Outline
In the present world, managing work, study and family is a serious issue among many individuals. When studies come along the way of work or family, life gets more hectic. We should be able to spend time for study, work as well as family. Effectively balancing studies with work and other important activities of our life including family time, sports, hobbies etc requires efficient management of time and activities. Time is the most precious factor here and for many, there is too much to do within a small time. This essay inspects some steps that can be taken to create a balance between study, work and family.
How to balance studies with work and/or family demand?
Effectively balancing studies with work and other important activities of our life including family time, sports, hobbies etc requires efficient management of time and activities. Making a perfect model of study – work – family is almost impossible. Each individual has his/her own set of responsibilities. Time is the most precious factor here and for many, there is too much to do within a small time. Targeting for a perfect balance between studies and life may not be possible but it is the best if we can plan our life accordingly, so that activities which require high priority are given adequate attention.
Balancing studies with work and life involves realizing the right philosophy of life. The balance depends on how we want to live our life – whether to have a busy schedule with all work and no studies, or to live our life the fullest with family. Our ambitions on a career or studies should never be impaired by work or family. For that, the first step is to set goals for our life. We should review our life from time to time to see how much closer we are approaching to the goal. We should assess what is important and what is not. Some matters may appear urgent to us. A proper assessment on whether it is actually important is the factor for balancing life.
Priorities of life should be set with the goals. As a full time working single mother of two children, my most important priority will be my children. Raising them as good responsible citizens must be my top priority like any other mother. For me my family is thus the most important thing in life. But at times, work priorities may take more of the family and study time than intended.
In order to balance studies with family, focus should be on spending quality time with the family members. It is the quality of the time spent that is considered than the quantity. Family members will appreciate us more if we could attend to them when they are in need like for attending meetings in children’s schools or taking the kids out for their birthday.
When studies come along the way of work or family, life gets more hectic. We should be able to spend time for study, work as well as family. The first step is to talk to the family about the nature of our study and the requirements like time, quietness etc. Without the support of the family members, one will not be able to study or work. Family members should be convinced about the need to study and should be supportive and cooperative. This can act as a great confidence booster for the study. Also one should have a clear cut focus on the topic of study and its purpose. The pros and cons of studying a subject should be analyzed.
The next step is to choose the most suitable work. If the present work timings do not provide ample time for studies and family, it will be better to find a job that is more flexible with the time schedule. The nature of the work and the character of the colleagues and employers should be considered before attempting to start studying. A person with a hectic and tiring job schedule will end up being more tired at the end of the day leaving no time for study or family. Late hour working and over time works should be avoided completely to strike a balance between work and study. It is better to adopt target oriented work which allows flextime working schedules so that studying in between is possible.
Setting up a timetable for each day of the week and following it religiously will impart good results in studying. The timetable should consider immediate needs as well as not so essential needs. An important factor to bear in mind while constructing the time table is to make it as realistic as possible. Motivating ourselves is an inevitable step that should be taken to avoid conflicts between study and work. The biggest challenge that will be faced is to concentrate on the studies after a day’s work. Work issues will creep into the minds when studying making it impossible to study properly. Work issues for the day have to be settled before studying.
Keeping a track of deadlines and important dates at work, study and family is strongly advised. “Try to plan ahead. If you know a busy time is coming up on your course or at your place of work, plan ahead as much as possible and try to move things around to create a balance.” (Combining Work and Study, 1). Seeking advice and support from the tutor will help to solve problems at study better and will reduce frustration.
Finding time for relaxation can actually boost the quality of time spent for studies or work. Relaxing with the family members and getting their support and care can make studying worriless.
Finally, balancing between study and work or family is a matter of practice than theory. Implementing these theories in life requires great effort. Self motivation and mental strength are the most important requirements to balance study with work and family.
Works Cited
Combining Work and Study. University of Bath Students Union. 2009. Web.