How do you balance part-time work with university studies?

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.

I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?

Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Reply 1

McGinger

Paid work at very specific times is best - I recommend the weekends only.
That means your working week is entirely your own and you don't have to keep clock-watching.

Reply 2

De Montfort University

Official Rep

Original post

by immi12455

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.
I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?
Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Hi there,

It's advised for students to work no more than 20 hours per week as working can greatly affect your studying.
What I usually do to keep up with studying is trying to listen as much as I can during lectures. Without taking too much notes - just listening carefully and trying to comprehend as much details as possible. After the lecture, I usually spend some time in evenings to write down the notes using lecture recordings. It helps me to engage better with the learning material and understand most of the material right there at the lecture theatre rather then at night during revision.

Another advice is to look for a job with a 0 hours contract, such as student ambassador for example. This way you should be able to pick up shifts and organise your working schedule around your university timetable. Attending classes is a key, as missing a few of them can cause you to miss some key concepts and make catching up with the class a great struggle.

Take care,
Ilya,
Cyber Security student at De Montfort University :smile:

Reply 3

University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post

by immi12455

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.
I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?
Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Hiya! (:

With uni and working ive already spoken to my job to ensure that im only scheduled when im availble, would really reccomend, just avoids the hassel and stress of switching shifts 😊, also just remebering that when offered overtime, you dont necesserily have to take it - especially when your busy!!

In my first year i worked ~14 hrs a week, pretty much exclusivly the weekend and found balencing to be okay, also by just doing the weekends this meant i had my week exclusivly for uni and wasnt having super long days of lectures & then work after! - after work i dont revise, i find im too tired and just wasnt an effective use of time! - instead i usually catchup on tasks like my washing & food shop so that i know thats all sorted for the week + hangout with friends and just have a bit of downtime from it all!

study wise, i write a little list at the start of the week with my priorities/deadlines that i NEED to do and then a seperate list with revision/work which would be great to start but isnt essential - i work through what i need to and then, depending on my week if i have the time i look to see about doing some extra 😊

ive found this keeps me up with everything i need and its a bit less pressure! - might not work for everyone as you cant just procrastinate that entire list lol but ive found it to be okay for me (:

method wise, usually i try to revise for around 30 minutes, then take a 10 minute break and repeat until im finished! (: - gives my brain a bit of a rest and just time to have food, chill and makes the process just feel a little less overwhelming as its split into parts! - also i quite like to study somewhere and then switch the location halfway through, gives me a wee walk and lets me explore other areas to study and get an idea for where i like most! 🤗

hope this helps, goodluck for uni!!

Emily
Year 3, Chemistry
Official University Of Strathclyde Rep

Reply 4

LondonMetJhoan

Official Rep

Original post

by immi12455

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.
I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?
Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Hi there! 🤗
I think this is a really good question because, personally, I’ve struggled a lot with balancing part-time work and my studies. In my first year, I was working a Monday–Friday cleaning job after lectures, and honestly, it was exhausting. It helped me stay afloat financially (I was in debt at the time), but it left me drained. By the second year, when I started living on my own, it all became too much, and I realised I couldn’t keep that pace.
What’s worked much better for me now is doing zero-hour contract jobs. It gives me the flexibility to pick up shifts when I can, rather than being tied to a fixed schedule. I usually work on weekends so that during the week I can focus on lectures, assignments, and revision.
For studying, I try to treat uni like a job — using my free days (like Mondays and Fridays this semester) for focused study and revision, and fitting in house chores, cooking, and life admin around that. To stop myself from burning out, I break my work into smaller chunks instead of forcing long sessions. Even short bursts of revision add up and help me stay consistent. Switching between methods also keeps it fresh — sometimes I’ll make notes, other times I’ll review past work or talk things through with a friend or AI.
My biggest tip is: don’t be too hard on yourself. Balancing work, studies, and life isn’t always perfect, and it’s normal to adjust as you go. Finding flexible work and a study routine that fits you really does make everything more manageable.
Wishing you the best on your journey,
Jhoan
Digital Media – Final Year
London Metropolitan University

Reply 5

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

Original post

by immi12455

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.
I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?
Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Hi,

Balancing part-time work with university studies can feel overwhelming, but it’s definitely doable. Many students find it easiest to work on weekends or have flexible part-time shifts so they can fit study around their classes. Even short, consistent sessions during the week can make a big difference.

You don’t need a strict timetable to be effective. Using active recall methods like flashcards or mind maps is a great way to make your study sessions productive, even if they’re short or at different times each day. Keeping on top of content as you go also helps prevent cramming during exam season.

Taking care of yourself is important too. Getting enough sleep, taking breaks, and staying active will help you stay focused and motivated. Prevent burnout by making time for things you enjoy.

Good luck with everything :smile:

Tayba
Student Rep

Reply 6

Uni of Kent 1

Official Rep

Original post

by immi12455

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.
I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?
Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Hiya 😊
Thankfully, the jobs I am doing are quite flexible so it is easier to take shifts that work around my academic schedule. One of my job is being a student ambassador for my uni and they are usually very supportive and allows you to cancel shifts if it coincides with your exams or is too close to your exams, which is something that is very helpful. As for times, when I do have part-time work while having coursework deadlines the next day or in a few days, I make a timetable and create a personal deadline for myself which is around 2 weeks before the real deadline. This motivates me to complete my coursework earlier and if I can't complete by that deadline for some reason I still have time which ensures my coursework is not rushed.

I also use a timetable when I have multiple academic deadlines and part-time shifts, it helps me visualize my workload and make a study plan accordingly to not burn myself out or worry too much. I also try to do some of the boring stuffs like finishing off or editing my notes while watching a movie or listening to music.

Best wishes
Uni of Kent student reps

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 7

hallamstudents

Official Rep

Original post

by immi12455

I’ve been trying different study methods like Pomodoro and making detailed notes, but I find myself either getting tired too quickly or losing focus after a few days.
I’d love to hear how other students manage to keep their revision consistent, especially during stressful times like exams. Do you use a strict timetable, study apps, or more flexible methods?
Any personal tips, routines, or motivational hacks would be really appreciated!

Hi @immi12455 ,

This is something I have also found tricky over my years at uni so far, so I thought I would just respond to this with some of my tips!

•

Firstly, I would make sure you have a day off if you can. I know this isn't always possible but being busy 7 days a week either at uni or at your job is too much and ideally you need a day off to rest and catch up with anything you need to do. I'm lucky in that I have a job now where I can just pick my shifts, but when I worked in retail I always made sure I told them I couldn't work an extra day as well as my uni hours.

•

I also find having a calendar is so helpful for me and helps me to be a lot more organised. At the start of the week I like to write in everything I have on that week - fun things too, so I can see when I have time to revise or work on my assignments. It's good to mark in specific revision time too so you can see when it will get done.

•

When you have a day off, as tempting as it may be to do nothing, try and just do at least one thing- so watch a lecture, read a book chapter etc. Just something you need to do so at least you have done something.