Got 5 minutes?
I recently wrote about tips to find your own work/life/study balance, but as the article explains, trying to squeeze in studying in an already-full schedule is doable, but takes planning.
Here's a quick infographic to guide you in finding your own balance.
Work | Life | Study Balance
6 Tips to Find Your Own Harmony
There are numerous resources at your disposal to ensure that you don’t go off-balance when taking a single course or a full certificate’s curriculum. Here are my favorite tips that are not only helpful, but—more importantly—doable.
Schedule Out Your Time
Full-time job. Full-time family commitments. Chores and errands. Catching up on your favorite show. Where do you fit in studying?
Take a step back and create a schedule that you can realistically stick to. Slot in upcoming events, gray out working hours and add in all of your other demands—like eating dinner, commuting to work, etc.
You’ll see—at a high level—when you can allocate time for your studies. Remember: Priorities shift, new events are added, work loads ebb and flow. Your schedule will have to iterate as quickly as life does.
Set Up a Routine
With few exceptions, your Monday–Friday routine is pretty baked in. So use that same thinking to ensure you keep on track with your studies.
Allocate every Tuesday night to reading. Every Sunday afternoon to writing assignments.
If you consistently do this, studying will just fall right into place with your standard routine.
Take Care of Yourself
Make sure to get plenty of sleepAlways schedule in “me” timeReinforce and expand your support system
Engage With Your Workplace
Make It Relevant. Translate what you learn in class to your work. Use last week’s discussion to help solve a current work problem, take advantage of a work project as the basis of your class project or something similar.Does Your Company Offer EAPs? Employee Assistance Programs are designed to improve or maintain the productivity and health functioning of an employee, as well as assist with personal- or work-related concerns.Reinforce and expand your support system
Learn to Say No.
This may be one of the hardest things to do. If you keep adding to your plate at work, will you have time to complete your studies?
Decide what you’re willing to give up to make time for assignments. You can’t do it all—and do it all well!
Celebrate Your Commitment!
Investing in additional education for yourself is an extremely rewarding experience. And when you’ve finished your studies, you’ll have a new set of skills and experiences that will propel you forward in your career.
So when it all feels like too much, just breathe.
Then get back to it because it’s worth it.
Learn more at voices.berkeley.edu/extension/work-life-study-balance.
