Having a family, a job and going back to school at the same time can be downright hectic at times. Finding a way to balance all three will help you keep your sanity. Here are a few strategies that will work, if implemented, immediately.
1. Ask for support. Talk with your family and your employer about what will be required of you to obtain your degree. Ask your spouse to help out more while you are attending classes to avoid extra childcare fees. Make sure everyone understands that you will need a little extra support during this phase of your life.
2. Study after your children go to bed. You will have to run a tight ship in order for you to have any time to devote to studying. You have to get your house quiet to allow for concentrated study time.
3. Expect some turbulence. Everything is not going to work out perfectly. You may have to request an extension on some assignments due to family responsibilities. Make sure you share with your professor what is happening as soon as you know vs. waiting until the last minute. The appropriate respect show to your professor may soften his or her heart towards you.
4. Take as many online classes as possible. If you are able to get your degree without having to physically go to the university it can make all the difference for you. Especially if the school is accredited. It’s the actual degree that matters not necessarily the school that you attended.
5. Try to get your job to pay for the classes. Some employers encourage their employees to pursue a higher education and are willing to cover the cost of obtaining the degree. Especially, if you are able to take the classes at a time that doesn’t interfere with your work schedule. This is what my husband and I did while working at a Pharmaceutical Company. We took classes on weekends and they paid for the entire MBA degree.
6. Don’t let home suffer. It is important to remember that your family is still the priority. You can’t allow your home life to suffer and everything fall apart just because you are in school. You have to carve out time that you will spend with your family and then sacrifice some additional time to make the school thing work out well. That may require less leisure time for you and more study time.
7. Envision the bright future. When you get discouraged, keep reminding yourself that by obtaining this degree you will have better opportunities financially for your family to live a better life. You will have a chance to choose from better career options.
8. Delegate. Everything that you can assign out to others to help you while you are in school – Delegate it! Don’t feel guilty about asking for the help. Women who ask for more help from their spouse, ask their children to help more around the house, and ask for closer teamwork with their colleagues, will maintain their sanity in the long run.
Remember to pat yourself on the back, because you are truly an amazing woman if you are trying to balance all of these roles. You deserve nothing but praise and admiration for all that you do. Also, allow your children and spouse to show their appreciation for attempting to better your family life. Keep up the wonderful job that you are doing.
You can watch our Telly Award Winning Television Talk Show, Daily Balance with Kim Jacobs, on PBS - WTVI every Saturday at 10:00 AM. To learn more about Daily Balance with Kim Jacobs please visit www.dailybalancewithkim.tv. You can also follow us on Facebook at Daily Balance with Kim Jacobs. If you would like to hear more tips from me, you can see me as the Daily Balance Expert every Wednesday for a segment on Charlotte Today (WCNC – News Channel 36) between 11:00 AM -12:00 PM.
Thank you for your continued support.
