For years, college was regarded as a distinct stage on the road to adulthood — a time before entering the “real world,” when students’ life revolved around the classroom and campus. Sure, many students worked summer jobs to help pay for school in the autumn, but juggling work and college was never part of the experience.
However, as the Georgetown Center for Education and the Workforce’s report on the subject puts it, “earning while studying” has become a “The New Normal.” Between 70 and 80 percent of undergraduate college students currently work while attending classes, with roughly 35 per cent working full-time jobs in parallel to their studies.
The 14 million Americans who juggle employment and school account for 10% of the workforce, and many of them are finding it difficult to keep it all together. Well, here to simplify your problem, we’ll let you know how you can balance student life and working life together. Keep reading!
Setting realistic goals is important.
You may have found out that this new stage in your life warrants a completely new you, which might lead to some unrealistic desires and aspirations. You may believe that you can eat healthy meals, exercise every morning, and study for an hour every night, but attempting to make all of these major changes at the same time is a formula for disaster.
Instead, begin with smaller, more attainable goals that will serve as stepping stones toward your final aim. Workout thrice a week or study for 40 to 45 minutes each night. Setting realistic goals will relieve stress and improve your self-esteem.
Try not to procrastinate
It’s all too simple to place off a little bit of work here and there when you don’t have teachers or parents watching your back. Set aside tiny pieces of time dedicated to completing the assignment to avoid last-minute scrambling or feeling overwhelmed by your job. Else, seek assignment help for better understanding the learning objectives.
Don’t scramble with your diet.
You may think what you’re eating is not important, yet it has a significant impact on how you feel and think. You may feel tired and fatigued after consuming oily, sugary, or carb-heavy foods.
To give yourself a natural energy boost and increased focus, you should eat healthy meals and snacks. Also, remember to stay hydrated. Drinking too little water can make you weary and give you headaches.
Be regular with your study habits
Any competent student will most certainly spend endless hours studying, so it’s significant to make the most of that time. Here are a few easy techniques to maximize your study time:
- Plan to study when you’re the most alert, no matter what time of day it is.
- Each session should have a study goal. Make sure you achieve it before packing up the bags.
- Each study session should be devoted to a specific subject.
Be vocal for Help
Everyone wants to see you succeed, including your family, friends, and professors. If you begin to feel overwhelmed or too anxious, seek out someone you can trust as soon as possible. The sooner you can find someone to assist you in managing your stress, the better. If you get anxious about your assignments or homework, do not hesitate to ask your professors for help. Even a better idea is to seek Homework Help in India for extra guidance.
Prioritizing time is good
It’s imperative to make the most of the time you’ve set aside for yourself. Set a list of chores you wish to perform in order of importance to help you balance your professional and personal lives. This will assist you in getting the most out of your time.
Other methods for better time management include:
- Making a weekly to-do list is a good idea.
- dividing enormous tasks into smaller chunks
- Setting your own deadlines
- Keeping a current schedule
- Schedule time for relaxation and visits with family and friends.
Don’t get worried about the small stuff
You can’t expect to be flawless, and you shouldn’t expect to be. It’s fine if you miss one lesson or if your room gets a bit untidy. Learn to let go and concentrate on the vital things. If you’re beginning to feel like school is taking over your life, try incorporating a couple of these techniques to help you reclaim your equilibrium.
Are you Feeling Overwhelmed? Don’t worry, here you go!
Overworking your mind and body can be harmful, making you more susceptible to physical and mental health problems. Chronic stress also makes it difficult to be your best self. While stress is unavoidable and not inherently damaging, establishing effective coping mechanisms is essential. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, try these strategies:
- Taking a stroll
- contacting your pals
- Breathing deeply
- Coloring the pictures
- Taking a shower is all it takes.
You may return calmer or with a different perspective after taking time to care for yourself.
If you’re continually feeling overwhelmed, you should be on the lookout for other typical signs of mental illness. Changes in sleep, energy, or appetite, a loss of interest in activities, difficulties concentrating, and feelings of sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt are all examples of this.
If you’re experiencing any of these additional symptoms, you should get a mental health screening, chat with your doctor, or contact the mental health care on campus. Getting help for your mental health can allow you to feel good and achieve and enjoy your goals.
Allot only 10-15 hours per week for your job
Students should spend 10-15 hours per week, according to school administration. This gives full-time students enough time in class and on projects and time to explore hobbies and form connections.
10-15 hours a week is sometimes insufficient for students who are responsible for their own income or those of their families. If that’s the case, you might want to look into taking online classes, collaborating with your advisors and instructors to strategically organize classes and exercises around your extracurricular interests, and asking for grants, scholarships, or stipends through your school or other organizations. Many of these are accessible via the internet and have simple application processes.
Bottom line
Finding methods to get away from the daily grind can help you be more productive once you return to work, which will almost certainly be delayed. Even though achieving this balance might be difficult, the benefits to your general health and well-being will be well worth the effort.
