Struggling to keep up with workload
Hii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Reply 1
Hi there!
I'm in the third year of my degree now and I've definitely had periods where I've felt like this!
Since you're in first year, I would assume that your contact hours are quite high? I'm not sure what uni you're at or what course you do, but in my experience, universities will expect about 40 hours of work per week (across all of your modules), but this will include your contact hours, so you are definitely exceeding this!
Firstly, I would suggest speaking to someone at your university about this, either an advisor, the study team, or perhaps disability support. They might be able to help you identify ways that you can keep on top, without putting in as many hours as you are. There may be things that you can do to streamline your work, or omit things that you're doing that aren't as necessary at this stage. They might also be able to help you identify why things might be taking you that level of work to keep on top of. Your advior may be able to determine if the workload you have is typical of your degree too. Furthermore, the disability and study teams can probably help you with a creating a study plan/timetable, to help you keep on top of what you're doing, as well as suggest some techniques that may work better for an ADHD brain.
I would also look into whether your university has a neurodivergency screening process, this is something that my university does, and it allowed me to get support for ASD, without a formal disgnosis! If it is something that your university offers, it sounds like it would definitely be beneficial to you, as it would allow you to access more adjustments, during lectures and exams, that might help you cut down your working hours a bit. ADHD UK also has some advice for working with ADHD too!
Can I ask, what does a typical week look like for you? What sort of things are you spending lots of time on outside of lectures? This might help me to give you some advice on things that might be beneficial!
Some things that I do to help are:
Finally, I would also suggest prioritising sleep! It will be much much easier to work if you are adequately rested, and you will likely work more efficiently than if you are sleep deprived. If this is something you are really struggling with though, it may be worth speaking to a doctor.
Hopefully you find this useful! I'm happy to answer any questions, or give you any other advice too!
Jas
UEA Rep
I'm in the third year of my degree now and I've definitely had periods where I've felt like this!
Since you're in first year, I would assume that your contact hours are quite high? I'm not sure what uni you're at or what course you do, but in my experience, universities will expect about 40 hours of work per week (across all of your modules), but this will include your contact hours, so you are definitely exceeding this!
Firstly, I would suggest speaking to someone at your university about this, either an advisor, the study team, or perhaps disability support. They might be able to help you identify ways that you can keep on top, without putting in as many hours as you are. There may be things that you can do to streamline your work, or omit things that you're doing that aren't as necessary at this stage. They might also be able to help you identify why things might be taking you that level of work to keep on top of. Your advior may be able to determine if the workload you have is typical of your degree too. Furthermore, the disability and study teams can probably help you with a creating a study plan/timetable, to help you keep on top of what you're doing, as well as suggest some techniques that may work better for an ADHD brain.
I would also look into whether your university has a neurodivergency screening process, this is something that my university does, and it allowed me to get support for ASD, without a formal disgnosis! If it is something that your university offers, it sounds like it would definitely be beneficial to you, as it would allow you to access more adjustments, during lectures and exams, that might help you cut down your working hours a bit. ADHD UK also has some advice for working with ADHD too!
Can I ask, what does a typical week look like for you? What sort of things are you spending lots of time on outside of lectures? This might help me to give you some advice on things that might be beneficial!
Some things that I do to help are:
•
Writing up lectures by copying and pasting notes, this saves me time re-writing things, but still allows me to have them in a format that I find accessible
•
I also used to write up the lecture before the lecture actually took place, now I just write as I go along in the lecture, and this has saved me a lot of time!
•
Some longer pieces of work I will dictate, rather than typing, this has also saved me lots of time!
Finally, I would also suggest prioritising sleep! It will be much much easier to work if you are adequately rested, and you will likely work more efficiently than if you are sleep deprived. If this is something you are really struggling with though, it may be worth speaking to a doctor.
Hopefully you find this useful! I'm happy to answer any questions, or give you any other advice too!
Jas
UEA Rep
Reply 2
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Honestly first of all, try not to be too hard on yourself. Pretty much everyone has a moment during uni where they suddenly feel completely overwhelmed and like they just can’t catch up. It’s a really common experience even if people don’t always talk about it openly.
For me that moment actually came in my second year. I remember feeling like the workload had suddenly piled up and no matter how much time I put in I still felt behind. It can be really stressful when it starts to feel like your whole life is just studying and you’re still struggling to keep on top of things.
It does sound like you’re putting a huge amount of time in already… 55–60 hours a week is a lot. Sometimes though it’s not always about doing more hours, but about having a bit more structure with the time you’re already spending studying.
One thing that really helped me was using a diary to plan out my study and assignment time. At the start of each day I’d write down the specific tasks I wanted to get done in that study block. I tried to be really realistic with it too… keeping most of the tasks quite small or sometimes having just one bigger task for the day. Personally I found breaking things down into smaller chunks much easier because it felt more manageable and helped me stay on top of things.
