Here are some surprising statistics about people who are caught between juggling work and school. As per 2011 records, out of the 19.7 million college undergraduates in the USA, around 71% were pursuing a degree while working. Out of every five, two worked for a minimum of 20 hours weekly while one in every five continued working for a minimum of 35 hours. Again, in 2013, a Citigroup and Seventeen magazine conducted survey that revealed that 80% of US students balance work and school, with the average work hours being 19 a week. This includes students who attended community college, high school, traditional college, online college or university.

Linda Descano, a Citi managing director opines that the Great Recession of 2008 has acted as a financial wake-up call for many students. As clarified by Seventeen magazine editor-in-chief Ann Shoket, students are feeling an urge to kick start their careers while they are still in college. Many are launching their video production companies and blogs.

The need or the urge to maintain this balance between work and school is often leading to time shortage causing a number of students to drop out before the degree is completed. Given below are five effective tips to ensure that you continue working while still staying the course and completing the degree.

Talk it out

You might inquire whether your college is offering courses that are in line with your mode of living. If you find such courses and opt for them, it will be easier for you to achieve your goals. So, the best thing is to discuss with your admissions counselor and get to know whether you can enroll for courses that can be pursued in class as well as online. Moreover you can also search for courses that score high on flexibility and allow you to complete all the sessions at a pace which is preferable for you. Also discuss with your employer regarding busy periods when you can keep yourself away from busy assignments.

Being flexible

When you are a student, remember that being flexible is one of the key roots to success in time management. Yes, a schedule is important. But if you find that on a particular day or a week, things are not working as per the schedule, customize the schedule as per the involvements of that day. This will help you find time for work as well as study and other associated tasks. For instance, if you find that in a particular day at office, there is not much work for you to handle, you can take some time, sit in the office canteen and engage in some school project work. Again, even when you are taking a bus, train or ferry ride, you can include small study sessions. If such flexibility is practiced on a regular basis, it will help enhance your productivity in both work and school.

Find newer ways for studying

You can maximize the return on the time that you invest on studying by finding innovative ways to understand and memorize information. Try out something like using flashcards, writing down facts and concepts or studying together with a classmate. You can find more studying ideas here. Always be open to experimentation to decide which method is apt for you.

Studying while working can definitely give you a headstart in your career, just be careful in juggling it well. You don’t want to be neglecting either of each, and don’t forget your family and friends either. In other words, you have to be a superman/superwoman to make this work. With the 3 tips above, I’m sure you can!

About the author

Having been a beneficiary, April believes that education has the ability to transform one’s life. She manages a blog for peer-to-peer learning at http://digitalsenior.sg/ where everyone shares their university experience in Singapore.

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Is It Possible to Manage Time While Balancing Work and School?