Balancing your time when starting a course while employed full time can be daunting but is absolutely possible with good time management. Apply the below tips to your day and take control of your time.
1. Getting support from your workplace
Before diving headfirst into managing a full-time work and study schedule, explore ways to lighten your load and balance your needs. Be proactive and communicate your situation to your employer. Many companies offer benefits you might not be aware of, such as tuition reimbursement programs or paid time off for professional development.
Speak to your manager about flexible work arrangements. This could involve a compressed work week, where you work longer hours over fewer days to free up time for studying or just balance work-life commitments. Perhaps a job-sharing arrangement with a colleague is an option, allowing you to split the workload and responsibilities.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate your annual leave schedule or discuss the possibility of a late start or early finish during exam weeks. A supportive employer can make a big difference in your success. By being upfront and clear about your needs, you might be surprised by their willingness to accommodate you.
2. Balance your life with a Wall Planner
Put up a calendar or planner on your wall and note down any important days/deadlines. Anything that’s worth your attention goes on the calendar. Plan when you’ll start working on assessments, any personal commitments, and any days to keep empty in case you need the extra time. Ensure you highlight reward days to balance intense study sessions and give you something to look forward to.
Create notifications on your phone or computer to pop up when you need to do something important.
3. Find opportunities to automate the boring bits
Streamline your daily routine to free up precious minutes and hours for studying. Evaluate time-consuming tasks and see if there are ways to make them more efficient.
Consider a meal service subscription for a few weeks, especially during crunch times. This can ensure you’re eating healthy and avoid the time commitment of grocery shopping and cooking.
Share childcare responsibilities with your partner or another parent. If possible, see if they can handle drop-off or pick-up duties at daycare to free up some of your schedule.
Automate your finances. Setting your bills to auto-pay eliminates the need to remember deadlines and ensures you avoid late fees. Every little bit of saved time adds up when you balance work and studies.
If something absolutely needs to be done by you, do it. Which leads to…
4. Only do what’s urgent
Balancing your time is typically an exercise in figuring out what you need to get done before anything else. When you have a list of tasks to get done, determine which are urgent and important to get done, do those first. If something is important but not urgent, decide a time to get it done later. If something is urgent but not important to you, see if you can delegate it to someone else or push it back. If something is both not urgent and not important, it likely doesn’t need to be done.
5. Breathe, remember your goals
All of this means nothing if you’re not committed to completing your course. If you’re enrolled in the Diploma of Community Services, you’ll encounter people from all different walks of life, and before helping them you need to help yourself.
Success looks different for everyone, so make sure what you’re doing is a step in the right direction to achieving your personal success, and seek balance in pursuing that goal. Getting burnt out achieving your dreams is certain to turn you off reaching them.
Finding your personal definition of success comes gradually, but has to be unique to you. It can’t be your parents’ definition, your neighbour’s, or anyone else’s definition, because when you achieve it, it won’t feel as satisfying.