It also really helped keep me on track while I was studying. It’s so easy to go down random rabbit holes when you’re researching or revising… suddenly you’re reading things that aren’t actually that relevant and before you know it loads of time has disappeared. Then you end up having to put in extra hours because the time you had wasn’t used as efficiently as it could have been.
Something else that helped me was actually scheduling in time to socialise and time to unwind as well. I used my diary for that too. It might sound counterproductive when you already feel behind, but having proper breaks and some time away from studying is so important. It helps your brain reset a bit and stops everything from building up to the point where you burn out. When you’re constantly pushing yourself without any real downtime, your concentration and productivity usually start dropping anyway… so you end up working longer but not necessarily getting more done.
It might also be worth reaching out to your personal tutor or student services if you’re feeling like this. They’re there for exactly these kinds of situations. If you think ADHD might be a factor, they may be able to guide you through getting a diagnosis or accessing extra support. I don’t know all the exact processes for that, but universities usually have quite a lot of support systems in place for students who need a bit of additional help… things like study support, adjustments, or extra guidance with workload.
It’s definitely worth reaching out sooner rather than later rather than trying to push through until you completely burn out. You’re clearly working incredibly hard already, and sometimes just having someone help you structure things or point you towards the right support can make a huge difference.
First year can be a big adjustment for a lot of people… you’re definitely not alone in feeling like this. It might take a bit of time to find a rhythm that works for you, but once you do things usually start to feel much more manageable. Just make sure you’re looking after yourself as well as your studies… both are equally important!!
Good luck! Sophie 🙂
Reply 3
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Working 55–60 hours every week in first year is honestly a lot (especially with everything else), and it’s not surprising you’re feeling exhausted. University should definitely be challenging, but you shouldn’t have to sacrifice sleep and your entire life just to keep up.
A few things that might help: Try speaking to your personal tutor or course leader, who can often suggest ways to manage the workload better. Look into your university’s study skills or academic support services. They can help with time management and prioritising tasks. If you think ADHD might be affecting you, it could be worth speaking to student wellbeing services to see if they can support you or guide you toward an assessment.
Also remember that first year is often an adjustment period. Many students spend much longer on work at first because they’re still figuring out what’s actually expected.
You deserve to have sleep, downtime, and a social life as well as studying, so don’t feel like you have to struggle through it alone, universities usually have quite a lot of support once you reach out.
i hope the best and goodluck!
Anthony
Student rep
Reply 4
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Hey,
It is understandable that you're feeling exhausted, as doing 55–60 hour weeks are a lot for anyone to manage. Please be kind to yourself; your hard work shows how much you care, but it is also important to make sure you aren't burning out. Managing a university workload can be really daunting for students, and it is a very common thing to struggle with.
Whenever I feel stuck on something, I ask my lecturers for advice or feedback. I have found that they are usually very happy to help when you reach out with specific questions, especially if you feel the workload is becoming a bit much to handle.
Here is some advice on how to navigate this:
•
Chat with Your Tutors: Letting them know you're struggling to keep up isn't complaining. They can often help you figure out which tasks to prioritise so you don't feel like you have to do everything at once.
•
Explore Support Services: Since you mentioned potential ADHD, it might be really helpful to reach out to the university's disability or inclusion team. They are experts at providing specific strategies and support to help make your workload feel more manageable.
•
Prioritise Your Rest: It’s okay to set a "stop time" for your work each evening. Getting enough sleep actually helps your brain stay sharp, making your study hours much more effective than when you're working through exhaustion.
•
Look into Study Skills: Many universities host friendly workshops on time management and academic writing. These can be great for finding more efficient ways to work so you can reclaim some of your free time.
Hope this helps!😊
Rachel
(Third Year)
Undergraduate Multimedia Journalism
Reply 5
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Hi,
Sorry to hear you are struggling, it can be really hard to get a good balance.
First year is all about learning what works for you, and it takes time to figure this out before you achieve a good balance.
Lots of great advice has been given already so I thought I would just share a few previous posts I have made that I think you will find useful.
Tips on deadlines, motivation and time management - The Student Room
I hope this helps
-Grace (Kingston Rep)
Reply 6
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Hi there,
I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with this, and I agree that it can be really hard to find a balance!
The best thing that I would suggest is to talk to your tutors about this. You sound like you are putting in a lot of work so it isn't due to a lack of effort that you are feeling behind, so if you talk to them about this they will be able to help you and maybe put a plan together for you to feel a bit more on track. If you have an academic advisor or personal tutor they are also there to help you and should be able to talk to you about this so maybe think about reaching out to them too.
In general, my best tips for staying on top of things would be:
•
When you are in your lecture, make notes of anything that you don't understand as this makes it easier for you to know what to come back to and revisit in your own time. You don't need to go through everything after every lecture so make sure you know which bits you don't understand so you know which parts to go back to.
•
If there is anything you don't understand, try and ask about it straight away. The longer you leave it, the harder you will find it in the end to understand it so if you can try and ask your tutor in your seminars so you don't have to spend extra time trying to understand things.
