The life of a working student is not easy. They need to be able to find the right balance between fulfilling all their responsibilities at work and the academic load as a student. What’s more, working students generally tend to be young people who do not have the financial resources to be able to focus on their education, thus leading to the need for them to look for flexible part-time jobs or side hustles that they can work into their schedules but still bring in enough money to help them pay for all their daily expenses.
There are some positives of being a working student. Many people who were able to finish their studies while working part-time or even full-time jobs reported that they were able to learn fiscal responsibility and discipline, as well as instill deeper respect for commitments.
In order to help them manage their time more efficiently, here are five tips for a frazzled working student:
1. Separate Work and School Responsibilities
One of the biggest mistakes that working students can make is trying to overlap their responsibilities and work on deliverables at the same time. It’s not an uncommon sight to see a working student trying to finish schoolwork while in the office, or trying to finish a work report while in school. They think that by multi-tasking, they will be able to finish more of their tasks in a shorter amount of time so that they can move on to other duties that they need to fulfill. However, this is not a case where multi-tasking is the best solution.
Yes, it is difficult to try and manage time like this, but the environment is important. Trying to finish schoolwork while in the office or vice-versa means that their attention is divided, which results in sloppy and low-quality work in both areas. The best way to actually finish requirements for both school and work is to focus completely on the task at hand; multi-tasking will only result in output with poor-quality.
2. Break Down Big Projects
When big projects and high-priority deliverables come in, many working students feel paralyzed because they do not know how to begin. The best way to handle daunting projects is actually to break them down into smaller, more manageable steps. When this approach is used, big projects don’t seem so insurmountable because the tasks will be tackled one by one, and the smaller tasks seem much easier to accomplish.
What’s more, breaking down big tasks into smaller steps allows one to step back and regroup after each step is completed. This short resting period is a time to relax and recharge so that it’s easier to move on and complete the next step.
3. Keep Everything Organized
It might seem obvious, but many working students are actually struggling with their work and academic loads because they are unable to create an organized system to handle all their responsibilities. Even the most organized people need some help now again to keep track of everything going on. There are many free organizational tools and apps available, whether it’s something as simple as Google calendar such as setting deadline reminders or Trello or Asana to manage multiple projects.
4. Communicate with Your Superiors as Much as Possible
Many working students feel embarrassed or hesitant to tell their superiors or teachers when they are struggling with their responsibilities because they feel like they should be able to handle their duties without complaint. However, both teachers and management generally prefer to be updated when it comes to any issues that workers are facing, especially if these issues can interfere with the quality of work output.
The best way that working students can address these issues is to talk to their teachers or managers privately. There are ways to bring their message across while still maintaining an air of being professional and responsible.
5. Get Help Online
There are occasions when schoolwork is difficult and complex, and a little extra help might be required. Luckily, there is a growing number of homework helper websites online. The aim of these websites is to provide assistance and guidance for students through homework resources and online references. Using homework helpers reduce the time needed to research online in order to complete schoolwork, as well as the time it takes to proofread, research, and verify information online. These websites provide easy access to a wide network of academic professionals who, for a small fee, can help complete schoolwork and assignments quickly, easily, and accurately.
