You don’t have to see the whole staircase just take the first step ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
Now that you have taken the first step to pursue an internship alongside your studies, are you struggling to balance the two?
One of the major challenges that many young people face on a daily basis is striking a balance between their lives at work and their personal lives. In the same way, one must balance studies with an internship when one is a student. While there is no ideal method to balance everything in your life, there are a few things you can do to make things go more easily.
Read: Internship: A Complete Guide For Beginners
Here are some important tips on balancing your internship & studies:
1. Keep Your Priorities Straight
Knowing your priorities will help you succeed in your internship. They don't have to be at odds, but if your routine is very hectic, you might find that you have to prioritise one over the other. You can avoid rapid decisions in the heat of the situation by determining your priorities ahead.
When you have got your priorities laid out, it will be easy to handle situations where you need to reduce your internship hours, or just give more time to the work and a little less to your studies. Do not be afraid to take a break from interning if your degree is suffering as a result of poor time management, not having enough hours in the day, or exhaustion. Inform your management of this and suggest that you work fewer days or hours or take a break and then resume work later.
Check Out: Internship vs Apprenticeship: What Is The Difference?
2. Plan Ahead
The last thing you want to do is rush and complete your task at the eleventh hour. You must give both your university and internship your complete engagement and focus. The best defence against deadlines sneaking up on you is prioritising and planning. So, be sure to plan ahead by paying attention to the class schedule and deadlines.
As you mark the deadlines, organise your tasks by importance. Determine how much time you will need for each - your academics and internship. Once you have a clear understanding of your study timetable, you can organise your time at work and still have enough time to study at home.
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3. Communicate With Your Employers
You could struggle to complete your schoolwork on time because of a clash between your work and study schedule. Be upfront with your manager in communication. By communicating your worries and your availability or lack thereof for a short period of time, keep a good rapport with them. Recognise your limitations by only accepting jobs that you can finish within the specified deadlines. You'll be able to manage situations at work effectively and finish your studies on time if you keep your manager up to date.
Also Read: 5 Tips To Make A Career Transition
4. Have A Daily Routine
Developing a regular schedule for work and school not only helps in mental preparation for the day, but also offers some stability to your life at a time when you are balancing a lot of different tasks. What you should do first, studies or an internship is the last thing you should need to think about. Keep a close tab on your class schedule and make a timetable that includes time for classes, homework, internships, and personal rest.
5. Balance Your Time
You must make sure that the time you spend studying is time well spent if you want to be able to balance studies and internships. To stay focused and avoid procrastination, break up your study sessions by taking brief breaks in between. This will give your mind and eyes some much-needed rest, ensuring that you can study more efficiently. Ultimately, this will mean that you will be able to balance the work and the studies better. Also, remember to schedule proper time for rest and sleep. If your brain is too tired, both your pursuits are likely to suffer.
Know: How To Prepare Effectively for Campus Placements
The benefits of working while pursuing a degree at a university are obvious, and they will have a significant impact on your career prospects. You may expand your network, learn new skills to highlight on your resume, and even get a better handle on your finances. So, if you work and study at the same time, hopefully, these tips will make things somewhat easier for you. You will change as a result of the experience, as well as how you view the working environment.
