Need-to-know tips and tools for studying while working
Have you gone back to college while staying at work? Are you struggling with the workload? Are you going to work, attending classes, submitting assignments, doing exams - maybe taking care of a family - and wondering… have I made a huge mistake?!
Perhaps you made the decision to go back to college to improve your career prospects, change career or simply out of interest. Either way, it’s proving to be a challenge. Even if it’s on a part-time basis, there’s so much to do!
Having been in higher education as a student and then a lecturer for more than 20 years, let me share what works when it comes to tips and tools for studying while working. Whether you want to manage your time, improve your study skills, overcome procrastination, develop your support system and/or use technology to make your life easier, read on for simple ideas you can implement today.
Manage your time
In addition to time in class, you’ve reading, multiple assignments and exams to do. Pressure! How to fit it all in?
The first step to conquering your time is to track where it’s going, preferably for at least one week from morning until night every day. (Do as many days as you can manage.) You can use a pen and paper, a spreadsheet, or an app like Toggl: whichever’s handiest. Be diligent about recording what you’re doing and when.
How are you spending your time? Ask yourself:
Is there anything here that surprises me?
Where am I wasting time?
What activities could I do less of or drop completely, perhaps delegating to someone else?
Bearing in mind the time, money and effort that you’ve already invested in your study programme, do you need to start flexing your “saying no” muscle, in work and at home?
Identify the best times for you to work during the week, schedule those into your calendar and display it somewhere prominent. Protect that time and space and utilise whatever resources you have at your disposal to do so. Minimise distractions (including leaving your mobile phone in another room!), perhaps investing in a set of headphones to communicate to others that you’re “do not disturb”.
Be sure to also schedule in time off. It may seem like the only solution is to work all the time but we need rest and renewal to work at our absolute best.
Improve your study skills
Need to improve your part-time study skills?
Are you making the most of your study time? It’s possible you could be studying more effectively. There are two ways to solve this problem in a relatively short space of time.
Firstly, check what learning support services your college offers – there’s likely to be a range of supports available, including workshops on topics like note-taking, academic writing and even time management.
You could also take a look at The Learning Scientists website. The team behind this resource provide easily accessible, easy-to-implement advice about how to study. They outline six strategies for effective learning in written and video format.
My top tip would be to go straight to the first question on the website’s FAQ: “Help! I’m a student, but I have no idea how to study. Can someone please teach me how to study?” The Learning Scientists will help you get your study skills sorted!
Overcome procrastination
Procrastination is a complex issue but it can really hamper your efforts to succeed as well as put you under extra pressure. You don’t want to lose marks because you’re doing something at the last minute and make mistakes because you’re in a rush.
My best advice is to start before you’re ready. Use those moments in between times: waiting to pick up the kids, stuck in a queue at the post office, sitting in traffic on the bus or train. Those moments when you’d typically pick up your phone and start mindlessly scrolling are golden opportunities to brainstorm or create an outline or a plan of action for your next assignment.
If you’re really struggling to start a task, try setting a timer for a short period of time. Anyone can do 15 minutes, right? You’ll may do more but even if you don’t, 15 minutes every day on that task you don’t want to do will be far more effective than waiting for that perfect day without any disruptions (that actually never happens).
Develop your support system
Ask for help when you need it. Your college wants you to do well. Check what services are available so that you know where to go when you need them. Make sure you go to class so that you can interact with your peers and get to know whoever’s delivering the content (and they can get to know you). Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
It can also be a good idea to talk to someone who has successfully completed the course before you. Ask them what worked for them and what they’d do differently if they’d a second shot at it.
Consider forming a study group. Who better to lend support than people who are going through the exact same thing as you? Keep it small so that it’s easy to meet up or communicate as a group using WhatsApp or something similar. Share resources, cheer each other on and review each other’s work.
Use technology to make life easier
Keep it simple – I’m not suggesting you try all of these at once! – but have you considered any of the following:
Google Calendar for creating a schedule with reminders for key deadlines.
Evernote for organising your study notes by topic.
Trello for organising your projects.
Dropbox for storing and sharing files.
Mendeley for managing your references and more
Progress not perfection
Finally, remember that not everything has to be done perfectly. College or any educational experience is about so much more than the large quantities of content you’re digesting and the assignments you’re doing. It’s an opportunity to see things from a different perspective, learn new ways of doing things, and make new friends and connections.
Remind yourself why you did this course of study. Every hour of work you put into studying is progress towards your goal. Reward yourself for your efforts!
Have a tip you’d like to share about studying while working? Let me know in the Comments below.