It’s abundantly clear that studying and managing a full-time job requires hard work, dedication and sacrifice. However, there are benefits to working and studying and many have done so successfully and are reaping the benefits.
Benefits of working and studying
Balancing a full-time job, family commitments and study is a formidable but achievable task as many part-time students have proven over the years. What it takes is loads of commitment, courage, hard work and superb time management. However, apart from the financial benefit of lower tuition fees and being able to pay your own way without getting into debt, already working provides you with a job to fall back. If you have some work experience, you probably by now have the essential skills of prioritising, planning and balancing tasks and time-management, all invaluable assets when studying.
This is the way to go
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- Weigh the choices. Choose the right course and school, university or college. Online and distance learning degrees offer the choice of studying at your own pace and from the convenience of your own home. They are often cheaper too. However, if you prefer one-on-one contact with lecturers and other students, part-time, after-hours and night school classes are the answer.
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- Don’t overcommit. Figure out what you can realistically handle. Start slowly with a limited number of subjects and see how it goes.
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- Prioritise. Setting priorities is the first step towards managing your time and achieving success. You are going to have to make sacrifices to be able to order and rearrange your time at work, play and at home. You will also need the cooperation of family and friends to help you do so. Speak to them and be honest about what you will and will not have time and energy for while you study.
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- Manage your time. Make a daily, weekly, monthly study schedule (timetable) and stick to it: Plan a 30 to 40 hour per week study schedule to start with and plan most of your study time over weekends to prevent fatigue at work. You can, however, do most of your text book reading during the week and do assignments and revision over the weekend. Also make use of any time during the day when you have a few minutes free to ” sneak in” some revision. Keep the deadlines for submission of assignments in mind and check to make sure deadlines don’t coincide with any personal or family commitments or work-related activities. If they do, try and complete the assignment well in advance.
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- Be one step ahead. The key to meeting those important deadlines is to plan ahead and start working on an assignment as soon as possible. Motivate yourself by setting definite goals, for example finishing your assignment a week ahead of the due date. Reward yourself when you attain your goal.
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- Cultivate good study habits. It is better to study a little regularly than trying to cram everything into the week before you have to write an exam. A simple but popular study method is to read, make notes and then try to recall what you have read. When you start seriously revising your work for an exam, try to break down and condense your initial detailed notes to make them easier to revise and recall.
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- Interact as much as possible. Make use of every opportunity to interact with your lecturers, tutors or fellow students. Most universities have online forums where you can chat with fellow students, share ideas, etc.
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- Make use of the facilities. Most colleges and universities have libraries and library resources, both electronic and print-based, that you can access both on and off campus. They also offer help with research and assignments and keep old exam papers and answers.
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- Get help from your employer. Tell your employer that you are studying part-time and inquire about time off for exams and whether the company may have a plan in place to help or sponsor tuition. Affirm your dedication and commitment to your job.
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- Look after yourself. Design a quiet study area somewhere in your home where you can work undisturbed. Also remember that you will not be able to work and study productively if you don’t eat properly and don’t get a good night’s sleep. Keep stress and burnout at bay by taking frequent breaks and exercising regularly, even if it only means taking a walk with the dogs and the children. Schedule and plan some family time too and, if necessary, cut back and take a little longer to finish your degree. After all, it defeats the purpose if you acquire a degree but lose your family.
Good luck!
Sources
How to balance work and study. Retrieved from: http://www.degreetree.com
How to work and study at the same time. Retrieved from: http://www.wikihow.com
Lindeman, J. 2012. How to successfully handle job and studies at the same time? Retrieved from: http://www.distancelearningportal.com
Top ten tips for studying successfully. Retrieved from: http://www.sttcourses.co.uk
Shah, S. 2014. Balancing work and study successfully:. Retrieved from: http://www.cimaglobal.com