How to Balance School and Work Together

You have quite a challenge ahead of you, balancing work and school at the same time. I did this for a few months and I can tell you it's no fun. My day started at 6am and I didn't see home again until 11pm. I still had homework to do and a full-day of work to attend to. I was going to graduate school and working full-time.

You may be in a similar situation and asking yourself, "How do I balance this work-school combination?" For some it's more than just work and school to balance, it's family, it's extracurricular stuff, it's social life, it's a lot of other things that need to be juggled. You want to advance your career, or you want to get that advanced degree, or you want to make more money, but now you're tired, you seem to lack energy and you feel like everything is taking a hit as a result. How do you make the balance work? I'm glad you asked!

1. Do not overextend yourself.

If you know that you work 40+ hours a week you may not want to commit to a full schedule of classwork unless you know that you absolutely need to. School has its own share of demands, as does the workplace. Each one will consider their own entity your first priority, as will your family if you have family responsibilities. Know your limits and know how to manage everything around you.

2. Stay ahead of your deadlines.

By staying ahead of your deadlines, you don't fall behind in any one area. Finishing papers before they're due could free up some precious hours of rest and relaxation, or buy you that overtime at work that your boss has demanded of you. Putting in a couple of extra hours at work on a class night off may set you up not to have overtime on the night of class.

Be aware of when your deadlines actually are. With the amount of pressure that's on you, you don't need anything else sneaking up on you; you have enough to juggle as it is. Keep a journal nearby if you need help remembering when certain assignments or projects are due. Having it written down in one or more places can be an asset to your balancing act.

3. Put first things first.

If work requires more time, you may have to miss school. If you have a baby, then you may have to miss a night of class to attend to family matters. Know your priorities and attend to them diligently. Can you keep everyone happy? No. You can however manage the things that come up in your life and make quick decisions when needed. In all of this, you have in essence given up self-desires by taking on these different entities at the same time. That's not saying you can't have a life outside of school, work, and family, but it does mean your time is spread much thinner.

4. You must make time for yourself.

Time for yourself is essential to survival. This might mean getting up earlier to meditate, or exercise, or just sit somewhere quietly. It could also mean going to sleep after everyone else in order to have some quiet time. I recommend at least an hour a day of time dedicated to yourself for whatever you need it for. You may simply need time to unwind from the day, or charge up for your day.

5. Know how to reward yourself.

Rewards are great when you've hit certain milestones in life. Perhaps at the end of a semester take a day off of work to celebrate your accomplishments. Find a place to go where you can just be you. Maybe it is karaoke night with friends, maybe it's a night out with your spouse, or maybe it's a day in front of the tube without a care in the world. Whatever your reward system is, be sure you exercise your rewards from time to time. You deserve it.

6. Observe a Sabbath Day.

A Sabbath day is a day of rest. For most people this probably is Sunday. Whatever day you choose, just be sure to choose one. This would be a day where you don't work, and you don't do anything school-related. This is necessary to clear your mind of these two major areas of your life. You may be tempted to get ahead on these days, and given the circumstances you may need to, but do what you can to keep these days sacred and clean from work or school activities.

7. If you feel yourself losing a grip, pull back.

Talk to your advisors if you need help with managing your classes, maybe you won't need to take them all this semester. They're there for more than scheduling your classes, but they can be one of your greatest assets in your academic career. Professional counselors are also available if you need assistance outside of work or school. Talk to family and friends for ideas on how to manage your life at this stage. You don't have to do it all alone, there are people who want to help you.

8. Be sure to eat great meals and get a good night's rest.

When you have a schedule as demanding as yours, you need a great lunch and dinner to get through the day. Sometimes it's that dinner that gets you from work to class knowing you're not going to get home until late at night. Sometimes that breakfast is what gets you through the work day until lunchtime. A good night's rest helps your body to refuel and helps your brain to function clearly. Sometimes we think we can get by on four or six hours of sleep, and perhaps we can for a short period of time, but it's not recommended for the long haul. Eight hours is optimal, but be sure to get at least six hours of sleep every night.