How to Manage a Full-Time Job While Being a Part-Time Student
University can be quite time consuming and quite expensive. This can create the need for a part-time job while having no time to work a part-time job. Over the past two years, I have managed to have keep my GPA up while having one (sometimes two) part-time job(s) at the same time, so I thought I would share 5 tips on how to manage both.
1. Make Google Calendar (external link, opens in new window) Your Best Friend
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Your courses will provide all of your assignment due dates and midterm dates within the first couple weeks of school. The problem with getting dates way in advance is that most students forget about them. To ensure this never happens to you, use Google Calendar! Add every assignment due date and exam date to your calendar as soon as you know. This will allow you to see when you won’t be that busy with school work and when you will be. After this, add all of your fixed time slots for classes and the shifts for your part-time job. Once you have this information, you will be able to see when you actually have free time and you can assign yourself time to work on different assignments, or study for different exams.
2. Kick Procrastination
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Procrastination can be quite tempting at times, especially when that new series you’ve been waiting for was just released on Netflix. It’s hard to resist things like watching movies, or seeing your friends, but once you’re balancing multiple things you’ll realize how much you LOVE sleep. When it comes down to it I know that if I procrastinate I’m either not going to finish an assignment on time or I’m not going to sleep, so I ensure that I work on schoolwork well ahead of time. By finishing your assignments during your first available free time, you may even have some extra time left to catch that new Netflix show.
3. Make Sure Your Employer Understands Your Limits
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When acquiring a part-time job, it’s important for your employer to understand that you are a student and that being a student is your main priority. This means ensuring that your employer sees eye-to-eye with you about the amount of hours you can work and when you can work. This is possible but sometimes hard to achieve with employers. This is why Ryerson offers on-campus jobs with employers who understand that school is students’ main priority. The employers are required to work around your class and exam schedules which makes juggling the two easier. A lot of positions offer options for switching shifts, which can be really helpful if you realize a couple days before your shift that you need some extra time off before your midterm.
4. Prioritize
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At times you will randomly feel like being productive, but you will put your energy into all of the wrong things. Yes, maybe you do need to work on that research report due in a month, but working on it right now will hinder your success for that essay you haven’t started that is due in a week. It’s tempting to work on the assignments that interest you more than others, but it’s important to work on them in order that makes sense and fits into your schedule.
5. Breaks are Okay
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Although planning, prioritizing, and avoiding procrastination are helpful, these tips will not go a long way if you don’t allow time for yourself from time to time. This may mean booking off a night from from work from time to time so you can see a concert, or taking a short break in the middle of studying to grab ice cream with your friends.
Happy job hunting!
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