Tips for working and studying at the same time

Is it possible to work and study at the same time?

Are you thinking about starting to work and study at the same time? Many students are in this situation either because of financial necessity or through personal choice. Whatever your circumstances, working and studying at the same time is possible. This is proven by scientific studies which show that students who divide their time between working and studying are more committed to their studies because it is they who are paying for them.

At first, working and studying at the same time may seem difficult, but the secret lies in knowing how to organize your time so each of your tasks requires less effort. Before giving you our advice, we will tell you the advantages and disadvantages of working and studying at the same time.

Advantages and disadvantages of working and studying at the same time

The advantages of working and studying at the same time are:

• Experience: having set work hours and having to be punctual is good experience which will serve you well both for later life and your studies too.
• Early entry to the labour market: this will help you get experience little by little in the world of work. And if you’re working in a field related to your studies, this is even better because you will learn lots of things which are connected to your course.
• Making money: not only will working enable you to pay for your university degree, but you will also be able to pay for some of your basic necessities and even for treats and your social life. Earning money will also give you freedom, as you will be managing your own money which will give you confidence and mean you are no longer obliged to anyone.

The disadvantages of working and studying at the same time are:

• Less free time: by splitting your time between studying and working, you will have less time free for your leisure activities, so we recommend you only take part in activities which are strictly necessary. Another option is to put an entire day a week aside for rest or your choice of leisure activities.
• Less time and energy available for studying: your work hours will be fixed and represent time you can’t be studying. The effort you have to put into working may tire you and reduce the energy you have for studying.
• Your grades may suffer: to reach the highest levels of academic achievement you must dedicate a lot of time to studying and because you are working you may not have the required time available. University is a fast-paced environment and you won’t be able to dedicate as much time to your studies as students who don’t have a job.

Despite all of this, if you’re prepared and convinced you are able to study and work at the same time, we are going to give you some advice so you can divide your time between them.

Advice for dividing your time between working and studying

1- You must organize your tasks
This is the first thing you must do to be able to complete all your tasks successfully. We recommend you set yourself some goals for each day depending on the time you have to get all your activities done and your abilities.

2- Do physical tasks when you mental performance slows
When you notice that your mind can’t take any more, change to another task. When you start to tire, we suggest you switch to a physical task which requires a lot less mental effort. In this way you can make the most of every minute.

3- Set some goals
If you set yourself some specific goals it will be easier for you to achieve them, and if you make a list of your goals you can cross them out as you complete them which will also motivate you.

4- Relax
You must dedicate some time to yourself to relax and rest because your mind and body need it. Do the activity you like the most, whether that’s reading, watching TV or a film, or even lying on the sofa doing nothing. Whatever you need to relax.

5- Have patience
There will be days when you feel like you’ve had enough and you’re exhausted, but remember that all your effort will reap rewards. This is why patience and forbearance are crucial: you won’t be studying forever and the satisfaction you’ll feel when you finish will make all your hard work worthwhile.

At micampus Residencias we support your decision to work and study at the same time and we hope this advice is helpful to you.