How to Study for a Degree as a Busy Parent
Studying for a degree is hard enough on its own, let alone when you have a family and your day job to worry about on top of it all. Already having a family of your own shouldn’t put you off furthering your education, though. There are lots of ways for you to fit in schooling around your current lifestyle, so you don’t have to sacrifice the education or career you dearly want but couldn’t find the time to fit in beforehand.
Of course, it will take a lot of time and dedication, and you will want to pour a lot of your focus and energy into studying for your degree, but it doesn’t have to be the sole thing going on in your life.
Keeping a work-life balance is essential, especially when you are returning to education after you already have an established career and family, and you have many other responsibilities.
Here are a few tips that you can use to keep on top of studying and on your work-home life when you start studying for a degree.
1. Keep to a Schedule
This is the most essential part of any job or degree, but it is even more important when you are working on both!
When you are juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities at once, it can be difficult to keep track of them all; once you lose your focus, it can all come crumbling down. This is something you want to avoid at all costs. You may be able to pick up the pieces if you lose track of a deadline or two, but it will cost you precious time elsewhere in your busy schedule.
To make sure that you can stay on track with all your coursework, your family duties, and your work responsibilities, create yourself an easy to read and edit schedule. The easiest way you can do this is to keep a diary, whether this is physical or using an app on your phone.
This way, you will be able to see all of your responsibilities and deadlines in one place and see ahead of time if there are any conflicts. If there are conflicts, don’t worry. You will know ahead of time if this does happen, so you will have time to compensate and complete your tasks before the deadlines. Providing you don’t procrastinate!
2. Ask for Help
Combining work, studying, and family life is an incredibly difficult task, and there is no shame in asking for help in different areas of your life that will help ease your plate from time to time.
If you find that your housework is piling up because you need that extra time to study, ask your partner to do a little extra while you are studying. Rope your children into helping around the house more often; they can help you to complete small tasks that can end up piling up if you aren’t careful.
If you have a deadline for a particular piece of coursework coming up and you don’t think you will be able to make it in time, even after your previous preparation, contact your professors and they will more than likely be understanding and be willing to offer you an extension for your work. They are there to help you, not hinder you and are always willing to lend an ear if you need to talk to them about how your degree is going.
3. Study Online
It is becoming more common to study for a degree online than ever! Finding time to attend classes and lectures in person can be challenging when you already have a career and a family to attend to, which puts many people off returning to education. With an online course, you can fit your studying hours around your current schedule, and you won’t have to worry about relocating either.
If you have always dreamed of studying policing or criminology but can’t seem to fit attending college into your life, then take a look into criminology courses online. These programs are 100% online; you won’t even have to take a step outside of your home to complete your degree.
Online courses are a fantastic resource, as they are incredibly convenient and give you the flexibility to fit your studying around your career and your home life.
4. Keep Your Degree Separate
Don’t start working on your coursework during work hours or during your family time. This can impede on your mental wellbeing. It’s important that you take regular breaks to spend time with your family and friends so that you can recharge and put your best foot forward when you start your next piece of coursework. This comes along with keeping a detailed schedule; if you start to blend your time for each of your projects and responsibilities, they can bleed together, and this can make it difficult for you to prioritize and get work done in an efficient and healthy way for you.
5. Remember Why You’re Studying
When you get bogged down by deadlines, it can be demotivating, and you can begin to wonder why you put all of this stress on yourself in the first place. Remind yourself why you chose your course and why you love it. Remind yourself of the possibilities it will bring to you afterward.
If you’re studying for a criminology degree, remember that you are learning from professionals in the field and gaining knowledge that will help you succeed in the career that you’re dreaming of.
Have a goal in mind for the end of your degree. Whether you want to throw a huge party to celebrate your success, or you want to become an animal cruelty investigator after you graduate, it’s important to have the end in sight and think of what’s to come after all of your hard work.
Studying for a degree as a parent is challenging at best, but if you keep on top of all your responsibilities and know when to ask for help, you’ll graduate feeling more pride than ever.
