Why Balance Matters

Juggling work and school is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s all about using your time wisely so you can meet all of your responsibilities without neglecting to take care of yourself.

It’s difficult to sustain work and school simultaneously without the right balance. You end up focusing too much on one or the other and your performance suffers. It’s much better to keep everything moving forward at a steady pace.

Here’s how to make that happen.

Step 1: Organize Your Space

If possible, have a space in your home that’s just for studying and online classes. When you sit down in that space, you’ll know that you’re in “school mode.”

Keep all of your school materials in or near that space. Your study time is precious and you don’t want to spend it looking for what you need.

Step 2: Make a Schedule

You may have to juggle more than people who only work or go to school, but everyone only has 24 hours in a day. Get a planner or set one up online and plan your time down to the hour. Check off tasks as you complete them to help you feel fulfilled and know that you are on the right track.

Schedule your homework and study time as well. It might take a couple of weeks to know exactly how long different assignments will take.

Estimate generously at first. It’s better to finish a three-hour study session early than to need an extra hour you don’t have.

Step 3: Dedicate Self-Care Time

When you juggle work and school, it’s easy to overexert yourself. Set aside at least an hour a day to do something that relaxes you, like going for a walk with a friend or watching an episode of your favorite show.

Also, give yourself time to eat well and sleep enough. Adults need at least 7 hours a night. Work that into your schedule if need be. The same goes for meal prep and eating.

You’ll perform better at work and school if you’re well-rested and healthy.

Step 4: Streamline Tasks When Possible

There are only so many hours in your day, so make them count. Look for ways you can maximize your time and use idle hours productively. For example:

• ‌Make flashcards — physical or electronic — and study for class whenever you’re waiting in line, commuting on public transit, etc.

• ‌If you have a job with downtime, see if you can complete your homework during those hours.

• ‌If you have a work situation that you can use as field experience, talk to the appropriate people at your institution about obtaining credit for it.

Streamlining tasks is similar to multitasking, except you’re not trying to make your mind do two or more things at once.

The Takeaway

It is possible to juggle work and school, but it’s certainly not a matter of pushing until you drop. It’s about creating a schedule that gets the most out of your time, without setting your self-care aside.

And don’t worry — you don’t have to do it all by yourself. If you study with MedCerts, you have access to a team of student support specialists who are available on-demand to help you succeed.