How to Manage Time As a Working Student

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Set your availability based around your class schedule.

   Provide the management at your job with a copy of your school schedule and ask that they arrange your shifts around these times.
   
   Most companies that employ students are happy to work with them on coming up with a schedule that allows them to work while taking care of their academic duties.
   
   If you’re a full-time student, try formatting your schedule to concentrate multiple classes in a single day, giving you a day or two off during the week to work and study.If you have to work on a school day, make sure your employer knows what time your classes end and schedules your shifts accordingly, so that you’ll have time to change clothes, have a snack, navigate traffic, etc.
2. 2

   Step 2: Only work as much as you need to.

   Have an idea of how much money you need to make every month in order to pay your bills and expenses and work an average number of hours per week.
   
   You might sometimes have to work more or fewer hours depending on scheduling, business and seasonal activity at your workplace, but strive to hit the mark with regular hours.
   
   You can use your remaining time to study.Certain students, like those with high living costs or children, won’t have as much freedom when it comes to working flexible hours.
   
   If you have to work a lot, make the most of your time at school, and try setting aside a block periodically to take care of school work on the weekends. , Rather than spending your break time at work idly texting or talking with coworkers, crack open a textbook while you eat your lunch.
   
   You’d be surprised how much reading and note-taking you can accomplish in 15-30 minute intervals, and every little bit helps.
   
   Get a little extra studying in at any point that you have downtime and are tempted to squander it., While working is essential, it’s important to remember that school is preparing you to build your future.
   
   College isn’t cheap, so don’t let that time and expense go to waste—whenever you’re presented with a choice, your education should come first.
   
   Chances are, the job you’re working to help put you through school is not the one you plan on having once you graduate, so keep your endgame in mind and buckle down on the scholastic front.
   
   You’ll be glad you did.Remind your boss that you’re not available to work overtime if it will interfere with studying.
   
   If you don’t manage your class workload and maintain the grades you need to succeed, you may have to repeat a section, which just means time, effort and money down the drain. , Stay focused in class and make an effort to learn the material you’re studying as it’s being taught to you.
   
   It sounds obvious, but many busy, stressed students let their minds wander during lectures or concentrate too much on taking notes, thinking they’ll study on their own time later, only to eventually be faced with a mountain of ideas with no context for learning.
   
   Follow along with lessons and try to absorb as much knowledge as you can.
   
   The less time you spend cramming and deciphering pages of notes later, the more time you’ll have to devote to working and studying for your other classes.If the material you’re presented in a lecture is particularly dense, ask your professor for permission to record the lesson.
   
   Most professors are fine with students making an audio recording of a lecture to help them keep up, or make their presentation notes available for review online via the school’s website.Pick up some shorthand techniques to help you jot down notes faster and more efficiently.
   
   This can save you a lot of time writing and reading and prevent you from getting behind. , If your schedule is consistent enough, carve out a period to study at the same time every day.
   
   This can be as little as an hour in the morning, afternoon or evening as your timetable allows, but use this time solely for the purpose of studying and completing homework assignments.
   
   Studying is a habit, like anything else, so get into the habit of planning study sessions so that you’re not stuck desperately stealing snatches of time later on.Growing research suggests that retention and comprehension drop significantly after the first hour of studying.
   
   Take this into account when scheduling your study sessions so that you don't burn yourself out and end up wasting time retreading the same material over and over again.
   
   If possible, cycle between different course material for an hour at a time., Come up with a system to help you allot the appropriate amount of study time for your various classes.
   
   For instance, many college professors and advising experts recommend that students spend around two hours studying for every credit hour that a course is worth; if you're enrolled in a course worth three credit hours, that's six hours of studying for that course over the span of the week.
   
   You might also devise a ranking of your classes based on how difficult they are for you, and distribute your time so that you're able to study more for the classes that give you the most trouble.Take care of complicated projects and assignments that are worth a larger percentage of your grade first to ensure that you maintain your grade point average.
   
   Most of effective time management practice is portioning your time and knowing what’s most important to do when—a regular schedule can provide a dependable structure to help you accomplish daily tasks on time. , Put away the smartphone or tablet, turn off the TV and, unless it’s for homework, unplug the laptop.
   
   You need uninterrupted time to get into a “flow state” while you study in order to maximize how much you’re able to get done.
   
   Mute, unplug, block or shut off as many distractions as it takes for you to be productive.
   
