In between school, work, and personal life, students attending colleges often find themselves struggling to balance their time. Most online students are overwhelmed with various duties and obligations, and this can lead to fatigue and burnout. At that point, you also run the risk of losing your focus and motivation, making you less effective as a student, professional, and family member.
Here are the top tips to help you achieve school-work-life balance:
Pick your study load wisely
Commit to a realistic study load that you can confidently handle. Do not bite more than you can chew; otherwise, you’ll find yourself overburdened. If you are working full-time, consider studying part-time so you can still keep your job and finance your studies at the same time.
It’s also helpful to consider how soon you want to finish your degree. Some people want to graduate as quickly as they can to accelerate their promotion, for instance. Others are happy to take their time.
Stick to a routine
Online learning allows you to design your day’s structure. You don’t have to get to school at 8 am and finish at 4 pm. You can start studying at midnight or early in the morning, or any time that you want. But along with this free structure, you also become vulnerable to procrastination.
Create and follow a routine that allows you to become an effective learner while allowing you to juggle your other duties effectively. Write a list of to-dos for the day, pencil into your calendar important dates and deadlines, and be on track with your schoolwork.
Do not multi-task
Don’t work on a school project while drafting a client proposal at the same time. You have to manage your time properly so you can focus on one task at a given moment. This is why routine is so crucial in one’s school-life balance. The only way to provide the best quality in whatever you’re working in is by giving it your sole focus. It helps to take breaks in between to re-energize your mind, but don’t try to do multiple things all at once.
With all the things you have to do, you might think achieving a school-work-life balance is impossible. But with commitment, discipline, and consistency, you can be the best that you can be in all these areas.
