Earning your degree or professional diploma is no easy feat, and it can feel even more overwhelming when you’re simultaneously balancing work shifts and other responsibilities such as caring for a family. It’s a challenge that faces students all across America.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2020, 74% of part-time students in undergraduate programs were working while in school while the same is true for 40% of full-time undergraduate students. Additionally, 18% of the undergraduate student population are student-parents, according to the American Council on Education.
So, how do you balance work and school (and your personal responsibilities) without flunking or getting burned out? There are strategies that can help you get a running start and maintain your momentum for maximum success. It’s all about planning ahead, leveraging your resources, and using smart strategies for working smarter, not harder.
Consider these five tips for thriving in your educational journey even while keeping your job and/or managing a busy household.
1. Create a Study Schedule and Stick to It
Success starts with intentionality. Avoid the “I’ll do it when I find the time” mindset, and instead map out a clear study schedule for your school activities. A more intentional plan can help you avoid procrastination and cramming, stay on track with your assignments, and give you a higher chance of success.
The best approach is to determine how much time you’ll need to watch lectures, complete assignments, and study for exams and then block out time on your calendar that is dedicated to those activities. You should set goals for what you’ll want to complete during each study session for the week, and then make every effort to stick to your schedule. Having this time visibly marked off on your calendar (paper or digital) and setting up reminders can help keep your schoolwork top-of-mind and maintain self-accountability.
Here are some additional scheduling and study tips to consider:
- Plan your study time around your work shifts or family responsibilities.
- Save your most challenging work for the times when you’re likely to have the most energy and greatest level of focus (such as first thing in the morning or when you have long stretches of time without the kids).
- Prioritize your school activities by importance and urgency. As a working student, a student who is a parent, or both, you may not realistically have time to complete every assignment. Prioritizing can help ensure the most important tasks get completed.
- Break down larger projects into smaller steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed and keep the momentum going. Set target completion dates for each step to help keep yourself on track.
- Consider which study method works best for you. Some people work best studying for longer stretches (an hour or two) with short breaks in between (10 to 15 minutes), while others may thrive with shorter study sprints.
- Use breaks for activities that will actually help you decompress and recharge, such as a relaxing activity or a physical activity. When you take a short walk, you increase blood flow to the brain and can experience benefits such as an increase in concentration, energy, and creativity.
- Be realistic about limitations concerning your schedule. If you see that you’re consistently having to make adjustments, consider changing your scheduled study time to better align with your responsibilities or circumstances.
2. Tap Into Your Support System
As a working student (especially one with family responsibilities), this is no time to be shy or overly self-reliant. Consider who you can turn to for support. Make sure to communicate your needs, whether that is extra help around the house or with the kids from your significant other, babysitting from a friend or family member, or even a more flexible work schedule from your boss.
Many companies encourage their employees to advance their education and may be more understanding than you think, especially if what you’re learning can make you better at your job. Some companies even contribute to education expenses when employees meet certain criteria.
At ACC, we offer a variety of student resources from no-cost tutoring to referrals for childcare and transportation. Don’t assume you have to do it alone. Sometimes all you have to do is ask!
3. Consider More Flexible Program Formats
In the past, completing a degree or diploma program meant you had to be on campus for each of your classes, which can be especially challenging for someone with a rigid work schedule or family responsibilities. Fortunately, it’s now more common to find programs that offer a higher level of flexibility for your needs and schedule.
If this sounds appealing, you may want to consider one of the following types of programs.
Online programs
Through an online program, you attend your classes and complete your assignments remotely. This may involve synchronous activities (i.e., you attend lectures or complete certain learning activities at a scheduled time), asynchronous activities (i.e., you watch recorded classes or log in to complete assignments on your own schedule), or a combination of both. Online programs are ideal for students who do not want to travel to campus and who prefer greater flexibility in their study schedules.
For instance, ACC’s Medical Billing program includes 100% online coursework and can be completed in as little as 7 months — emphasizing both hands-on learning and real-life experience in a flexible format.
Blended or hybrid programs
A blended program, also commonly referred to as a hybrid program, offers both online and in-person learning activities. For example, a blended program may allow for online classes and assignments with in-person labs to help students gain hands-on training, which can be especially important for healthcare career paths.
Many of ACC’s healthcare diploma programs use a blended format with two days on campus and the rest online — making it easier to balance school, work, and life. ACC programs offered in blended format include:
- Medical Assistant program – complete in as little as 9 months
- Dental Assisting program – complete in as little as 10 months
- Optical Technician program – complete in as little as 9 months
- Pharmacy Technician program – complete in as little as 9 months
Part-time programs
If you have a busy work schedule and/or home life, you may also want to consider a slower program pace. Many programs offer a part-time option that is geared toward working professionals. This option allows you to spread your program over a longer period of time, which may make it easier to keep up with your studies.
The above programs (Medical Assistant, Dental Assisting, Optical Technician, and Pharmacy Technician) require students to commit 20 hours a week (5 hours of learning for 4 days per week).
Some programs may even offer additional forms of flexibility in scheduling, such as evening and weekend classes. For example, ACC’s Medical Assistant, Dental Assisting, and Pharmacy Technician programs offer a Weekend class option, while the Optical Technician program offers evening classes — and all of these programs can be completed in less than a year. Additionally, ACC’s Vocational Nursing program can be completed in as little as 18 months through the Evening and Weekends option.
4. Study with Your Kids (If You’re a Parent)
If your children are old enough to work somewhat independently, consider having a set time where you all do homework or study time at the table together. This is a great way to model strong study habits (a valuable opportunity for observational learning for your child), and it can create another opportunity for family time, even if you’re all working on different things.
You can make this activity more engaging by breaking up your study time with a fun family activity, especially one that allows for movement or creativity. Here are some ideas for how everyone can decompress together:
- A family stretch or brief walk
- A quick game that doesn’t require deep thinking
- An activity that sparks creativity like coloring or drawing
- Listening to music or having a dance party
5. Take Some Time for Yourself
While it’s great to be ambitious, it’s important to realize that no one can do it all. If you fill every moment with something related to school, work, or taking care of loved ones, you’re bound to get burned out.
Follow these tips to help ensure you’re maintaining the right school-work-life balance:
- Schedule time for regular exercise.
- Go out with friends or family.
- Get some downtime by yourself or with a significant other.
- Explore a hobby by taking a class or engaging in a group sport.
- Spend time volunteering or getting involved in your community.
- Plan a weekend getaway or a longer vacation between school sessions.
While it may feel unproductive to stop, just remember that you have to refuel if you want to charge full speed ahead and make it to the finish line.
American Career College Offers Flexibility for Busy Students
At ACC, we believe that work and family responsibilities should never hinder someone from reaching their educational goals. That’s why we offer flexible program formats and timelines that make it easier for students to fit classes and coursework into their existing schedules.
Here are some of the many ways that ACC supports working students and student-parents:
- Online or blended programs available for certain career paths
- 24/7 online access to your course materials and assignments (for online and hybrid programs)
- Ability to make progress on your coursework on your own schedule, with some assignments having set deadlines (for online and hybrid programs)
- An evening and weekend class option for the Vocational Nursing program
- Weekend option for Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, and Dental Assisting programs
- Medical Billing program with 100% online coursework
Learn more about the healthcare diploma and associate degree programs available at American Career College and apply today!
