Balancing school and work

It can be hard to fulfill all your responsibilities when juggling both school and work. Fortunately, there are a few ways to make the struggle a little easier. Here are some tips for balancing your school and work responsibilities, so you don't end up falling behind in your studies.

1. Look for appropriate times at work to fit in your studies.

Are you most likely going to sit in the break room during your break(s)? If so, bring along one or two of your assigned readings (books, articles - whatever format they're in). Bring along one or two of your assigned written assignments, or at least a notebook and pen to jot down some thoughts and ideas for your written assignments that you can use later on when you have a larger block of study time available. You'd be surprised how much reading and/or writing you can get done during your 15-minute break(s) at work.

If you get a lunch break, consider splitting your time between eating and studying. A split lunch break could give you an extra 10-15 minutes or more of study time that might otherwise go unused.

The time spent traveling to and from work can also be used for studying if you have a long commute on public transit.

2. Ask for some leniency at work around exam time.

You are likely to be extra busy with school work in the weeks leading up to your exams. Consider asking your employer for reduced or more favorable work hours during this period to help you better cope with your increased school work. While some employers will be more accommodating than others, yours may be happy to offer some relief in such times.

3. Speak with your teachers if you're falling behind on critical projects.

Teachers are more likely to make allowances if they know you're balancing school and work, but open and honest communication on your part is the key here. It's your responsibility to approach your teachers on this. If there's no chance of you finishing particular projects or papers on time, speak with your teachers well before the due dates to see what your options are. By "well before the due dates," I mean at least several solid days before, not the night before or the morning of. Your teachers may offer deadline extensions or reduced penalties for late submissions. But again, it's all on you to initiate this important conversation.

There's no doubt it can be a struggle to balance both school and work. Because of this, it's not uncommon for workers to see some unpleasant results on their school assignments, tests, and exams. Hopefully, the preceding three tips can help ease your struggles, so you can continue to do well with your studies while fulfilling your responsibilities at work.

If you found this post helpful, you may want to check out these previous posts, as well:

How to properly prepare for tests and exams

High school students and stress

Better study habits

Be more productive, complete projects on time