subject: Balancing Grad School, Work & Life [print this page] Balancing Grad School, Work & Life Balancing Grad School, Work & Life
Working full time as we all know is no walk in the park. Some people travel frequently, work long hours and have up to two hour commutes. So, how do you balance a full time job and take on the additional task of perusing a graduate degree? Of course, there's no magic formula to make both work, it takes a careful balance of knowing your limitations with both work and school and making sure that you have some time for yourself!
Choose Wisely
Don't just pick a program because of its reputation. Look at all the factors before choosing a program you'll enjoy. Check out the commute times between your home, job and campus since the last thing you want to do is spend your life in your car. Many programs are designed for adults returning to school and try to accommodate a full-time work schedule. Online programs have also become more popular in recent years.
Plan Ahead
Create a schedule that you're comfortable with and try to stick to it. For example, if you find that you're most productive in the morning, try getting up an hour earlier than you normally do to study. Weekends are also a great time to get out of your apartment and do homework at your local coffee shop. If that's too distracting, try your local library.
While setting aside time to study is important, so is taking time out of your schedule to see friends, family or just relax with a good book!
Work Smart
Have a conversation with your manager, letting them know about your plans to return to school. It's always good to assure them that you've worked out a schedule that will not interfere with your ability to do your job. Let them know that if you need to alter your work schedule that your time will be made up by coming in early, staying late or both. Discuss the option of possibly telecommuting on days you have classes, this will eliminate some of the stress you may feel with regards to making it to your classes on time. It's also a good idea to be flexible when scheduling your classes. If you can, try clustering your classes for the same day so you'll only need to commute to campus once a day.
Deciding to return to school is a great first step towards self-improvement. By remaining mindful of your limits and your obligations to your career, your education, and most importantly, yourself you'll be on the track to success in no time.
