As an adult, you have obligations. Do you have a job. You pay the bills. You may also have a family, wife and / or children. You have to work, but you would like to start studying again and improve your life. It would seem impossible to reconcile all of these responsibilities, but with a little ingenuity, a lot of planning and the support of your loved ones, it's doable.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Plan Your Time
Step 1. Create a flexible schedule
Some parts of the plan, such as lesson times and working days, are immutable. Tackle homework and study at times when you are not in class or in the office. Develop a routine that you can stick to but can change if you have other commitments. As a working student, you need to be ready to adapt to new assignments, unexpected errands, and sudden job crises that need to be resolved immediately. Make sure you have enough time to study so that you can postpone it to another time of the week in case of setbacks.
Get a calendar. Write down what you need to do every single day. When you complete an assignment, tick it off with a pen. This way, you will be able to see how far you've accomplished and keep your future tasks organized
Step 2. Use an agenda
A planner is especially useful if you have a lot of appointments and your days are so busy that you have trouble keeping track of your schedule. Mark all the appointments already made: lesson times, working hours, delivery dates and family obligations. This way, you will know exactly when you will have free time, so that you can schedule study sessions or moments to devote to your hobbies.
Step 3. Try using a smartphone
Most of these phones have calendars and functions that allow you to write to-do lists. Apple and Google products offer the ability to synchronize laptops and desktops, so you can share the program between multiple devices. If you add an assignment to your mobile calendar, such as a new project to be delivered by a certain date, it will also appear on the device you have at home.
Step 4. Share your commitments
Talk about the program with friends and family. Explain what life is like for a working student - they may start showing solidarity with you. Maybe they'll even try to make your life easier. At least, they will know when they can be with you and when they should leave you alone to allow you to achieve your goals.
Sign up on a site that offers an online calendar and send the URL to people who need to know where you are and when
Step 5. Plan your academic journey
Try to understand the steps required to reach the goal and set personal goals. Do you need to take five exams to graduate? Find out about the dates and create a schedule based on your needs. Each university is different. Talk to a guidance counselor and ask them to help you plan your schedule so you know what to expect.
Step 6. Make time for your family
As you prepare the plan, also include time for your family and related obligations. Create a separate column for what you need to do to keep the house tidy, make your wife happy, and stand next to your children. In addition to study and work activities, she plans tasks such as laundry and family meals.
If you have children, be sure to meet their needs. You will need to take them to kindergarten or school. Some jobs and universities offer assistance to students who have children. You have to prepare food and spend as much time with them as possible. Make sure you don't neglect your children when you start studying again
Step 7. Organize a weekly social activity
You should cultivate your friendships. At the beginning of each week, plan to do something fun with your friends the following weekend. This will show that, despite your commitments, you make an effort to see them; you will also constantly remember that at the end of a hard week of study and work you will grant yourself this award.
Method 2 of 5: Develop Effective Study Habits
Step 1. Get organized
Keep your study materials in one place in an organized way, so they will be easy to find. Mark future deadlines on your calendar and start study projects early, so that you have enough time to complete them should the unexpected arise. If you take several courses at a time, don't spend all your time on just one, while other deadlines are looming.
Step 2. Take good notes in class
Focus on the main ideas covered in each lesson, don't write down unnecessary information. Try to write down the fundamental steps of the longer processes, summary information and logically linked together, data frequently repeated by the professor and everything that is written on the blackboard or that you find in the handouts. This is the information you will need to take the tests. Focus on them.
Step 3. Find the right place to study
Find a place where you can study comfortably and without interruption. Make sure you have a comfortable chair, table, adequate lighting, and all necessary study materials.
Step 4. Reduce distractions while studying
Turn off your cell phone and television. Don't check your email. Stay away from social networks. The key to effective study is to focus all your efforts on each task.
If you are easily distracted by social networks like YouTube, Facebook, etc., download one of the various applications designed to regulate access and increase concentration. Once you're done working, you can unlock access to all sites
Step 5. Review regularly, do not study the night before a test
Start studying on the first day of class and constantly review concepts. Do not put off until the last minute, and then try to learn in a single study session all that you should have assimilated over several months. The mind will not be able to process and hold all this accumulated information in one go. The brain is a muscle, therefore, as with other muscles, it is strengthened by constant training. You can't go to the gym, lift a particularly heavy dumbbell out of the blue, and expect to get muscular overnight. You have to go to the gym (study) frequently and do short sessions, gradually moving to more difficult levels.
Step 6. Talk to the professors
If you don't understand a topic, go straight to the source. Teachers have regular office hours and / or emails to which specific questions can be sent. Engage in an open dialogue with them. They will help you overcome obstacles faster.
Step 7. Visit the university tutoring center
Many universities have free or inexpensive guidance services run by other students or graduates. Instead of wasting hours indoors thinking and rethinking the same concepts, without understanding them, contact a tutor.
Method 3 of 5: Work Efficiently
Step 1. Make a list of the tasks you need to complete
Make a list with both easy and difficult tasks. Write down the emails you need to respond to, forms to send, meetings to attend, and any other tasks you need to complete before the day is over.
Step 2. Organize the list
Place the most important tasks at the top of the list and the least important ones at the end. If you find some tasks insignificant or useless, get rid of them. Don't waste time on nonsense. This would only hurt your productivity.
Step 3. Organize your workspace
This is the first step to a truly productive day. The main steps are throwing away what you don't need, strategically arranging forms and information, constantly maintaining a good organization.
