Tips for balancing life and study
Struggling to remember the last time you went out with your friends? Read on for some tips on making time for your hobbies while you study.
Do you ever feel like studying takes over your life?
Do you wish you had more time to study and enjoy your favourite hobbies, like watching TV or catching up with friends?
If so, this blog post is for you.
While studying is a huge commitment, with the right approach you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Here are our tips for balancing life and study.
Plan ahead
When you’re studying, it’s important to have a plan – assignments don’t miraculously get done if you’re ‘winging it’. Follow these steps to create a study plan and schedule in time for your hobbies, too. For example, you might set aside every Sunday afternoon to go to the beach or catch up on TV.
According to Study From Home graduate Rachael McIlroy, the trick to making your study plan work is sticking to it.
“Set a plan for study and life and stick to it, as if your life stops you from studying it will interfere with your goals,” says Rachael.
Be realistic
There are times in our life when we have a lot of freedom to enjoy our hobbies – like over summer holidays. But when you’re studying, you will have less time so it’s important to be realistic about your hobbies. Now is probably not the right time to start binge watching a new television show or take up a new sport!
Instead, be realistic about how much fun you can have once you’ve studied, worked, and factored in other commitments, such as family time or household chores. You might find that you only have a few hours of free time each week, so use them wisely!
Make the most of your study breaks
Very few people can study for hours on end without some small breaks. So why not have fun on your breaks? For example, you could try out a new cafe for lunch or go for a walk around the block in the sunshine in the afternoon. Fitting in your hobbies in your study breaks might be more realistic than working towards a whole day off.
If you’re meeting up with friends in your study breaks, just make sure they know you can only take a short break – in fact, encourage them to remind you when you need to get back to your work! Friends and family can be great motivators if you let them.
Practice gratitude
Try to focus on what you enjoy about studying instead of spending the whole time wishing you were doing something else. Write down everything you’re grateful for, such as the opportunity to achieve a tourism qualification and your future career prospects.
Sometimes a shift in your mindset can make all the difference to how you approach each day – and even what you consider to be fun.
Seek support from your tutors
Your tutors are there to support and guide you as you study from home. They are only ever a phone call away! If you need some extra motivation or you’re feeling stressed, they will have some tips to help you enjoy your studies.
“Listen to the tutors, they have a wealth of knowledge,” says Rachael.
“Think positive and be realistic about your goals, and do everything you can to reach them,” she adds.
Remember: you won’t be studying forever
Studying does take an enormous amount of your time, but it’s not forever. Once you’ve finished and you start working, your evenings and weekends will be yours to enjoy once more – so you can catch up on all your TV then!
In the meantime, squeeze in your hobbies while you can and stay focused on your end goal: achieving your qualification and embarking on an exciting career in the airline, travel and tourism industry.
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