My Experience of having a Full-time Job and Online Classes at the same Time

Having a full-time job and at the same time taking online courses is a challenge, especially for those who have family commitments. But, with proper balancing and time management, you can achieve your goal without sacrificing your time with your family. It is necessary for every student to find the right balance between his study, family and work in order to succeed.

First thing I did was, discussed my plan with my family and friends before taking online classes to get their approval. I talked to my wife and my older son about my plan in going back to college. I know that without their cooperation, I would not succeed with my goals. I was very happy because they were very supportive, and they are so excited and ready to support me. My wife even volunteered to handle all those the tasks that I used to do, so I can devote my time to my studies. My older kid promised not to be a burden, and instead offered to help his mother with the household chores. My mother-in-law who lives a couple of blocks from us, agreed to babysit my daughter whenever she can. My sister who loves kids, volunteered to drop by during weekends and help with babysitting. By asking my friends and family’s support, I can save a lot of time and would use this as my study time, do my research and assignments. It is always advantage if you have family, friends or relatives that lives nearby and willing to lend a hand and very supportive. I know, without their support I cannot possibly be successful with my online studies.

My next step was, I organized my schedule and improved time management. In order to succeed in college especially online classes, learning to manage your time is very important.

Know the course syllabus that is set by your instructors and marked dates and deadline of your assignments and lessons, keep updated on lessons, to make sure you are not left behinds on lessons. Place the calendar in front of your study table, where it can be visible all the time. By marking it on the calendar, you will be reminded every time you look at it. I also included my schedule on my phone and set up an alarm, to remind me on deadlines and times of study. By sticking to this plan, it allows me to follow a routine and avoids procrastination. But, do not forget to change your schedule if there is some changes every week. You may have all the time to study, but if you do not use it wisely, it will not help you reach your goal. By maximizing your spare time, you will be able to finish my lessons and assignments on time.

The third step that I made was to learn how to say no when it’s time to quit distractions. Social media is the biggest threat to my studies. Before taking online classes, I was wasting a lot of time on social media on my computer, texting and playing games online. But I was able to sacrifice and limited myself from using social media, when it comes to studies. Luckily, my friends agreed not to send messages unless it’s important, in this way I can resist the temptation to engage in conversation. Try to temporarily stopped seeing your friends and hanging out with them for no reason, instead used the time to do your assignment. The best way to stay away from distractions is to anticipate before it comes, locate yourself in a quiet place where there is no electronics such as; smartphones, televisions, radios and even magazines that are nearby can distract your concentration.

Some like to go to the library, where there is always available books for research. Or you can go to the coffee shop, some people prefer to study with background music. While some students prefer music while reading to help them focus, according to studies, it does interfere with your concentration. Sometimes, I like to spend my study time with group of students who solely devote their time studying. Whatever is your preference, just make sure before opening your books, everything is quite as possible so you do not have to pause in the middle of session and lose concentration.

Fourth is, I have to maintain a healthy lifestyle to avoid stress. Take some time to go to the gym or simply stretch out on a regular basis, after a long day. Exercise can improve your memory and lower your stress level. It has been proven that exercise can reduce anxiety and increase productivity. Even a short walk to the park, it will revitalize your energy and increase performance on studies. Do not forget have a healthy diet, eat foods such as; vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and avoid unhealthy foods like red meats, too much sugar. Avoid too much caffeine and soda drinks, it would create stress. Get plenty of rest and at least eight hours of sleep each day. Know when it is time to take a break and take a well-deserved rest. After a long day juggling with your work and school schedule, find a quiet place to take a short nap. Even a short fifteen-minute nap means a lot to your body, it can strengthen memory and refreshes your eyesight. If you are not getting enough rest, that means it will lower your immune system to fight off fatigue and stress.

Finally, I reward myself whenever I accomplished something or after finishing my assignments. Once I finished an important responsibility, I reward myself with something that I enjoy doing, such as visiting my friends, going back to my hobby, or simply just by taking a walk to my favorite park. Making the most out of every seconds of your time in your daily schedule is the best way of finding a way to balance your work, life and study.

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