If you are thinking of financing your own education, studying and working a full time job at the SAME time, then you need an effective strategy. It is not easy doing both, so here are effective tips for you to use.
The following tips are from DeskDemon.com a large online resource designed specifically for office professionals in the UK.
Plan Well
One of the reasons why a lot of people find it difficult to balance work, school, and a healthy lifestyle is because they don’t schedule anything and just try to “fit in” gym visits. When you have plenty of free time to work out at your leisure, you might be able to get away with this, but working 40+ hours a week and dedicating around 20 hours a week to school doesn’t give you much leeway in terms of working out and eating right. You need to develop a set schedule of when you’re going to go to the gym and when you’re going to eat meals.
When you create your schedule, make sure that it’s reasonable and something you can stick with. If you know you can’t wake up at 5 Am to hit the gym (I’m not a morning person at all), schedule it for another time because you’ll end up throwing your entire schedule out of whack by making an inconvenient plan that you won’t be able to commit to.
Manage Time
Make good use of any time which might otherwise be wasted time, such as reading on the train. listening to an Open University programme in the evening (which you taped the night before) instead of watching the usual rubbish.
When you are away from work, you often find yourself with free time, ranging from 15 minutes to three or four hours in places like airports, hotels and train stations. How do you best use these moments? Make a list! The main thing is to know what you want to do. People tend to find themselves with 30 minutes and start doing things at random. Have a list of tasks you can and need to work on.
When you are away from work, you often find yourself with free time, ranging from 15 minutes to three or four hours in places like airports, hotels and train stations. How do you best use these moments? Make a list! The main thing is to know what you want to do. People tend to find themselves with 30 minutes and start doing things at random. Have a list of tasks you can and need to work on.
Self Care
Remember to get the balance right. Look after yourself. It is exhausting studying for a professional qualification while you're studying. Eat properly, get exercise, get rest and continue to socialise where you can.
The entire idea of getting fit and improving your life is very fun and exciting, and because of this, it’s easy to just go all in right away and immediately want to hit the gym 5 days a week. Commitment is great, and necessary, but you want to try to pace yourself into it. If you start out by going to the gym 5 days a week on top of your hectic schedule, it’s easy to wear yourself out quickly. Getting fit is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and pacing yourself will really benefit you in the long run.
Consider starting out by going to the gym 2 days a week, and after doing this consistently for a while, add on another day or two.
The entire idea of getting fit and improving your life is very fun and exciting, and because of this, it’s easy to just go all in right away and immediately want to hit the gym 5 days a week. Commitment is great, and necessary, but you want to try to pace yourself into it. If you start out by going to the gym 5 days a week on top of your hectic schedule, it’s easy to wear yourself out quickly. Getting fit is not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and pacing yourself will really benefit you in the long run.
Consider starting out by going to the gym 2 days a week, and after doing this consistently for a while, add on another day or two.
Provide Heads Up
If you think you're going to have a problem meeting a deadline, or you've had a family or work emergency, let your course tutors know. They are very human, and will understand the pressures of trying to balance work and study at once. Tell people if there's a problem sooner rather than later.
Mind Set
Remind yourself constantly of what doing the study will mean for you. Have a very clear reason to do the course. If your reason to do it is weak, your motivation to sit down and study will suffer.
Tell The Boss
If you can, tell your boss what you're doing. Studying shows you're serious about your personal development and growth as an individual.
Expand Your Network
Remember that there are lots of mature students going back to part time or full time study. See this as an opportunity to expand your network.
Good Environment
Set up a spot where you feel comfortable working. Use anything which will help you focus: timetables, your goals written on a wall, coloured pens, mind maps, flowers at your work space. Think about the time of day you study best. For some people, that may be first thing in the morning, say at 4:00.
Know Your Options
Make good use of the careers service in your organisation. If you're studying long distance, find out what facilities the training or education provider has for you, too. Take advantage of the services they offer while you can.
It's O.K. To Say No
Be prepared to say no to requests you'd normally take on either at home or at work. Remember, you need to look after yourself. Remember, you're worth it. When you're studying, make it clear that you're not to be interrupted unless it's a life and death emergency!
References: deskdemon.com, ft.com, lifehack.org
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