Achieving work-life-study balance
Sep 02, 2022
Maintaining work-life balance can be challenging in the new hybrid working world, so what happens when you throw study into the mix? Rachel Weir investigates
Work-life balance; if we didn’t encounter it before the pandemic, we have certainly heard a lot about it since.
In short, work-life balance is the state of equilibrium where a person equally prioritises the demands of their career against the needs of their personal life. Previously, it was difficult or impossible to take work home at the end of the day, establishing a clear line between professional and personal.
However, with advancements in technology that enables us to work from home, very few people can continue to achieve this perfect balance.
The sweet spot
If qualified Chartered Accountants are finding it difficult to achieve a healthy work-life balance, what hope does a person who must add studying into the mix have?
While it is possible to work and study full-time, it’s easy to be pulled in different directions, expelling a lot of time and energy, and requiring you to adopt new habits to help you through.
Finding the sweet spot that allows you to fully immerse yourself in both experiences – working to gain practical experience while also studying to progress your education and qualifications – comes with challenges. However, not finding this balance can leave you feeling fatigued, stressed, and suffering from the dreaded ‘burnout’.
Get your priorities straight
Another common struggle can be dealing with conflicting priorities.
For example, you may have exams coming up and currently spend each evening studying and completing practice questions. However, your manager has asked you to feed into a large client report and an ‘all hands on deck’ approach is needed.
What do you do? How do you continue preparing for your exams while doing your job to the best of your ability? This is where finding that work-life-study balance will serve you best.
Achieving balance
These are seven of my top tips to achieve a good work and study balance to successfully avoid burnout.
Organise your time wisely
Always try to keep an eye on what is coming up. If you know you have a deadline, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to prepare.
You must make use of timetables, planners, phone apps or good old-fashioned ‘to-do lists’. They allow you to cross off tasks as you complete them and are a great way to keep an updated schedule and stay on top of your work.
Plan certain tasks around the times of the day when there are fewer distractions and you can be your most productive. Some people prefer to get up early and start their day by studying, allowing them to focus on work and have free time for socialising the rest of the day. Others prefer to study in the evening when the house is quiet.
If you have the option to work from home, take full advantage of this. You could use the time you would spend commuting to and from work to study, opening your evenings up to rest.
Prioritise your tasks
Time management is key. There are only 24 hours in the day so it is important to be realistic about what you can achieve within a certain timeframe.
Write out a to-do list of all the tasks you must complete, number them in order of priority and start working your way down. Set productivity volume rather than time targets such as, “I am going to practice these four questions” rather than “I am going to study for two hours”. This will allow you to track your productivity more effectively.
Remove your distractions
Technology has aided our lives in many ways, but it has also created expectations of continuous accessibility, and is a constant distraction for many people.
According to Statista research, in 2021, phone users in the UK spent an average of four hours per day using their mobile devices. If you are one of these people, could those four hours be used to study, complete a report for your team or catch up with some friends?
If this means you have to put your phone away in another room so you can concentrate on the tasks at hand, do it. Sometimes you have to be strict with yourself to achieve results.
Take good care of yourself
It is impossible to avoid stress, but we can learn to manage it while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You should give yourself time to step away from your work and studies every few hours.
Sleeping eight hours a night, exercising 40 minutes a day and eating well is also extremely important to avoid burnout, increase your energy, and reduce your stress levels.
It is essential for your body and mind to figure out what gives you energy and focus. It may be starting your day with some exercise, spending time with friends or family, listening to a true crime podcast, or doing some self-care activities to help you de-stress.
Participate in all work-related events
As a student, it can be easy to associate negativity with the workplace when your office experience only comprises exams, studying, work and overtime.
Spending time with fellow trainees – who you will become very close to in such a short period – undoubtedly overshadows any stress that might arise from your responsibilities. Bonding with them at work events or in the office is just another way to let off steam and get into a better mindset.
Learn how to say ‘no’
Learning how to say “no” can be a challenge for students who want to impress. You can easily feel the pressure to achieve and complete all that is asked of you.
But remember, your time and energy are precious, especially if your schedule is already full. It’s important to know that saying “no” is okay – your managers and mentors have all been through the trainee experience and can empathise with what you’re going through.
Start small
The key to being more productive, balancing your time between work, life and study, and taking control of your time, is to start small and build your way up.
Introduce study habits a little bit at a time at the beginning of your contract. Add in a dinner or two with friends or family during the week when you’re not in lectures. Learn to manage your time, building on it, and bit-by-bit, you will discover what works for you.
Rachel Weir is People and Change consultant at Grant Thornton NI