From someone who currently works two jobs while also a full time student, there are times where it can be overwhelming to balance everything all at once. Here are a few things that I do to keep myself from burning out that might be helpful to those with similar schedules.
Planning
- Each Sunday I like to look over my week to be aware of important events, tasks, and anything else that needs to be done. This way I have an overview of what my week will look like and an awareness of some tasks that I need to complete by the end of the week.
Prioritization
- Recognizing what needs to get done each day and the ranking of importance of each task is extremely helpful for staying on track with limited time
- I developed a Need, Want, Can system to rank the importance of completing each task on a given day
- For example, if my chem homework is tomorrow, I would categorize that as a need task for that day
- If I have an essay due two weeks I could work on it if I finish all of my need tasks for the day, therefore it would be categorized as a Can task
Time management
- I like to insert blocks into my schedule that are dedicated to a specific task or topic. For example, if I have a lot of schoolwork to do, I’ll block 2 hours into parts of my day to complete as many tasks as possible. This can be helpful to ensure you’re making time for everything that needs to be done.
- Also, being aware of how long certain tasks take can be helpful for considering time blocking and prioritization of tasks
Dedicate time for yourself away from work
- One of the most important aspects of balancing both work and academics is dedicating time for yourself. It can be easy to get wrapped up in all the things that need to be done, but it’s crucial to set boundaries for your physical and mental health