•
Make a schedule. This really helps me, so I will write down everything I need to do that week including uni, work etc and then I can go through and see when I have time to work so I know I can get my uni work done but also have time for fun things too!
I hope some of this helps,
Lucy -SHU student ambassador.
Reply 7
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Hi there!
I am in my final year now, and I find myself in a position similar to what you've described. I also study around 6-8 hours per day every day. Yes, this is really challenging and you can't do it forever, at some point you will burn out. What helps me is doing some small "rituals" that help me rest and restore my mental energy. For example, I have my favourite breakfast place in Leicester, so I try to go there every Sunday morning. Also, every evening I watch a bit of my favourite TV series, even if it's only one episode - it really helps to kind of mark a border between personal life and uni/work. Additionally, I try to study in the library rather than in my room. Firstly, it's great to be around other people, and it also helps you to mentally separate studying (library) with resting (home).
I hope you found it useful
Ilya
Cyber Security Student at De Montfort University.
Reply 8
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Hi,
I am a third year maths student at Lancaster and I think you would be surprised by just how many students have felt like this at some point. It is a lot more common! I know it can be challenging when everyone seems to have everything under control but just remember this isn’t always the case.
The first thing I would do is contact your lecturers/ academic advisor if you have one. They will be able to offer advice and potentially help with some of your struggles. Whether that is explaining something a different way than they did in lectures or even different ways to take notes in lectures.
I would also take to someone within your universities wellbeing department. I appreciate this can sometimes be daunting and easy to think you don’t need their help but they could help with making the mos of your time and if you do potentially have ADHD, they could assist with helping you in this and potentially getting a diagnosis (if this is what you want).
My final piece of advice would be to talk to other people on your course and potentially suggest meeting up to study. Sometimes two or three heads is better than one. Even just studying with people can help you socialise but still be productive.
I hope this helps and just remember more people will be feeling like this than you think.
Jenna
Student Ambassador at Lancaster University
Reply 9
Speak to others on your course and find out what they are studying and how. 55-60 hours a week is mad, you'll never sustain that beyond first year unless you are athletically fit and getting good sleep/nutrition. By the sounds of it this doesn't fit your scenario.
Reply 10
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
As a third year history student at Swansea university, I can honestly say that doing 55-60 hors a week is way above what is expected, particularly for your first year. Typically an undergraduate course requires roughly 35-40 hours a week. I think that if you need to work that many hours to stay afloat it might be worth changing the way that your approach your studies, to make your work more manageable. In adjusting the way that you work to make it more manageable and sustainable. Here are some things to consider:
1) how do you approach your readings? Typically there are a core set of readings to do, you do not need to engage with every single item on the reading list - simply select what you need to use for the assignments which you need to do.
2) I can't stress enough how important getting adequate sleep is - it has a direct impact on your ability to both learn and retain information. Not getting sleep makes it a lot harder to focus and it will damage your ability to study in the long-term.
3) At university, good engagement is incredible important for attaining high performance. You need to make sure that you're talking to your personal tutor and visiting your lecturers to be completely clear on what the criteria is for both your coursework and your exams. In your case, I think you need to think about your understanding of the topic, rather than all the details - sometimes less is more!
Last but certainly not least, I would stress just how important it is to have a social life! Getting to know other students will not only improve your mental health, it will also help with how you approach your work - talk to other students about how they approach their studies and try collaborating with them.
Hope this helps.
(edited 2 weeks ago)
Reply 11
Original post
by AnonymousHii! I don’t want to complain, but I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice? I’m in my first year at university and really struggling to keep up with my workload. I’m probably doing around 55-60 hours a week, give or take. I don’t really have any life outside of my studies and am missing out on a lot of sleep, but I just can’t keep up if I don’t put in that many hours. It doesn’t help that I probably have some undiagnosed ADHD. If anyone has any advice or has been through anything similar, some input would be very much appreciated!
Hi Anom,
I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with the workload. It sounds like you are on a really busy course and it can be quite overwhelming.
I would firstly recommend talking with your tutor about the workload. They may be able to help break down what is or isn't necessary, alongside a better study routine to optimise your time. If this is not available, your next best place may be your personal tutor. 🗣️
Alongside your tutors, I'd recommend seeing if your university has a counselling team 🫂. This can be extremely beneficial if you are feeling overwhelmed or they can point you in the right direction if you suspect you have an underlying issue which may be impacting your ability to do work. If it can be diagnosed, you may be able to get mitigating circumstances put into place to make your time at university easier! Although, even if it has not been diagnosed, you can still raise your concerns.
Aside from these, I recommend optimising your studying 📚️. This could begin with choosing times and locations you are most efficient studying in and help you avoid distractions. I'd also recommend looking into the right notetaking, studying or revision method for you. Take some time to do some research into various techniques as it could save you a lot of time! For example, I simple have a word document, screenshot the presentation slides into a format I can easily navigate and make some additional notes below. This has saved me an unbelievable amount of time!
It's important to remember there are lots of people to help you at university, so you are not alone and you should utilize this!
I hope this helps, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia (University of Lancashire)
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