by Matt Davida
The life of a working student can be hectic. Working and going to school at the same time continually pulls your attention in two directions, particularly when work and school are both full-time commitments. If you can’t strike a healthy balance with your work life and your academic life, both will likely suffer. In order to perform like you want to in your current job role while also adequately preparing yourself for your next, you need to utilize strategies that will help you make the most of both experiences. Here are some ways to make the rigors of being a working student a little more manageable.
1. Manage Stress Effectively
You may find that the demands of everything that you have causes you to have a general feeling of unease. Working students often tend to feel as though there just isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that they need to get done or they’re continually running behind. Understandably, stress can develop into a chronic problem that can take a considerable toll on your health and wellness. Moreover, stress can undermine the quality of your work in your profession and your field of study. People who are feeling really stressed out often report trouble focusing and retaining information.
Utilizing stress management tactics such as meditation may make a noticeable difference in your mood. Taking action to mitigate the impact that stressors are having on your life can help you do better at work and school and thereby improve those potential sources of stress.
2. Pay for Your Education Strategically
Making more money in the future is probably part of why you’re pursuing a degree. The cost of an education can be rather expensive, even if part of your tuition is covered by a grant or scholarship. Also, apart from tuition, you have to pay for secondary expenses such as books or supplies. Overextending yourself financially or trying to pay for all of the costs of your education with your current source of income may be impractical. Look for student loans that can help you afford more than just tuition and make it possible to manage additional expenses involved with your schoolwork. Look for competitive interest rates so that you can worry a little less about how you will afford to repay loans after school when you’re able to dedicate all of your time to your career.
3. Budget Smartly
As a working student, it’s imperative that you don’t continually spend more than can afford month after month. Many working students fall into the trap of accumulating serious credit card debt with exorbitant interest rates. Paying off high interest rate credit card balances in addition to repaying educational loans could affect your ability to budget well for years to come.
Ideally, careful budgeting as a student can spare you from taking on too much unnecessary debt. You have to be self-disciplined about distinguishing between needs and wants. Don’t overdo the things that you’d like to have but don’t really need to have. If there’s something special that you’ve really got your heart set on getting, you need to make a plan to save up for it over time rather than splurging and buying it right away. Also, be sure to shop competitively. Stock up on your household essentials when things are on sale. Keep an eye out for store sales and combine them with coupons whenever you see an opportunity to do so.
Using a budgeting app can help you keep track of your spending. This useful tool makes it a little easier to stay financially organized so you can invest more of your attention towards academics instead of financial management.
Working students have to be resourceful, adaptive, and resilient. Remember that you have to budget your time as carefully as you manage your money. Keeping yourself focused on your priorities and practicing good money management can help you navigate the process of getting a degree while you have many other demands on your time.
1. Manage Stress Effectively
You may find that the demands of everything that you have causes you to have a general feeling of unease. Working students often tend to feel as though there just isn’t enough time in the day to do everything that they need to get done or they’re continually running behind. Understandably, stress can develop into a chronic problem that can take a considerable toll on your health and wellness. Moreover, stress can undermine the quality of your work in your profession and your field of study. People who are feeling really stressed out often report trouble focusing and retaining information.
Utilizing stress management tactics such as meditation may make a noticeable difference in your mood. Taking action to mitigate the impact that stressors are having on your life can help you do better at work and school and thereby improve those potential sources of stress.
2. Pay for Your Education Strategically
Making more money in the future is probably part of why you’re pursuing a degree. The cost of an education can be rather expensive, even if part of your tuition is covered by a grant or scholarship. Also, apart from tuition, you have to pay for secondary expenses such as books or supplies. Overextending yourself financially or trying to pay for all of the costs of your education with your current source of income may be impractical. Look for student loans that can help you afford more than just tuition and make it possible to manage additional expenses involved with your schoolwork. Look for competitive interest rates so that you can worry a little less about how you will afford to repay loans after school when you’re able to dedicate all of your time to your career.
3. Budget Smartly
As a working student, it’s imperative that you don’t continually spend more than can afford month after month. Many working students fall into the trap of accumulating serious credit card debt with exorbitant interest rates. Paying off high interest rate credit card balances in addition to repaying educational loans could affect your ability to budget well for years to come.
Ideally, careful budgeting as a student can spare you from taking on too much unnecessary debt. You have to be self-disciplined about distinguishing between needs and wants. Don’t overdo the things that you’d like to have but don’t really need to have. If there’s something special that you’ve really got your heart set on getting, you need to make a plan to save up for it over time rather than splurging and buying it right away. Also, be sure to shop competitively. Stock up on your household essentials when things are on sale. Keep an eye out for store sales and combine them with coupons whenever you see an opportunity to do so.
Using a budgeting app can help you keep track of your spending. This useful tool makes it a little easier to stay financially organized so you can invest more of your attention towards academics instead of financial management.
Working students have to be resourceful, adaptive, and resilient. Remember that you have to budget your time as carefully as you manage your money. Keeping yourself focused on your priorities and practicing good money management can help you navigate the process of getting a degree while you have many other demands on your time.
