MANAGING SCHOOL, WORK, AND LIFE BALANCE

An advanced degree could be exactly what you need to take your career to new heights. However, most people who want to go to grad school also must work. Adding classes, homework, and exams on top of a busy job can seem overwhelming if you don’t learn strategies to balance it all.

Thankfully, you are not alone in asking yourself how to balance a work load and graduate-level coursework. Many students have had the same challenges, but they were still able to pursue a graduate degree and work using the right strategies. Balancing your career and school may never be completely stress-free, but here are a few tips and tricks that can make succeeding a little easier.

1. Use your Resources

As a graduate student, you may need extra support to reach your goals. The University of North Texas provides services unique to the needs of graduate students These services include professional development workshops, writing help for your thesis/dissertation proposal, dedicated discipline librarians, and statistical support Take advantage of the tools and resources that are available to you Utilizing resources like these will jumpstart your success in grad school! Get access by clicking here.

2. Work Smarter, Not Harder

Finding ways to tie your classwork into your daily job can make your life much easier-- get a position within the department or working at a faculty lab site in order to easily combine your workloads Take advantage of your anecdotal evidence and professional experience to guide your writing and research Use assignments to develop projects or policies you may actually be interested in addressing at work, to learn about a job you might be working toward in the future, or to explore a topic you are passionate about.

3. Practice Self-Care

Balancing graduate school and working full time is not easy. Eating healthy, sleeping well, and exercising should all be a priority in your life during this time. If you neglect yourself and become unwell, you cannot focus on school or work.

Practice good stress management, reward yourself for the wins you have in school or at your job and allow yourself to have fun. Remember, you are going to school to improve your life, not make it worse.