Balancing Work and ECE Studies: Tips for Managing Your Time, Energy, and Well-Being
Are you a post-secondary student juggling studies, a job, and family or personal responsibilities? You’re not alone.
When your responsibilities are many, it’s easy for your health and well-being to take a back seat. However, with some planning and a positive mindset, you can fulfill your responsibilities and lead a healthy, balanced life while in post-secondary school.
In this article, we’ll share some practical strategies for work-life balance for students.
The challenge of balancing school and life
Learning to become an Early Childhood Educator is both rewarding and challenging. For example, at Capital College, you’ll be taking in-classroom (or virtual) classes, which often mean reading and studying, individual and group work, and exams. Eventually, you’ll be assigned a practicum work placement and may be balancing classes and “work.”
That’s just your school responsibilities. What else do you have on your plate? Whether it’s responsibilities to your family or yourself, many areas of life are vying for your attention while you’re in school.
If you’re not balancing your school and life needs well, you may feel added stress or burnout. You may notice:
- Increased fatigue or trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating or remembering facts
- Digestive problems
- Bad eating habits
- Physical weakness from lack of nutrition and exercise
- Mood swings
- Stress in your relationships
(Learn more about how to recognize signs of stress in your body.)
The unique challenges of working in childcare (including standing or being active much of the day) while studying can compound these effects if you don’t have a proactive stance now to focus on your balance, health, and wellness.
Practical time management strategies
The first step to balancing your ECE school and home life is time management. Here are our top five tips for managing your time in school:
- Use calendars: Use a calendar or planner to keep track of your responsibilities (assignments, work schedules, homework, bills, and personal time). Establish healthy study habits and allocate time for school, family, and personal activities.
- Prioritize: If you feel overwhelmed, prioritize your tasks to manage your workload effectively. You could choose to do the top priority ones first, or a few smaller ones for the energy boost of achieving quick wins.
- Steps: If you have larger assignments that feel overwhelming, break them into smaller steps or milestones.
- Use downtime: If you have downtime (while commuting or during work breaks) and feel the need to be productive, use this time for quiet self-reflection, mindfulness activities, or reading recent school notes.
- Schedule health and wellness: Don’t let health and wellness take a back seat when life gets busy. Schedule time for exercise, meal planning (to eat healthier), and mindfulness activities (such as journaling or meditation) so they don’t get forgotten.
Protecting your energy
How are you managing your energy levels? Your energy levels are heavily influenced by your nutrition, physical health, and mental load. To optimize your energy, it’s essential to eat a healthy, balanced diet, engage in daily physical activity, and prioritize stress reduction.
Eat healthy, whole foods rich in natural vitamins and minerals, and stay hydrated. Brain and energy boosting foods include:
- Eggs
- Lean meats
- Fish
- Berries (with antioxidants)
- Leafy Greens
- Complex carbs (they’re slower to digest)
- Healthy fats (like nuts and avocados)
Incorporate movement, stretching, or exercise into everyday life. It could be as simple as taking the stairs to class instead of the elevator. Set aside 5-10 minutes every morning for a stretch routine or morning yoga. Schedule longer, more intense workouts, such as biking, swimming, or running, a few times a week. These workouts will give you energy and also help you sleep better.
Speaking of sleep, pulling all-nighters isn’t the best for your mind or body. The occasional all-night study or homework session can be okay, but don’t make a habit of it. You can avoid these long nights when you have good time management skills.
And finally, it’s okay to say “no” when you feel overwhelmed. Let people know you’re in school and that’s your focus right now. If you want to say “yes,” find a way to work it into your schedule so your other life commitments don’t suffer.
Staying connected
Socialization can be a great asset while you’re studying to become an ECE. Avoid isolating yourself (which can get lonely). Look for opportunities to stay connected to:
- Instructors – Ask for guidance or support when you need it
- Peers – Form study groups for mutual benefit
- Family – They’re your biggest cheerleaders, so set aside time to connect with them (for example: make family dinners a non-negotiable so you can catch up on your day together).
- Friends – Pick up the phone, text, or send a message to a friend to boost your social battery.
If you’re struggling to balance school and a practicum, talk to your employer and co-workers. They’ve been in your shoes and can offer advice on what worked for them.
Maintaining your well-being
Your well-being is essential. Without a balanced life, you could experience burnout, which can be harmful to yourself and mean you’re not in a good place to help others.
On a plane, the flight crew says to “put on your mask before assisting others.” You are about to enter a career “assisting” children, but you can’t support them if your well-being is compromised.
How you maintain your well-being will be different depending on what you need and your hobbies. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, pause and think about what area of life you’re missing right now (Family, friends, hobbies, physical activities, etc.) and make a priority to fill those areas.
Our best advice for balancing work and studies
Want our top tip? Be prepared. It’s entirely possible to excel academically and maintain a balanced life.
Be prepared that your life may be a bit hectic (in a good way) while you’re learning to become an ECE. Enter your program knowing that you need to take a proactive approach to maintaining balance in your life, using a calendar and being mindful of your mental wellness. Along the way, don’t be afraid to reach out to your peers, instructors, family, or employers for support and to recharge your social battery. It’ll make all the difference.
If you’re still looking for the best ECE or Montessori program, look no further than Capital College in Richmond, BC (Canada). Our comprehensive ECE and Montessori programs strike a balance between in-classroom learning and local practicum placements, providing you with everything you need to launch a rewarding career working with children.