8 Tips On How to Balance Work and Studying in College !
Are you a student who works full-time and is feeling overwhelmed or burnt-out with juggling work while also finding time to study and work on assignments? That is totally ok because that is a normal way to feel. Luckily there are practical ways to make the balance of work and study seem less burdensome. To help ease your stress, I am going to give you a simple, easy to follow guide that will give you ways on how to balance work and study.
First off, I want you to understand I know where you are coming from. This summer, I worked at an internship, a deli, and also took a summer class. I also have friends who work while being full time students during the semester. Around 40 percent of full time students work at a job while at college. Safe to say you are not alone.
During the summer, I felt a lot of the symptoms of burnout: lack of sleep, agitation, and overwhelmed. With all these feelings and also feeling like I was getting nowhere I wanted to give up. So many students feel the way I felt and how you are probably feeling right now. I know working while being a full-time student is challenging because it genuinely feels like you are working two jobs.
There are both pros and cons to working while in college so it is crucial to have balance. Benefits of working during college are higher wage increases after college, higher personal income, and being able to pay off student loans quicker. Possible consequences are burnout, financial stress is a real motivator for working in college because no one wants to be the “broke college student” or you may have to pay for college on your own or don’t want to be in debt after college.
Financial stress is a real motivator for working in college because no one wants to be the “broke college student” or you may have to pay for college on your own or don’t want to be in debt after college.
In the end, I found the balance of work and study and felt it was worth it because I wanted to be financially stable and also feel set up for my career post-college and I found ways to balance the two.
How to Balance Work and Studying 101
Balance in college is not as easy as it seems but it is attainable. When you are working a job and a full-time student you can feel stretched thin. To help you not feel like a rubber band, I have eight tips I learned that helped me feel more relaxed and motivated. So here is a guide on how to balance work and study in college.
Create a steady routine - A consistent routine during college is already important but crucial for a working college student because it allows for you to have consistency and feel more relaxed. By setting specific times for work or studying, you can take on tasks easier.
Take time for yourself - Self-care is important when working and being a full-time student because you need to take a beat. Practicing self-care will help you on how to balance work and study and reduce the likelihood of burnout allowing you to take a minute. . This doesn’t mean you have to do a whole spa night but take a part of your day to do something you enjoy
Work on consistent communication - Communicating with your work boss and your professors is key. It allows for less mishaps to occur. I know it may seem daunting or weird to talk to your professors but they have probably been in your shoes and will understand.
Utilize planning tools - Using a planner or scheduling app will save you so much stress and help with your time management skills. You won’t have to worry about missing a shift or an assignment again.
Set realistic goals - Be realistic with yourself and what you feel you are able to do. In order to figure out how to balance work and study, you need to know what you can handle. If you know you want extra money for spring break then maybe pick up a few extra shifts but don’t do that every week if your grades will suffer.
Learning to say no - You are human and it’s ok to say no. Saying no to a coworker asking for you to pick up their shift is healthy. It is not worth you being burnt out because there will be another available shift.
Prioritize - Remember that studying comes before work so when planning out schedules use time wisely and don’t overcommit.
Remember why you are doing it - You are doing this for a reason so use that for motivation. Whether it's financial, experience, etc. it is worth it so keep the reason in the back of your mind and use it as motivation.
My Closing Remark
Working as a college student can be challenging and sometimes it can feel as if it is not worth the time or effort - but I’m here to tell you it is! Learning how to balance work and study in college is attainable. Remember that it is ok to say no if you need to and practicing self-care is just as important as earning that money. Doing small steps like using a planner to schedule work and assignments will help you manage time better. Eight tips might not seem like a lot but I promise you each one will make a huge difference in managing your stress and time.
I hope you found these eight tips helpful and you now know a little more on how to balance work and study. Do you feel more motivated?? Good! These small tweeks will not change you overnight but with each step they will help reduce stress and they will last beyond college so what do you have to lose. Remember to take one day at a time, incorporate these tips, and you will be set up for success!!
