’ve found they can get through each day, each week, each month, with a healthy mindset. If you are considering taking a part-time job, find a friend who is already balancing work and study, and find out from him or her how they handle this. You may be surprised to find that getting the balance right isn’t so difficult after all!
Sources:
https://www.educations.com/articles-and-advice/5-great-tips-for-how-to-balance-work-and-study-17735
https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-balance-work-and-school
https://www.cdu.edu.au/launchpad/future-study/six-tips-balancing-work-study
