For many students, work becomes part of life when they are completing their studies. Some choose to balance work with study to open up their opportunities post-graduation, while others have no choice but to work to fund their studies.
Either way, there is no denying that balancing work with study is often easier said than done. With the demands from assignments and exams and the rigours of working life, many students find themselves making sacrifices to ensure everything gets done.
Combining work and study is not easy, but it does not have to compromise your social life, hobbies or health. Here are some tried and true ways to balance work with study throughout your course.
Get organised
It is important to practice good organisation not just inside class, but outside your studies too. Looking to get organised across all aspects of your life is key to ensure that you don’t miss any key dates or events, while also keeping your work and study goals on track.
A calendar or planner, whether it be in the form of an app of your phone or a hard copy diary, are great tools to use to organise your work and study. Mark down important events, like school and work deadlines or social events, so you can plan around them. This gives you a wide lens view of what is due when so you get an idea of when you need to action certain tasks to avoid a pile-up of deadlines or double bookings.
Find flexibility
This may be dependent upon your course and job but creating as much flexibility as possible in your schedule will work wonders to help you achieve balance. Education providers like National Training offer students flexible study options, allowing them to complete their course whenever and wherever it best suits them.
Rather than needing to stick by rigid class times and campus attendance requirements, you will have the freedom to slot in study around your work. If you are planning to juggle work and study, it is worth looking into courses with flexible delivery modes to achieve the balance you need.
Communicate
If there is one way to make your work and study balance easier, it is maintaining communication with all the key people in your life. You need to let your trainer, employer, family and friends know about the tasks and activities you juggle between work and study, so they know when you are and are not available. Keeping these people in the loop helps them understand the demands you face as a working student, especially if they are unfamiliar with your responsibilities between both your work and study.
Don’t over schedule
When you have become used to always being ‘on the go’, it can be hard to say no to extra tasks or responsibilities. You are no doubt already a proficient multi-tasker, but there does come a point where you need to be honest with yourself about your ability to juggle so many different plates at once. Taking on too many things at one time means you could struggle to give every assignment or work project the attention it requires, which could have a detrimental effect on your job or studies.
Prioritise what is most important to you and don’t be afraid to knock back plans or events if they will negatively impact your work or studies.
If you are looking to achieve work and study balance, you can’t go past National Training’s range of flexible course options. From Human Resources to Business Admin, we offer diplomas in a range of key industries that are designed to work with your lifestyle. Explore our course range today.
