I make a weekly grid on a sheet of paper every Sunday and put it on my wall. This helps me remember what time my classes are, and what times I have picked up work. Not only does this help me plan my week in advance, but also is an easy way to add other engagements without over-scheduling.<\/p>\n
You can employ scheduling tips specific to your personality type<\/a>, as well as buy affordable products like planners and whiteboards at your local Wilko or Ikea. I have learnt that scheduling in advance works wonders for me and helps reduce stress about my commitments.<\/p>\n After working for a few weeks in first year, I quickly realised that I would be tempted to bite on more than I could chew for more income. I knew that this would affect my studies, and lead me to burn out, and that I needed to set a plan in place to avoid doing so. If you struggle with something similar, I strongly recommend setting a maximum number of shifts or workdays you will undertake and sticking to it. This will give you control over scheduling your week as well as avoid overscheduling.<\/p>\n Also, Cardiff University has many self-help resources that can help you understand yourself better, and ultimately help you plan your work and studies better. Why not check it out here<\/a>?<\/p>\n I have always tried to ensure that I am prioritizing my classes over work. And so, I set study goals<\/a> such as the minimum number of hours I would study in a week and planning when to do my readings, so I am not behind on studies. This also allows me to pick up extra work if I have the time or enjoy my social life \u2014 a well-rounded university experience is important after all!<\/p>\n To avoid being tempted to pick up more work than I can manage, I created an Excel sheet to budget my income throughout the academic year. This was a great help to me every time I worried about splurging. The university offers guidance on managing your money as a student<\/a>, which was also very helpful to me. Also, beside enhancing my employability skills, budgeting helped learn more about financial independence and how to manage my money while at university<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like I said earlier, a well sounded university experience is important. You deserve to rest and enjoy your time here, and make sure you make time for some self-care and nights out as you give your best at classes and work. Making simple dinner or movie plans with my friends or having a quiet night in with my books not only rejuvenates me but also prepares me for my commitments. When well rested, we can manage work alongside studies better.<\/a><\/p>\n Hope these tips help you as much as they have helped me over the past three years.<\/p>\n2 \u2014 Sticking to a set number of shift per week<\/h2>\n
3 \u2014 Setting study goals<\/h2>\n
4 \u2014 Budgeting my income<\/h2>\n
5 \u2014 Making time to relax<\/h2>\n