3 Easy Ways to Balance Work and School

College will likely be one of the busiest times of your life. From going to classes to doing homework to spending time with friends, there is little time to take a breather.

Some students manage to complete all of these tasks while also having a part-time job. If you are thinking about adding a part-time job to your ever-growing college to-do list, or if you are having trouble balancing your current job with school demands, here are a few tips to make your life a little bit easier.

1. Ask your employer to work with your school schedule.

One of the very first things your employer should learn about you is that you are a college student. If he or she does not know this about you, you will inevitably be scheduled to work during your class times, and you will quickly find yourself in a sticky situation.

Giving your employer this vital piece of information tells him or her that your availability is limited and that you may not be available to work at the drop of a hat.

Many employers are willing to work with student schedules, but if your employer says they cannot work with you, kindly tell him or her that you will have to look for a job elsewhere.

2. Plan ahead when possible.

Your class schedule may not change too often, but your homework and work schedules probably won’t be so consistent. In order to stay on top of all of your responsibilities, a planner should become your constant companion.

Even if you have a small homework assignment that’s not due for a couple weeks, plan to complete it as soon as your professor announces it.

Telling yourself, “I’ll have plenty of time to do this assignment, so I’ll just plan to do it later,” is never a good thing to assume, especially if you have a job.

Oftentimes assignments will pile up fast, and putting off tasks until the last minute makes completing all of your assignments nearly impossible.

3. Don’t bite off more than you can chew.

If you are the over-achieving type, you may be tempted to cram every single second of your schedule with work and school tasks.

You might be able to handle this for a little while, but eventually you are going to feel drained and unable to do anything at all.

How will you know if you have put too much on your plate? Do a self-check on the quality of your work. If your grades are quickly tumbling, or if your boss has to remind you to complete everyday tasks at your job, this could be a strong indicator of an overloaded schedule.

You should also consider your social life. When was the last time you hung out with your friends? If you don’t know the answer to this question, plan a movie outing or a bowling excursion when you have a few hours of free time.

Not only will you be able to catch up with your friends, but you will also be able to unwind and set aside your busy schedule for a little while.

With these tips in mind, working for your college education should become a more manageable task.

If working while in college is not a feasible option for you, there are other payment options available, including loans. If you’d like to learn more about loans and how to overcome loan debt after graduation, check out my post: Don’t Be a-Loan: How to Overcome Student Loan Debt.