Firstly, I wish everyone reading this blog a very Happy New Year 2021! A brand-new year; a brand-new start!
For 2021, I hope that you are planning on continuing to learn and develop new things. In today’s blog, I’ll be sharing with you some of my top tips in managing both your university work and the extra responsibilities of part-time work, at the same time.
Having a part-time job as you go through university is a fun and truly rewarding experience, that allows you to earn money, and to start in the world of work, alongside your studies. I highly recommend that in 2021, potentially try and aim to get a part-time job from campus jobs, if you have the time to do so and haven’t done so already. It is a great way to gain insight, develop new skills and earn some money.
Here are my ‘top tips’ for balancing university and part-time work
- Create a schedule/plan
- Make a timetable to help you allocate time for studying, to complete assignments and other university work, for leisure time, work and of course, some time to relax and recharge. Delegate time effectively to ensure that you can do evenly distribute your work across each week.
- Check your university timetable to see if you can slot in time for a job
- Be sure to check your university timetable, to see the best possible time slot for you to take on a part-time job (check if the part-time job is flexible the deadlines for work can work around your university studies), so if you are busy at certain weeks, when running up to assignment deadlines, for example, then you can work on the part-time job during the weekends.
- Eat Properly
- Make sure that you have 3 meals per day (minimum) to keep a healthy lifestyle. It’s not good to sleep late, wake up late, and consequently, miss breakfast. Breakfast should be an essential thing to help you start the day. Remember to keep a balanced diet, eating plenty of fruit and veg, and keep away from junk food, where you can.
- Look After Yourself
- After studying and working, your brain needs to have a break. So, to handle your stress and tiredness positively; go out for a walk a couple of times during the week, listen to music, do something fun i.e., chat with a friend online, play games or have a break, have a KitKat.
- Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep – Don’t overdo it
- Ensure that you get a good night sleep every day. Spread out the time that you need to spend on studying and work – ensure there are gaps in between, for you to rest. Do it appropriately to ensure that you plan your time effectively.
- Do not leave your assignment deadlines till the last minute and pull up an all-nighter. Start your assignments 2 weeks before the deadline will be more productive than pulling a whole night to complete it.
Hopefully this blog has been useful for you when it comes to organising your time effectively in balancing university study, work and rest.
Written by Pok Lim Lai (One of your Student Voice Ambassadors)