Balancing school and work

It can be hard to fulfill all your responsibilities when juggling both school and work. Fortunately, there are a few ways to make the struggle a little easier. Here are some tips for balancing your school and work responsibilities, so you don't end up falling behind in your studies.

1. Look for appropriate times at work to fit in your studies.

Are you most likely going to sit in the break room during your break(s)? If so, bring along one or two of your assigned readings (books, articles - whatever format they're in). Bring along one or two of your assigned written assignments, or at least a notebook and pen to jot down some thoughts and ideas for your written assignments that you can use later on when you have a larger block of study time available. You'd be surprised how much reading and/or writing you can get done during your 15-minute break(s) at work.

If you get a lunch break, consider splitting your time between eating and studying. A split lunch break could give you an extra 10-15 minutes or more of study time that might otherwise go unused.

The time spent traveling to and from work can also be used for studying if you have a long commute on public transit.

2. Ask for some leniency at work around exam time.

You are likely to be extra busy with school work in the weeks leading up to your exams. Consider asking your employer for reduced or more favorable work hours during this period to help you better cope with your increased school work. While some employers will be more accommodating than others, yours may be happy to offer some relief in such times.

3. Speak with your teachers if you're falling behind on critical projects.

Teachers are more likely to make allowances if they know you're balancing school and work, but open and honest communication on your part is the key here. It's your responsibility to approach your teachers on this. If there's no chance of you finishing particular projects or papers on time, speak with your teachers well before the due dates to see what your options are. By "well before the due dates," I mean at least several solid days before, not the night before or the morning of. Your teachers may offer deadline extensions or reduced penalties for late submissions. But again, it's all on you to initiate this important conversation.

There's no doubt it can be a struggle to balance both school and work. Because of this, it's not uncommon for workers to see some unpleasant results on their school assignments, tests, and exams. Hopefully, the preceding three tips can help ease your struggles, so you can continue to do well with your studies while fulfilling your responsibilities at work.

If you found this post helpful, you may want to check out these previous posts, as well:

How to properly prepare for tests and exams

High school students and stress

Better study habits

Be more productive, complete projects on time

Be more productive, complete projects on time

Four ways to boost productivity and complete your projects on time

When you're working on a big project but only have a limited amount of time to get it done, boosting productivity becomes very important. Otherwise, when the deadline arrives, you might not have much to show for your efforts. So, how do you increase productivity so you can finish your projects on time? Read on to find out. Here are four ways of boosting productivity that can help ensure your projects get done before they're due.

1. Commit to working on your project every day.

Sometimes the most challenging part of finishing a project is getting yourself to actually work on it - especially after an extended break. That's why, instead of procrastinating, you should commit to working on your project every day. By working on your project every day, you'll incorporate it into your daily routine, making it easier for you to continue with the project from where you've left off.

2. Set deadlines for completing the various stages of your project.

It can be tempting to casually go about your work if you don't set deadlines for the various stages of your project. To keep yourself from falling into a slowly-paced work style, give yourself specific deadlines to meet while working on the project. Setting several minor deadlines helps create a definitive work pace, which can help ensure you finish the project on time. In addition, multiple deadlines can inspire you to work harder as you see the individual due dates getting closer.

3. Eliminate as many distractions as possible.

Anything that pulls you away from your work - even momentarily - makes you less productive. By eliminating distractions like email, voicemail, and text notifications, you'll be better able to stay focused on the task at hand, allowing you to get more done. If you do turn off your regular notifications, remember to dedicate specific times during the day for checking your emails, voicemails, and texts. This way, you'll stay up to date with what's going on, so you won't accidentally miss out on anything important.

4. Schedule yourself breaks and don't skip them.

While holding extended work sessions may sound like an ultra-productive strategy, in reality, it usually isn't. Why? Because concentration and motivation start to suffer after working for too long without a break. Scheduled breaks give you a chance to recharge, so you can return to your project fresh and ready to work. A popular way of handling breaks is to schedule a 15-minute recess after every 90 minutes of work.

Boosting your productivity is vitally important if you don't want to struggle with insane last-minute workloads when your deadlines draw near. That's why, the next time you start a project, you should keep these productivity-boosting tips in mind from day one. By boosting your productivity, you'll be able to complete your projects earlier than expected, so you can focus on the other things you'd rather be doing.

Strategies for time and task management

Image via Unsplash

 

Five Strategies for Time and Task Management

Organizing and managing your daily round of responsibilities can be challenging for small business owners. If you often find yourself stressed and overworked, learning new task management skills and implementing helpful tools could make a big difference in your ability to manage your time more effectively. Here are five solid strategies for task and time management for small business owners, presented below by Mr. Robertson’s Corner.

Take Advantage of Available Tools

As a small business owner, you have access to a wealth of tools designed to streamline and manage many of your regular tasks. Some of the most useful business apps focus on accounting tasks:

• Apps like QuickBooks Time can provide accurate tracking of employee timesheets, time worked by a specific employee, and time dedicated to a project. Time tracking is a must for managing payroll, timesheets, and personnel management tasks much more easily and effectively.
• TechRadar recommends the free app RescueTime, which offers insights into how you use your personal time. If you've ever wondered exactly how much time you spend browsing websites or talking on the phone, RescueTime can provide you with the actionable information necessary to adjust your behaviors and provide you with more free time at home and on the job.

Choosing apps that work with mobile phones, integrate with your existing systems, and offer real-time reporting for faster response times will help you achieve more on behalf of your company while saving some free time for yourself.

Automate Selectively

Pick and choose which tasks to automate to ensure the most effective use of your time and money. One of the best places to start is with repetitive accounting and administrative tasks. In 2017, CPA Practice Advisor found that, on average, small businesses spend 120 days each year managing bookkeeping and administrative tasks. Software packages that automate some or all of these tasks can be a good investment for your company.

Delegate Tasks Where Appropriate

Many managers and small business owners are afraid to delegate or outsource tasks. Letting go of some responsibilities by delegating them to your staff members or outside firms is essential to avoid burnout and stress. Tasks that can often be delegated to others include:

• Enlisting the help of a formation service can help you to create an LLC for your company more efficiently. These specialty firms have the experience and in-depth knowledge necessary to navigate the legalities quickly and effectively. Just make sure you look up accurate LLC Wisconsin information so you understand the guidelines.
• Jobs that have clear, easy-to-understand parameters or that are repetitive in nature can safely be delegated to staff members.
• Tasks that serve an educational purpose may include seminars, webinars, and online courses. By assigning these opportunities to key staff members, you can build a team of highly qualified individuals.

Plan for Downtime

It's easy to remember to plan for upcoming project deadlines and other work-related tasks. Setting aside time for yourself is also important to stay focused and achieve the best results. Bloomberg touts the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks up time and tasks into manageable segments with breaks in between. Planning for 50 minutes of work punctuated by 10-minute breaks can often allow you to be more productive and focused.

Prioritize Top Tasks

Not all tasks are equally important. Categorizing each activity according to its urgency and profit potential can allow you to put first things first for your small business. This can add up to increased revenues for your company in the competitive marketplace. Learning to manage your time and tasks more effectively isn't an overnight process. Working to implement these strategies can help you do more and achieve more every day.