- In the beginning, get rid of everything you don't need at work. Trinkets and family photos are fine, but everything else needs to be put in another room. You need to create a clean space that is free from distractions.
- Second, it determines which forms or information (business cards, standard forms, email lists, payrolls or data reports) you need to have on hand. Buy folders and put similar data in the same place. This way, you will know where to look for them in the future.
- Finally, when the day comes to an end, perform some basic organizational system maintenance. Make sure you put all the forms away properly. That way, you won't end up in a big mess the next morning.
Step 4. Harness the power of teamwork
Delegate tasks. Break complex tasks into manageable chunks, then assign them to various team members. Don't waste time completing an assignment yourself that a small group can finish in a couple of hours.
Step 5. Consider talking to your boss
If you want, underline why your project will help you acquire important skills or qualify for a promotion. Convince him of the validity of your choice. If the employer accepts it, it will be easier for you to juggle university and employment. It may even help you adjust working hours as needed to fit your study.
You need to weigh the pros and cons that come with the conversation with the boss. Some employers won't think your education benefits them or the business
Method 4 of 5: Coping with Stress
Step 1. Separate study and work
Don't worry about work while you are in school, and vice versa. Focus on one commitment at a time. Don't bring books and notes to work and don't bring professional projects to college. Whenever you are in a specific place, dedicate yourself fully. If you work hard, you shouldn't feel guilty about your concentration on studying.
Step 2. Take breaks, you need them
When you absolutely need it, give yourself enough time to unplug, so you'll return to college and work with a fresh head. Go for a walk. Read a newspaper. Make some tea. Try taking breaks every couple of hours, but limit them to 5-10 minutes. They don't have to become a waste of time.
Avoid taking off too many treats during breaks. Everyone has forbidden pleasures, whether it's MTV, indulging in a lazy conversation with the neighbor or being on Facebook for hours on end. If there is an activity that tends to steal a lot of your time and negatively affects your work, university and private life balance, avoid it like the plague. Also, don't indulge in short breaks
Step 3. Be active
Stretch. Swim. Run. Lift weights. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle helps relieve stress. Also, you will notice one thing: the more you go out and exercise, the easier work and college will seem. Physical activity is known to reduce stress. Scientists have shown that regular aerobic exercise lowers tension, improves and stabilizes mood, promotes restful sleep and increases self-esteem.
Step 4. Get enough sleep
Take some time to rest. Studies have shown that sleep improves memory skills, general mood and attention retention. These three aspects have a positive effect on stress levels. Staying up all night for the purpose of studying may be necessary every now and then, but it doesn't have to be a constant. If you are deprived of sleep, take a short nap (15-30 minutes) to give your brain a boost.
Step 5. Eat healthy
Eat foods rich in fiber and carbohydrates. Some scientists believe that carbohydrates cause the brain to produce high levels of serotonin, a relaxing hormone. Consume lots of fiber to regulate your body. Choose fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants to strengthen the immune system. Citrus fruits provide a lot of vitamin C. Zucchini and carrots are excellent sources of beta-carotene, an antioxidant. A balanced diet helps to better reconcile university, work and private life.
Avoid fatty foods, excesses of caffeine, and sweet products. Meat and cheese contain high levels of fat, which thickens the blood and makes you feel lethargic. Caffeine probably seems necessary, but consume it responsibly and don't let it affect your sleep habits. Finally, sugars are simple carbohydrates that momentarily give you energy, only to cause a crash. Choose complex carbohydrates, such as wholemeal pasta, beans, and lentils
Method 5 of 5: Adopt the Right Mindset
Step 1. Be realistic
Sometimes you won't have enough time for everything, so prioritize and don't feel guilty if you can't get through every single assignment scheduled for a given day. Think positively and be grateful for the opportunity to work and study, two privileges that many people do not have.
Going to school and working at the same time is not for everyone. Be realistic and prioritize. Don't let part-time education put your income and family well-being at risk
Step 2. Remember why you do this
By studying and working at the same time, you accept a challenge that many would not dare to accept. However, you shouldn't do this if you aren't motivated. Maybe you want to work so as not to be a burden on anyone while you study and to be free of debt, or you want a promotion in the workplace. Either way, make sure you keep your goals in mind whenever you think you can't do it.
Step 3. Let yourself be helped by others
If you try to reach the goal completely by yourself, it will be infinitely more difficult. If you feel increasingly irritable, withdraw from social interactions, get distracted or forget everything, feel anxious or emotionally drained, talk to someone. Talk to your significant other, your parents, your friends, or even a psychologist. Many universities offer this service, which will help you deal with your problems. One of the first steps to being successful is knowing when you need help.
Step 4. Don't lose momentum
Don't leave things unfinished. Taking a semester off may seem like a good idea, but do it only for extraordinary circumstances, such as an illness, a serious health problem, or a death in the family. If you think you are tired of studying, reduce the load for a semester and take at least one course of your liking. Otherwise, you risk losing momentum and never coming back.
Step 5. Celebrate the big and small successes
Think of a way to measure progress. Check finished exams from a list or use a countdown clock to keep track of time. This will help you not to lose sight of the final goal. As you overcome obstacles large or small, talk about your successes with friends and family. The reason does not matter: it can be a good grade given to an essay, a successfully passed test or a degree. It is necessary to celebrate to keep motivation high.
Step 6. Remember you can do it
It can feel overwhelming at times, but remember that others have been through it before you and have been successful. You too can do it.
