Time shortage is one of the biggest reasons students drop out of school. Many students have to work and study at the same time. On average, about 71% of the country’s college undergraduates also work while getting a degree. At least two in every five students work 20 hours a week, and one in every five works 35 hours a week. A quarter of the population of college students also has to support their children while studying.
Thankfully, student-workers can now take a bachelor’s degree online. You can visit Straighterline at https://www.straighterline.
Seek Support
Talk to your college admission counselor. Ask them if there’s a way for you to take more classes online. You should also ask them what courses are more flexible so that you can focus on taking those instead. Counselors are trained to help you complete your program on time.
You should also talk to your employer. Find out if they can help make your work schedule flexible. Show your commitment to finishing your studies and working at the same time. Your college counselor and your employer should guide you in the right direction.
Prioritize Tasks
Learn how to prioritize tasks. For example, cleaning your house does not have the same weight as writing a research paper. Finish the most important tasks first before attending to your job. Make sure that you’ve done all your assignments and finished reading the materials before you attend class. When you’re at work, focus on what you’re doing. You can use your lunch break to polish your term paper. But once lunch break is over, go back to work.
Since you’re juggling two major things at once, expect that you will have to give up hanging out with your friends and taking the weekend off. You can’t do anything. There’s bound to be something that has to give way.
Delegate Assignments
At some point, no matter how independent you are, you have to ask help from friends and family. Discuss with them the tasks that you need help with. Make sure that they are willing to take the kids off your hands for a while or run some errands for you. This is especially important during exams week. Ask for help even if it kills you to do so. There are certain tasks in your daily routine that can easily be done by others.
Sleep and Rest
Have you ever felt that your mind doesn’t work anymore? Have you stared at the blank screen of your computer for hours not knowing how to start writing your paper? A lack of sleep and rest make your tasks that much was harder to complete. You need to give yourself a break and a pat at the back. The nonstop studying and working will take its toll on your physical and mental health. Make sure to get enough sleep so that your mind will be more focused in the morning. You’ll be more ready to take on the day’s challenges.
Learningtime management skills take – well – time. It doesn’t happen overnight. Neither does it happen in a week or a month. It’s the constant learning and reminder to yourself to prioritize, delegate, and rest that will give you the skills you need to reach your goals.
