Some students manage both a full-time course load, and a full-time job, creating burnout. | Christopher Goodwin/The Cougar
Multitasking is not a new concept to students, but many find themselves struggling to manage all of their obligations and maintain a work-life balance without burning out.
Some, despite being full-time students, balance full-time jobs off campus too. This is the case for strategic communication senior Angie Mares Cortez, who works as a nursing operations coordinator when she’s not in class.
“The biggest challenge to balancing both is time management and organization,” said Cortez. “I’ve noticed as long as I manage my time efficiently my entire course load is tangible.”
Students like Cortez find practicing self discipline and setting their own schedules to abide by is a great way to stay organized.
Sticking to a daily schedule doesn’t just help with not falling behind on schoolwork but also managing stress. Medical studies have shown that creating a daily schedule or using a planner helps your body adjust to a sometimes strenuous workload preparing it to know what to expect.
Between work and school scheduling conflicts are inevitable, some students are left at a crossroads having to choose between work commitments and classes.
“If I have a scheduling problem I usually choose work over school,” said political science junior Dante Dumas. “My professors have been very understanding, my supervisor not so much.”
On the other hand, students like strategic communications junior Francia Guevara think this decision isn’t as difficult.
“I will always put school first, if it gets to the point where work does become too overwhelming for me I will reduce my hours to 30 (a week),” Guevara said.
With all this work on their plates though, devoting time to self care helps recover some motivation.
“After I burnout, I try to take a trip or do a staycation to replenish my mental health,” Dumas said.
Others find physical activity, like going to the gym or squeezing in some exercise, to be a great way to replenish their energy.
“When I get a chance, I will go to the gym. I always go before or after work and I always go on a jog before my first class,” Guevara said. ‘It’s just a form of relaxing for me especially if I have a lot of work on my hands. I guess in other words it just helps get all the weight off my shoulders.”
Although personal time is a seemingly rare commodity to come by for some students, they still find a way to get their personal time.
“Balancing school and work definitely takes up a lot of my social time with my friends and family but I always try to make time for them and let them know that I’m always thinking of them,” Guevara said.
Ultimately, most students still side with planning ahead being the best solution to being stretched thin to their responsibilities.
“Personal time is hard to come by,” Dumas said. “But I schedule at least one day a week to do something outside of work and school.”
