How to balance work, study and social life

Life at university isn’t always straightforward. With lectures, studying, socialising and all the little bits in between, it can be hard to keep on top of things. We’ve prepared some tips on how to balance work and study so you can gain back some valuable time for yourself.

How to Balance Work, Study and Social Life at Uni

Life at university isn’t always straightforward. With lectures, studying, socialising and all the little bits in between, it can be hard to keep on top of things. Even more so if you’ve just boarded the uni train. That new taste of independence can be even harder to adapt to on top of everything else.

You may feel overwhelmed trying to study, work and do chores all at once. We’ve prepared some tips on how to balance work and study so you can gain back some valuable time for yourself.

In this blog we'll cover:

• Planning out your time

• Finding a time management method that works for you

• Making the most of study spaces

• Finding a part time job that doesn't clash with your studies

• Getting a study buddy

• Planning your nights out

• Making time for yourself

• Sharing household chores

• Batch cooking meals

Planning out your time

While at uni, you’ll likely have a lot on your mind. That can make it hard to keep track of your day to day. Scheduling plays a huge part in staying on top of responsibilities, and there’s nothing like a solid plan to make stuff happen.

Invest in a physical planner or diary to plan your week ahead. Simply jot down all your lectures, seminars and outside commitments and how long they might take. You can even use a digital calendar on your phone to list these out. Having a visual representation of your tasks helps you to organise your time and fit everything in.

While you’re at it, it’s a good idea to block out time for studying and any part-time job hours too. That way you can find time for relaxing, socialising and exercising.

Find a time management method that works for you

It can feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. Sometimes it just takes some time management to lessen the load. Luckily, there are a few tried and tested methods to manage your time effectively.

Creating a calendar, setting reminders and building a personalised schedule are all important steps to take. But you’ll also need tools that are right for you. There are a wide range of apps to help.

Whether it’s to increase productivity, tick off your to-do list or just be more organised – take your pick from these free time management apps for students:

• myHomework Student Planner

• Trello

• Evernote

• Coach.me

• Google Keep

• Reclaim.ai

• Todoist

• Pomofocus

• Notion

These are just the tip of the iceberg. Ultimately, you want to prioritise your tasks while also including time for yourself.

Make the most of study spaces

Once you’ve set time aside to study, you want to make sure you’re using the right space. It’s fine to study in the comfort of your own room, but uni campuses can offer a better alternative. There you’ll find plenty of desks, booths and breakout areas to sit in a group or by yourself.

Head to the library or alternative study space and remove as many distractions as possible. Putting your phone on Do Not Disturb and minimising notifications on your laptop will help your concentration.

Staying focused on your studies for a set period of time will make you more productive, freeing up time to spend on other activities. By the end of it, you’ll feel accomplished that you’ve spent enough time studying and can reward yourself with some downtime.

Find a part-time job that doesn't clash with your studies

If you’re strapped for cash or want some valuable work experience, you might be wondering, is it possible to study and work full time? The short answer? Absolutely! But it’s probably better to try part-time so you can fit in study too.

Some part-time jobs might expect you to come in at short notice or prioritise your job over uni. Obviously, we want to avoid that. So, consider a job that doesn’t get in the way of your studies. This might be easier to achieve if you’ve jotted everything down in your planner/diary.

Luckily, there are a few jobs that work well around a uni schedule, including:

• Retail sales assistant

• Receptionist

• Bar staff

• Barista

• Waiter

• Tutor

You might not need to look further than your campus for jobs, either. Uni jobs for students include:

• Admin assistant

• Library assistant

• Hospitality staff (student union shops, bars, cafes etc)

• Student/campus ambassador

• Resident assistant

• Student content creator
  

Get a study buddy

We’ve touched on making the most of your study space, but you don’t need to go it alone! Going to the library or other study space with a friend or revising for an exam together in a group can make studying more fun.

Meet up, grab a coffee, then head to your chosen study spot and get to work. Study buddies are great for sharing resources, keeping each other motivated and pushing each other on to achieve your goals. Just make sure to take regular breaks to refresh your minds.

Afterwards, you can treat yourselves to a hearty meal, Netflix session or other fun activity.

Plan your nights out

Spontaneous nights out are fun, but not if they mean missing classes or deadlines. We know the appeal of getting together with your flatmates and friends you’ve made at uni . However, it shouldn’t come before your studies.

Instead, try to plan big nights out for after deadlines. That way, you can celebrate and let off some steam without having to worry about hitting the books immediately afterwards.

You might have a different schedule to your peers, which could mean your deadlines and exams are at different times. If you’re busy studying when others are going out, don’t give in to peer pressure. There’s always next time, and you’ll feel better for getting the hard part out of the way before letting loose.

Make time for yourself

Planning how to balance work and study includes downtime, too. It’s very important to make time for yourself so you can relax and unwind. This will allow you to recuperate for the next day and stay motivated and productive.

Try to free up some evenings during the week and take the time to indulge in your favourite hobbies and activities. Whether it’s watching a movie, having a lie in, going to the gym or gaming, everyone deserves some downtime.

This form of self-care extends to what you eat and how much sleep you get. It’s easier said than done, but try to keep up a balanced diet. This can boost your energy levels throughout the day, helping your mind and body during particularly busy periods.

Share household chores

Cleaning isn’t the most fun thing in the world. In fact, it could be another source of stress if you’re doing it all by yourself.

The trick is to share the responsibility with your flatmates . Have a discussion and come up with a realistic timetable for household duties and chores.

A cleaning rota is probably the easiest thing to follow. Simply list all the chores and divvy them up equally, then assign them a day of the week. Someone is bound to get the short end of the stick – no one likes throwing the bin out, for example – so a weekly or monthly rotation is an alternative.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to own the chores you enjoy doing. With a clear schedule to follow, you’ll be able to plan your days better.

Batch cook meals

If you get home after a long day and sigh at the thought of cooking, you’re not alone.

That’s where batch cooking comes in. This involves doubling or tripling up on ingredients, cooking an extra two or three meals and storing them in the fridge to be eaten throughout the week.

Batch cooking, or bulk cooking, allows you to easily reheat pre-prepared meals, helping to save time and money. Simple meals to batch cook include spaghetti Bolognese, chilli con carne, tuna pasta bake, and chicken noodle stir fry.

You don’t want to be the only one whipping things up, though. Try and take it in turns to batch cook as a flat.