The Beginners Guide to Balancing Study and Life (6 Tips to Get you Started)

By South West Training Services

Posted 6 Jul 2021

Balance is an essential part of life; you need to know when to commit yourself to a task, and when to take a break and make time for yourself. At South West Training Services, our flexible course structures mean you can study your childcare course online and in the classroom, but it’s what happens in between that you must learn to coordinate with your studies. It can be easy to become overwhelmed sometimes, so we’ve crafted this guide designed to help you balance your study and life — whether it be social or work-related.

1. Always stay up to date with coursework

The simplest way to avoid being overwhelmed and achieving balance is to be ahead, or, at the very least, be aware of what you’re required to do in advance. This means staying on track all your coursework and requirements whether they’re readings, deadlines or exam dates. This has become much easier in the digital age as your educator will ensure that all important dates and information are posted in an online portal or even emailed to you directly.

2. Use a calendar

Whilst it’s nice to carry around a physical calendar you can write in, a digital calendar is much more efficient and will actually notify you of any upcoming events. At the beginning of each semester, fill your calendar with important dates. That way, you can plan your studies and social life around these dates. Another useful tip is, once you receive your class schedule, to make your own daily schedule. In between classes you can assign either study or rest/free time blocks. Holding yourself to these pre-assigned time slots is a big part of achieving balance.

3. Do not multitask

Multitasking is not something that should be done if one or more of the tasks is important as it can stifle concentration and interrupt thought processes; you will also inevitably end up having to constantly stop one task to concentrate more on the other and then revert to trying to handle both. This trap is particularly easy to fall into when studying a childcare course online as there is no one around but yourself to keep you in check. Do yourself a favour, set your phone to do not disturb for the appropriate amount of time and, if you find working to music/sounds helps, try wearing some noise-cancelling headphones.

4. Be active

If you are spending a lot of your course learning remotely, then it is important that you get out of the house at least once a day to take in the fresh air (provided the weather permits it). This can do wonders for your mental health and will help clear your head — not to mention that if you are going for a walk or a run it will improve your fitness and get your blood pumping. In addition to the literal sense, you should also be proactive with your studies and taking time for yourself; this ties back into creating set activity blocks in your calendar.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help

You should never be afraid to ask for help. Rather than spending unnecessary time mulling over an issue, it can often be more beneficial to simply reach out and talk through it with someone else like one of your peers or your educator. Study groups can also be a great idea whether you’re studying your childcare course online or in the classroom; setting times to meet up in person or virtually with fellow classmates can sometimes be more insightful and practical compared to studying solo. Similarly, if you are having trouble balancing your studies with life then you should reach out to some friends or even your educators.

6. Eat a balanced diet

You may be surprised at how much this will help, but constantly eating junk food or not eating enough food in general, will cause you to become tired and sluggish, making it difficult to concentrate. Berries are a great snack to have throughout the day as they’re high in fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants.

Are you looking to study a childcare course online?

South West Training Services prides itself on its flexible course structure and welcoming environment; we accept students of all ages and from all walks of life and can provide complete, government-funded early childhood education and care courses both online and on campus.