How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Reply 1

Hi there,

This is a great question! Time management is so important whilst studying but even more beneficial when working alongside studying. What I found really useful was having a diary and keeping organised with my studying, work life and free time. Scheduling everything into a calendar which could be on your phone, a physical diary or any other ways that you find useful. Having regular breaks whilst studying or revising is super important to keep you motivated. I would study without having a drink or getting some fresh air some days and that made me lose my motivation. When I started implementing regular breaks, I felt the quality of my studying get better and I was more motivated to do it. Working alongside your studies, will help with time management naturally. I would also break up my studying into smaller manageable chunks which were easier to digest and stopped me feeling overwhelmed.

Hope this helps and best of luck,
^Zac 🙂

Reply 2

YSJstudents

Official Rep

Original post by Jessica Sim

How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Hi!

Balancing your time at uni can be difficult, especially around exam time. For me I find working for my university is a great way to find this balance as the university understand that your studies will take up more time during those exam seasons.

Hope this helps! Faye 🙂

Reply 3

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post by Jessica Sim

How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Hi there,

This is a good question and I sometimes find this quite hard.

I would say that the first thing that helps me with this is working for uni. I know this isn't the case for everyone, but it's a flexible job and they want you to put uni first so there's no pressure to sign up to things that they cannot do. Even if you don't have a campus job, any zero hour or flexible job is a good thing to get as you should be able to have some degree of flexibility to get your University work done.

Another thing that I think is helpful is to create a schedule. I like to plan at the start of the week everything that I have to do this week, including Uni work, lectures and my job. Then I can see what time I have left for fun things and it ensures I have time to finish all of the studying/work I need to do that week for uni.

I also like to stay after Uni/go before my lecture and get some work done in University. I like doing this because it doesn't feel like too much of a chore as I have to go in anyway, so it's just a bit of time before or after to get some stuff done. I also find that I get less distracted at Uni!

I think that finding a way that studying works for you is a great way of keeping motivated too - where do you prefer to study? How long can you concentrate properly for? How much do you need to do in a night to feel on top of your work?

I hope some of this helps,

Lucy -SHU student ambassador.

Reply 4

Kingston Grace

Official Rep

Original post by Jessica Sim

How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Hi @Jessica Sim

Such an important question!

I have some previous posts here that may help:
Tips on deadlines, motivation and time management - The Student Room
How to Prepare for Exam/Deadline Season - The Student Room

I think the key things for me are having monthly, weekly and daily plans and to do lists. I time block each day for the week ahead so I know I have time to fit everything in. And when I see that I might not have time for everything, I prioritise what needs to be done that week or day.

The technique I use to structure my to-do lists and daily plans is a technique that I got from the entrepreneur Grace Beverly that can be explained better here how to be really really really productive without getting overwhelmed (youtube.com) she has lots of great videos and podcast episodes that have really helped me find ways to manage my time better.

I hope this helps :smile:

-Grace (Kingston Rep)

Reply 5

University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by Jessica Sim

How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Hi Jessica, great question!

Balancing work and university can be challenging, but it’s definitely manageable with good organisation and communication. One of the most important things for me was making sure that my employer understood that my academics was my top priority. By being upfront about your university commitments, you can help set expectations and avoid scheduling conflicts, especially during busy times, such as exam season.

From my own experience, In my first year of university, I worked ~12 hours per week during term time, I made sure to set clear boundaries with my employer from the start. Letting them know my priorities and what flexibility I had. This really helped me to avoid unnecessary stress and made balancing both much easier.

Keeping a planner to track shifts alongside deadlines and classes is also a great way I recommend to keep on top of everything, By having all this in one place I found that I was able to lay out my week clearly and establish a work-life balance which I feel is an essential. Even just simple activities such as going for a walk, reading, or catching up with friends can help prevent burnout. Taking breaks can actually make you more productive in the long run.

Hope this helps!

Emily (:
Official University of Strathclyde Rep

Reply 6

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Hey there ,
I might be a little bias in my opinions because DMU has block learning and they have designed their syllabus around understanding that students have commitments outside of university . So because we only study one subject for 7 weeks before moving onto the next , it makes balancing a work life and social life a little easier .

Don't get me wrong , the work load is still high and the course content is challenging but I was able to keep a part time job in first and second year and over the summers to help with my finances . Unfortunately in third year I switched to a research internship to better align with my academic goals. I don't think it gets easier , but time management helps and so does prioritising sleep when possible to keep you sane and also remember that it is only for a little while then school ends and things will get better.

Cece
Energy Engineering
De Montfort University

Reply 7

Coventry University Student Ambassadors

Official Rep

Original post by Jessica Sim

How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Hi Jessica,
Hope you're doing great.

It's very easy to balance both the things together, if you have time management. I myself work in about 7 different position in Coventry university and Student union being a Second year Applied Biosciences Student.
I followed some things that you can also follow and balance things easily -
Here are some key takeaways:
Prioritize tasks and commitments: Make a schedule and stick to it.
Use time management tools and apps: There are many free and inexpensive tools available to help you stay organized like outlook or simple Calendar app.
Communicate with your employer: Let them know about your school commitments and ask for flexible scheduling if possible.
Set realistic goals: Don't overload yourself with too much work or school, it's better to pace yourself.
Take care of your physical and mental well-being: Make time for self-care and prioritize your health.
It's also worth noting that it's not just about finding time to study, but also about managing your work
responsibilities and finding a balance between the two.
Hope this helps!

Thanks & Regards
Coventry University Student Ambassador.

Reply 8

StaffsRep Tee

Official Rep

Original post by Jessica Sim

How working students manage their work and academic responsibility

Hi Jessica,

I hope you're well! As a student myself, I can understand the stresses and concerns you can have surrounding this, and I agree with all the other responses—time management and organisation are crucial for working and studying, especially if you'd like to socialise on the side, too!

I have worked several different jobs throughout my 3 years at uni, however, I had also done this throughout the end of secondary school and all through college (sometimes working 2/3 jobs simultaneously alongside my studies).

My top tips:

Have a diary/online schedule. I like to use Notion (mobile/desktop organisation app) as it allows me to break down everything into smaller chunks and see my schedule. There are plenty of YouTube videos and ready-to-use templates available online!

Give yourself time to breathe throughout the week. Most working students work nights or across weekends, typically between 4-16 hours a week (sometimes more/less). It helps to know your timetabled classes, deadlines, and modules in advance so you can plan around these.

Try to stick to a routine. It'll help you feel more motivated and productive! If you know what days you work and have classes, dedicate your free days to fitting in a little more studying and then some time to unwind or make plans with friends!

I made some posts a while ago regarding how to support yourself financially at uni, which will give you some other ways to manage your funds and save some money, so you don't have to worry too much about overworking yourself and stressing about paying your bills!

They're linked here:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7535519#post99996010
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7512077#post99801408

I would also like to recommend getting in touch with your uni's support and money/guidance teams as they may have bursaries available alongside support towards doing a food shop! It can be helpful if you're in a rough spot!

I hope this provides some help, but please feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!

Take care!
-Tee 🙂 (3rd Year Illustration Student & Content Creator)

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