For most people, a day job can be something like doing nothing but watching TV as soon as the shift ends. However, truly ambitious people know you need to work harder than everyone around you to get ahead in life. If you’re a full-time employee, you’re already putting in a lot of effort every day to progress your career. But the daily grind isn’t just about a job; it’s also about your qualifications and knowledge. It is becoming rather common for people to be working while they pursue a master’s program. Now, this is no easy task, but it does expand the career options you have, places you in a position to obtain better-paying jobs, and increases your career’s upwards mobility.
If you are in a position where you can’t afford to let go of your employment but want to pursue further education to improve your chances of succeeding as a professional or entrepreneur, this guide is for you. Here are some tips to help you strike a balance between working hard and studying harder.
Choose the right degree
The first thing you need to do while creating your school-work balance is choose a program that will allow you to manage both. You do not want to succeed in your day job only to perform poorly in your classes or vice versa. There are a number of educational programs you can choose from that can fit your schedule better.
For example, suppose you work a traditional 9-5 business-related job. In that case, you probably cannot opt for an on-campus college education. Fortunately, you have the option of enrolling in MBA programs online to give yourself a lot of flexibility. Online classes are less time-consuming, as you won’t have to worry about a commute. Moreover, many online programs include pre-recorded lectures you can listen to when you have free time instead of needing to take time away from work to attend class.
Keep a daily plan
You might be the most hard-working person you know, but you aren’t superhuman. It’s easy to take on extra work once in a while, but that generally isn’t maintainable. To ensure you can sustain your pace, you need to set a schedule that allows you to keep up with all your tasks. This means both your work projects and your class assignments.
While you were only a student, you might have gotten into the habit of leaving assignments until the last minute, but that’s not the best way to approach a work-education balance. Figure out what organization method works for you, create daily goals, and stick to them.
Some people prefer making lists on paper, while others put down all their tasks in their calendar app. You can adjust the schedule to your needs easily. If you’re a morning person, you can wake up a few hours before work to do your class readings. If you’re a night owl, you can head to a café after work to complete the assignments you’ve been given. This is a journey of a thousand steps, and by being sure you do a little bit every day, the work will never become overwhelming.
Make time for breaks
It might sound counterintuitive when you’re piling more tasks on your plate, but you should take regular breaks from both work and class assignments. Keeping your mind active all the time is like running; you don’t feel tired in the middle of a stride, but when you run out of stamina and come to a stop, your legs are burning.
Whether it is getting some fresh air in the park, pursuing a hobby, or working up a sweat in the gym, don’t forget to take care of yourself. By ensuring you have enough breaks in your routine, you would be able to prevent burnout. Moreover, this could give you the chance to keep in touch with the people around you. You might be doing both a job and an MBA to better your life, but you shouldn’t sacrifice your relations with your friends and family along the way.
Talk to your employer
While having a plan helps, you need to know you can’t predict everything. There might be a surprise test, extra assignment, or supervisor meeting from your program that clashes with your work. When enrolling in the program, let your employer know about it. In most cases, they should be happy, as it shows you’re a dedicated professional trying to better their skills.
As long as you perform your job responsibilities well, your employer may be willing to let you take the occasional Zoom class at the office, or take a day off to prepare for and give exams. Similarly, you can let your professors know that you’re a working student. This might make them more inclined to give you an extension on your assignment deadlines.
Conclusion
Going back to business school is a surefire way of improving your life as well as the lives of your family. While having to work and obtain an education simultaneously is no easy feat, it is possible. You just need to make sure you break down your tasks into small chunks that you can do every day, communicate with the people around you, and take breaks to recharge yourself. Before you know it, you’ll be the holder of a prestigious degree and moving on to bigger and brighter things.
