Strategies for Balancing Work, Study, and Personal Life

The topic of work-life balance, which implies a harmonious combination of all life spheres, has become especially popular nowadays. But what’s to be done if the study is a third component apart from these two? How to manage everything without compromising your health? And how to avoid burnout and restore personal resources in time?

This advice is for those who have not yet started to work. It’s best if your university major and professional activity are at least partially cross. It will be much easier for you this way. You will leverage your knowledge and your practical skills will facilitate theoretical understanding.

Most people are inspired by interesting tasks and results of work, if neither of these brings you joy, you should think about changing your trajectory. Contact your manager, who will be able to lead you in the right direction and provide the necessary support, being interested that you work productively.

You can come to an agreement with almost anyone, including teachers. Do not forget about homework and do not miss your studies without warning. If this does happen, check what you missed and what you need to do.

It is better to do at least a small part of the task at once, being on public transport or on a lunch break. Believe me, most working students write their essays and prepare presentations on buses and trolleybuses, since technical capabilities now allow this.

It is very important to clearly divide the time to perform work and studies, and not to do everything at the same time. And do not forget about taking a rest. At least one day a week should be devoted to recovery: taking up a hobby, spending time with friends, or reading books.

In Lithuania, Darbo Kodekso 135 straipsnis stipulates that an employee must be granted study leave for taking examinations or developing a diploma thesis, and the duration of such leave varies according to the situation. Therefore, we advise you to plan your annual vacation for the duration of exams in advance or agree with the manager on working off. That way you will reduce your workload and stress level.

Take at least 10 minutes a day to plan your time. Keep your diary, planner, and notes on your phone. Yes, it's obvious, but nothing better has yet been invented. With the help of such a simple method, you can systematize and track your deadlines, and plan time to perform a certain task. Thereby you will not forget anything, and it will not come as a surprise to you that tomorrow at work you need to give a presentation and prepare a paper for school.

This way, you will be able to make a clear algorithm of actions. If your global task is to write a paper, it is easier to divide this task into preparing a literature review, writing an introduction, etc.

Despite the large amount of work and little time to do it, monitoring your nutrition and sleeping schedule is very important. This will help avoid exhaustion and sickness. With proper time management, you will quickly and efficiently learn how to combine work with studying. The main thing to remember is that you need to set priorities in accordance with your values. Sooner or later, you will graduate and think about this time with a smile and be proud of yourself.