No matter how you look at it, juggling work and school at the same time is hard. Perhaps even the hardest thing you will ever do in your whole career. However, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming, at least not all the time.
If you want to be successful both as a post-grad student and as a full-time employee, here are some of the best times on how you can make your life easier while juggling both roles:
1. Choose the right school
There are many post-graduate schools that offer flexible learning options to their students, such as AMA Post Grad programs. If you want to have an easier time with school and work, pursuing your degree online or through a hybrid learning plan (online and in-person classes) may be the right choice. In this way, you can allocate your time much more easily, and you have more freedom with your schedule.
2. Use online tools
Whether it’s for managing your schedule, figuring out your finances, organizing your academic tasks, or making your to-do list for work, there are a lot of online tools that can make these things a whole lot easier. Take full advantage of these tools and you’ll see how much time they can save you, which, in turn, allows you to be more efficient both at your work and academic responsibilities.
3. Don’t bite off more than you can chew
Don’t take any more classes than you can handle, even if doing so will help you graduate earlier or on time. Similarly, learn to say ‘no’ to additional work responsibilities that simply cannot fit on your plate. The more responsibilities that you take on, the less time you have for each of them. And unless you’re a superhuman capable of delivering high-quality output for everything that you do, biting off more than you can chew can be detrimental to your performance, both at work and at school.
4. Inform your boss and professors
Let them know that you are both a student and an employee, not necessarily to get leeway for your duties, but to help prepare them in case you need to ask for accommodations at some point.
Moreover, telling your employer outright is better than hiding it from them. While you may have a reason to be secretive about your post-grad studies, they could still find out and assume the worst about you hiding it. But when you tell them, you can control the narrative and even make them see the potential value that they may receive by you going to grad school. If your company is progressive and supportive, they may even offer to offer financial assistance.
5. Find less-time consuming ways to unwind
As a grad student, you probably won’t have as much time for traveling, having drinking sessions at the bar, marathoning movies, or binge-watching your favorite shows on Netflix. However, that doesn’t mean you have no right to unwind; you just need to find less time-consuming ways to do so. For instance, instead of watching five episodes of a series in one sitting, watch only one or two during your unwinding session. Or instead of taking a weekend trip outside of the city, try driving to a nearby attraction or visit your favorite local hangout spot.
6. Remember your support system
Being a full-time employee and a student at the same time is exhausting, and sometimes, you would need to let people in your life help you out, even if it’s just by lending an ear for your problems. When life gets too overwhelming, remember that you have a support system of family members, friends, professors, and colleagues to help you out.
If you need more than just a friend, however, it may be ideal to get professional help so that you can keep your mental health in check.
7. Consider working from home
Working remotely can free up a lot of your time, which can, in turn, help you become a better student and employee. If you are not already working with this kind of set-up, ask your employer if they can consider letting you work from home–if not full-time, at least for a few days out of the week. Aside from helping you save time, working from home can also save you a lot of money on food, transportation, gas, and other daily expenses.
Working full-time and studying for your post-grad at the same time can easily get overwhelming–and fast. Fortunately, there are a lot of ways you can make life easier as a working post-grad student, and following through with them can even make your performance in both roles a whole lot better.
