We all wish that we could go to college for four years and just coast through it while having fun. That it would be this amazingly fun experience where we just have to worry about getting good grades, going to tailgates, and attending a party every weekend. For a lot of us though, this isn’t always the case because a lot of us have to throw a job in there, too. Oftentimes, we have to learn how to stay organized while juggling a full course load and a full-time job. It’s tough, but most of the time it’s necessary. So what are some ways to make staying organized easier when you have 15 hours of school and 40 hours of work each week? We’ve compiled a list of 8 ways to stay organized while doing both. Just because you need to manage both, doesn’t mean that it needs to put added stress on you. Hopefully, these tips will help you stay organized and remain that hard worker that you are.
Time is the most important factor in this situation, and you’re going to wish you had more of it in every day. One thing that helps to stay organized while juggling school and work is to try and schedule everything. Know when you’re supposed to be working, when you’re supposed to be studying, and when you’re supposed to be having fun. And it’s important that you make time for everything. This is the time when that procrastination habit you might have needs to be kicked in order to maintain your busy schedule and staying organized. Try to start assignments as soon as you know you have them. Look at your work schedule as soon as you have it and plan around it accordingly. Make time to see friends and not think about work or school.
Whether you’ve always used one or you’ve felt like you’ve never needed one, it’s time to get a planner or a wall-sized calendar. These two tools are so beneficial when it comes to staying organized and managing your time. You can jot down everything you need to each day and have it with you at all times. Knowing what classes you have that day, what assignments you need to start or finish, when your shift starts, and any other important appointments you may have all in one place is important so you can really track your time. And writing everything down will also help you remember what it is that you have to do. staying organized is made 100 times easier with a planner.
While you are doing the most to get the education you deserve and need while also working so that you can make money and get that experience that employers like it is also important that you make time to take care of yourself. You can’t live if you aren’t getting sleep, eating, and living off of Red Bulls. One of the best ways of staying organized is by knowing that you are taking care of yourself. You may have a million and one things to do each day, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make time to have a meal and you should always try to get a good night’s sleep. Those things will still be there when you get up the next time, and if you’re scheduling you should still be able to finish everything on time. Try not to work yourself too hard that you make yourself sick so you can’t do anything at all.
First things first; communicate with your professors and your managers about what’s going on. Let them know that you are balancing both work and school right away so they can help you create a schedule that helps you stay organized. More often than not, they are going to try and help you create a schedule that doesn’t stress you out too much and manage a workload when it gets too crazy. Also, let your family and friends know what’s going on so that they can be there to help you when it comes to staying organized and be there for support. Communicating with your circle is beneficial because they can help you maintain your schedule, tell you when you need a break, and stand beside you as you take on everything that may be thrown at you. Talking out any stress with a friend or family member helps alleviate stress, too.
You have to believe in yourself when it comes to taking on school and work at the same time. It is also necessary when it comes to staying organized while your juggling both. Doubting yourself is only going to lead to burn out and no one wants that. You have to trust in yourself that you can do both. You know that both are important, so trust that you can successfully do them at the same time. There will be times when you’ll think you made a mistake and that you can’t handle both, but just know that you can. And those friends and family that you’ve communicated with and kept close will encourage you and help you remember that you are capable of handling both. You’ve got this!
We know that graduating is the main goal, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate the small wins also. Believe it or not, even these small wins and the celebrations that come with it will help you in staying organized. They will be proof that your system is working and the motivation to keep going for it. Celebrate turning in a paper on time, getting through a tough week, not wanting to kill a customer at work (we’ve all wanted to, don’t lie), and going to the gym at least a couple times during the week. The small wins will only prompt to you to reach that big win at the end. It’ll encourage you to stay organized and keep doing what you’re doing to get through it all.
When we decide to work while attending school is probably because we need money to pay for it. Totally makes sense. So what can you do to get the most help when it comes to paying for school? There are grants, scholarships, loans, and even employer tuition assistance that can help. This is one component that needs to be hit as soon as possible so you can stay organized and not have to worry about it all the time. Try to pick a school that will give you the most for the money you’re spending so that you know that the work you’re putting into your courses and your job is well worth it all.
One of the easiest ways to make time for school and stay organized while doing it is by studying something that interests you and that you love. If you love your classes chances are you’re going to be motivated to go to them and you’ll want to stay organized so that you can get the most out of them. The love that you have for the major your studying will make it easier to develop a schedule where you get to take all the classes that really interest you and will make you glad you are studying them. It also doesn’t hurt if you like your job as well. If you like what you’re doing it makes it easier to keep doing it.
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