There are many reasons why you may choose to return to academic study while having a full-time job. For example, this may be the quickest path toward career advancement, or you may have decided to pivot into an entirely new industry, meaning that you have to start from scratch in terms of qualifications.
That being said, working full-time and studying can be incredibly stressful. This is because you’ll have a lot of work on your plate on any given day, meaning that free time will start to feel like something out of a fairytale.
How to study with a full-time job is a common challenge, but you can find balance by taking certain steps. This will ensure that neither your work performance nor your grades suffer.
Read on to Find Out More:
1. Use AI tools when writing essays:
While you should not use AI to write your essays or reports in their entirety, they can be valuable tools when it comes to saving time and writing a little more effectively. For example, they can be used to paraphrase and humanize text taken from other sources (such as academic research papers and studies), allowing you to make compelling arguments without dealing with accusations of plagiarism. However, you should still make sure that you include the sources in your bibliography and cite them correctly.
AI tools can also help speed up the process of editing your essays, ensuring that they are free from spelling or grammatical mistakes without requiring you to spend hours in front of the computer screen.
2. Set aside a designated amount of time each evening to study:
Whether you’re attending in-person classes or studying online, setting aside a designated amount of time each weekday evening for study is crucial. Otherwise, you may find that you’re leaving assignments or important readings until the last possible minute, increasing your stress and allowing you to fall behind your peers.
For example, you may choose to sit down and study immediately upon coming home from work, or to spend an hour or two reading after you’ve had your dinner. The key is to find a time that works for you and to stick to it consistently. This is a vital part of how to study with a full-time job.
3. Take a break when you need one:
If you feel that you are overly stressed or burned out, don’t try to keep pushing forward. Instead, give yourself the gift of a break. Remember, if you don’t take good care of your health and well-being during this time, you’re only going to find it harder to juggle work and study moving forward. This is because you’ll start dealing with fatigue, illness, and even a loss of motivation.
While managing your schedule is key, how to study with a full-time job also involves making time for activities that aren’t work or study-related. For example, this could include going to the gym or spending time with your friends. This will give you a better balance overall, while also benefiting your mood and overall health.
4. Set aside a designated study space within your home:
Sometimes, the environment we are studying in has a direct influence on our ability to focus or work effectively. For example, if you’re catching up on your readings while sitting in front of your TV, how much attention are you really paying to the text? How likely are you to absorb the information if you’re constantly looking up to see what’s happening on your screen?
As such, you should make sure that you set up a designated study space within your home that separates you from any potential distractions. If you don’t have the space for this, consider visiting a local library or co-working space a few times a week. This way, you can really focus on the work in front of you.
5. Take time off ahead of your exams:
Taking a few days off ahead of important exams is also advisable, even if you don’t want to take your foot off the pedal at work. This will allow you to devote more time and energy to preparing for your exam, ensuring that you get the best possible grades. This means that all your hard work will be worth it, especially if you need the top grades in order to progress within your career.
6. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule:
The more sleep you are able to get, the better you will perform both at work and school. For example, a recent study found that students with “good sleep habits have been shown to have better memory, understanding, and academic achievement than their sleep-deprived peers.” As such, you should do your best to stick to a consistent sleep schedule each evening.
One way in which you can achieve this goal is by avoiding using your phone or laptop for at least an hour before getting into bed. This is because failing to do so can keep your mind alert for much longer, making it harder to drift off into a peaceful sleep. You should also avoid studying or working from your bedroom, as you may begin to subconsciously associate this space with stress as opposed to rest and relaxation.
Final thoughts:
To begin learning how to study with a full-time job, you must first accept that balancing both tasks simultaneously is challenging.
However, with the right plans in place, you can find the perfect balance moving forward. As mentioned above, studying and working a full-time job can be made easier or more manageable by:
- Using AI tools when writing essays or conducting academic research
- Setting aside a designated amount of time each day or week to study
- Taking a break when you need one, ensuring that mental and physical wellness remains your number one priority
- Setting up a designated study space in your home, so that you can study without distractions
- Taking time off ahead of important exams
- Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule
The more of this advice that you take on board and incorporate into your daily routine, the better. This is because it will give you the opportunity to thrive, both at work and within your studies.