   Netflix can wait, and your Facebook notifications will be there once you’re finished.Focusing is a skill.
   
   As ubiquitous distractions cause attention spans to get shorter, it becomes easy to lose the ability to focus.
   
   Work on developing this skill and applying it when it’s time to take care of business. , It can be hard to do when you’re already pushed for time, but sleep is non-negotiable when it comes to feeling and being your best.
   
   Aim to get a minimum of 5 hours per night; 6-8 is ideal for the young and the constantly busy.
   
   You may have to sacrifice other uses of your time, like unwinding in front of the TV, in order to get the sleep you need.
   
   Consider this a bodily necessity, the same as eating and drinking.Take a short nap sometime during the day if your schedule doesn’t allow you to sleep through the night. 15-20 minutes may be all the you need to refresh your mind and body., Since you’re constantly on the move from school to work and back, you should be fueling your body to keep up with the demands you place on it.
   
   All too often, busy people convince themselves that they “don’t have time to eat,” and as a result they feel sluggish, fatigued and unmotivated.
   
   Get at least two solid meals a day, and snack to keep energy levels up when you have the opportunity.Pack a lunch or a light snack that you can take with you to school or work so you don’t go hungry.
   
   Doing meal prep in large batches at the beginning of the week and refrigerating it will save you a lot of time preparing and cooking food later on, especially in the mornings when time is short.Don’t overlook the importance of staying hydrated.
   
   Water nourishes all the cells in your body, including the brain, so if you’re feeling drained after a long shift or study session, stop and take a few deep gulps., If your schedule allows it, make some time every week to get together with friends or spend some time with your family.
   
   Many students make the mistake of allotting too much time for socializing while they’re in school, but a little face time with the people you care about can be great stress relief and give you a welcome break from the grind every once in awhile.
   
   Plan a coffee date with a friend for the weekend, or use a Friday night to go see a movie if you’re not working.
   
   Social time can be a big morale boost and leave you feeling recharged and ready to dive back into your duties.Socialize moderately.
   
   Spare as much time from working and studying as you can to enjoy yourself, but don’t make it a top priority.
   
   Once your important work is done, then you can let your hair down and hang out with your friends.
   
   Avoid excessive partying.
   
   Not only does it eat into your valuable time, it can often leave you feeling tired and less prepared to deal with the following day’s work. , Find positive ways to alleviate stress when you start feeling overwhelmed.
   
   Take a bubble bath, exercise or meditate instead of having a drink at the end of a long day.
   
   Use a day planner or notebook to help you keep track of what needs to be done so you can relieve your mind of some of the burden.
   
   Even something as small as cooking a nice meal for yourself can help you re-center and blow off steam.
   
   Stress destroys your well being as it accumulates, so give yourself a way to get free of it.Regular exercise promotes the circulation of endorphins in the bloodstream, which can cut stress, improve your mood and even enhance your body’s metabolism, giving you more energy and keeping you from burning out.Take a few minutes of quiet time before bed every night to shut off all electronic devices and relax.
   
   Too much sensory stimuli can make it difficult to fall asleep, so turn the lights down low, stretch out and let your brain breathe after a hard day., If you just can’t keep up with your coursework or you’re putting in too many hours at your job, talk to your manager or professors.
   
   There’s no shame in asking for help.
   
   See if there’s any part of your curriculum or work schedule that can be simplified to accommodate your numerous obligations.
   
   There’s a big difference between expecting special treatment and asking for a little aid or guidance.
   
   In all likelihood, your boss or teacher will be happy to work with you when they see how much you’re balancing in your life.Ask your professor in advance to grant you a small deadline extension on an assignment if you don’t think you’ll be able to finish it in time.
   
   If you work a sales or service job, consider swapping shifts with a coworker to strategize your academic productivity.
3. 3

   Step 3: Capitalize on break time.

4. 4

   Step 4: Make sure school comes first.

5. 5

   Step 5: Pay attention.

6. 6

   Step 6: Schedule a designated study time.

7. 7

   Step 7: Make sure you're studying the appropriate amount.

8. 8

   Step 8: Cut out distractions.

9. 9

   Step 9: Get enough sleep.

10. 10

    Step 10: Don’t skip meals.

11. 11

    Step 11: Find some social time.

12. 12

    Step 12: De-stress constructively.

13. 13

    Step 13: Ask for help.

Detailed Guide

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