Balancing Your Life and Studies

Deciding to go back to school may leave you worrisome, or scared. You might wonder how you are going to handle another responsibility because you have so many already. As a single mother, an employee, and a homeowner, I have taken steps I would like to share with you to reduce the stress of adding schoolwork to your load. To get through this course, balancing your studies with the other aspects of your life will guide you to stress free success. Take each day as it comes, and do the best you can.

Whether you are a mother, a father, a daughter, or anybody with a family at home, you have to set aside what I call "me-time"-time all by yourself that you can get as much work done with out any interruptions. You need time to yourself for studying and working on your course load without distractions. Turn off your TV, turn off your radio, lock yourself in your room, and study. Because my daughter is my number one priority, I find the best time to study in between my work routes while my daughter is at school. I get 5 hours to myself to focus on school and just put my best into school work. The house is generally quiet, except for when my dogs are hyper and loud. Buying them more toys has made them play with each other instead of begging me to play, which stresses me out less. By doing my coursework during the day, it leaves my role as a mother to not interfere with school. I start my day getting ready. I prepare breakfast for my daughter and myself, energizing us for the day. Preparing breakfast used to be stressful for me, I would open the fridge and try to figure out what to make. Now, making breakfast is simple because I plan it out the night before. When I get home from work, my daughter does her homework. I normally don't need to...

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...breakfast, I was more alert than ever. I am lucky to have a job that I don't bring home. It is less stressful to leave all the duties of your job at work. If at home, you have employees who call you, or emails you need to send, do not do it during your time to study. Balancing your studies with work is very important to your success and if you leave out interruptions from your job, you will have no problem cruising through your studies.

When you take the time to balance out the duties of your life while going to school, you will find that it greatly eases your mind and wipes away the stress. Balancing your life to give time to your studies and really focus on them help you to stay sane and not feel overloaded and overwhelmed. Use your time efficiently with your family, your job, and your duties to your house to make for an easier time in attaining your school goals.