Being a parent takes a toll on you, no matter how much you love your child. Pair that with work and college obligations, and you’ll need to start making concessions on what to focus on the day-to-day.
According to EdTrust, over 50% of parent-students are employed, with 36% explaining their financial situation as stressful. While it’s difficult, it’s not impossible to balance being a parent, an employee, and a student. Let’s take a look at how you can make your life easier and not neglect any of your obligations moving forward.
Create To-Do Lists
As a parent-student, to-do lists will quickly become your best friends. You’ll have to put all of your obligations and chores on paper if you want to get as much done as possible. There are several ways to approach this and try to find a balance between work and study:
- Use productivity apps on your smartphone
- Grab a notebook and use it as a planner
- Use sticky notes throughout the house
- Create alarms and reminders on your phone
This will allow you to focus on what you’re doing at the moment without thinking so much about five steps ahead. Keep in mind that you’ll have to update your to-do lists daily so that you’re always up-to-date on what’s going on.
Set Up a Work or Study Space
Your child will undoubtedly have toys, clothes, and other items all around the house. While that’s to be expected, you should still find a space to call your own in all the chaos. Think about how much space you’re working within your home, and look for a nook in which you can focus more easily.
Whether that’s your kitchen table, the attic, or the balcony, make the space your own and set it up with studying or working in mind. This will help you separate parenting from your professional obligations, at least for a little while.
Look for Academic Help Online
Sometimes you may not have enough time to devote to an important essay or a paper you need to hand in. While some professors will be lenient and offer you some deadline extensions, others won’t be so kind. You’ll be able to get your papers and academic assignments completed on time with TrustedEssayReviews and by a professional writer.
This will enable you to spend more time with your child, or get more work done, without having to worry about a looming deadline. Use every tool at your disposal to make your academic writing more manageable, and you’ll have an easier time making ends meet in this regard.
Don’t Forget to Eat Well
You will lose some sleep as a parent and a student who is also working to make ends meet. But, you shouldn’t compromise on how well you’re eating. You need three good meals per day to keep your energy up and get more things done.
Don’t skip meals, and have a healthy snack like a fruit or a cereal bar handy. Not only will you freshen yourself up, but you’ll also set a good example for your child with your healthy snacking habits.
Ask for Help with Babysitting
Whenever you need to head to college for exams or to work for a meeting, ask a babysitter for help. If you want to save money, you can ask a friend or a family member to pitch in and spend time with your child while you’re gone.
You should always ask others for help instead of leaving your child on its own for hours on end. This will provide it with the attention it needs while also creating a window of opportunity for you to tend to other obligations.
Being an Employed Parent-Student
Finding a balance between work and study is hard enough even without a child in the mix. But, you’ll soon realize just how meaningful everything you do is. You’re studying and working to provide a better life for your child.
As tired as you may be on many occasions, it’s all for a good cause, and this is something you need to keep in mind. While you’ll have to place your child before yourself for a good while, they will appreciate your sacrifices more than you’ll ever know.
Bio: Carl Hill is a content writing specialist and a professional academic writer with extensive experience in both print and digital publication channels. He is a proficient writer who tackles each paper, essay, study, or article with care, precision, and factual information in mind. Carl spends his free time with his family and reading as much as possible.
Related Posts:
- Main Pros and Cons of Working as a Mom While in College
- How to Combine Studying In College and Parenting?
- How to Help Your Child Choose a College?
- Being a Parent in College: Problems and Tips
- 5 Strategies to Succeed in College for Young Parents
- Young Parents: How to Cope With Fatigue in the First Weeks?
- 11 Clever Tips for New Parents
- Becoming a Parent Straight Out of College? Here are Some Financial Tips
- Reasons Why Your Baby Is Feeling Uncomfortable (And How To Fix It)
- How To Create a Good Sleep Environment for Your Baby
- 3 Ways Working Moms Can Take Care of the Baby (And Be Good at It)
- Ways to Deal With the 4-Month Baby Sleep Regression
- The Ultimate Baby Bath Time Essentials Checklist
- Feeding formula and the best formula for sensitive breastfed babies