Balancing Part-Time Jobs and Academics: Three Helpful Steps

Most students ask themselves one important question before they apply to college: How am I going to pay for it? For most students, getting a part-time job is the best solution to offset costs. Finding the balance, however, between work and academics can be challenging. Without balance, burnout is likely. Here are three steps that can help you avoid burnout and succeed in work and academics: organization, planning, and commitment.

Get Organized

College can be stressful. The typical student finds 10-20 different tasks all competing for their attention daily. Adding a regular work schedule to a full academic load can seem overwhelming. The first step to finding balance and success in both academics and work is to stay organized. Organization may seem tedious or difficult at first, but it will help you maintain your grades and your sanity.

Have you ever checked your course schedule in the morning only to realize that you missed an assignment that was due the night before? Or have you ever forgotten when you were scheduled to be at work and accidentally missed your shift? These mistakes can be avoided. Balancing work and school can seem impossible unless you learn how to keep track of your assignments and your schedule. Start by buying a planner and using it.

Plan

Balancing a busy schedule will only work if you plan. Make sure you know exactly what your commitments are, not only for the day but also for the week. Then schedule them. For example, if your job demands your time on Monday and Thursday, and you have church on Wednesday, make sure that you schedule enough time on Tuesday to get ahead for the week. Remember, there are only twenty-four hours in a day, so plan your time wisely. Here are some great tools that can help you with this important step:

  • Get a planner. Although it’s good to have a list of assignments, paper or electronic planners allow students to connect their assignments with the corresponding due date. Make your planner fun. Using highlighters and designs is a nice way to coordinate your classes.
  • Use your Outlook calendar. Every Maranatha student has an Outlook account through their student email. The calendar feature is a great way to schedule your time.
  • Write down all assignments. One of the most common errors students make is forgetting about large projects and assignments until the day they’re due. Even if you never look at your assignment list again, writing out every assignment will at least put them in the back of your head.

Commit   

Finally, stay committed. If you put something into your schedule, stick to it. Don’t let your planner or your calendar collect dust as you go about your day. Make a habit of checking your assignments and calendar in the morning, throughout the day, and at night. If you put something into your calendar, complete the task within that time frame.

If you schedule time for homework, do your homework without distractions. If you find yourself constantly getting distracted by technology or people, turn off your phone and find a time and place where you’re not likely to be interrupted. Following through is difficult, but it will benefit other areas of your life now and in the future.

College is hard, but feeling overwhelmed doesn’t have to be a part of your experience. If you organize, plan, and commit, balancing work and academics is possible. These steps will help to eliminate stress and put you on the path to success.