Going to school is a commitment and definitely requires a large volume of study time. As a parent it is sometimes a wonder that it even gets done. Some students are night people and can study after the kids are in bed. Others like me are morning people and hit the books at 5am before the kids get up while the house is quiet.
Here are a few tips that I learned while going to school and balancing being a mom at the same time.
Anytime, anyplace, anywhere! Keep your books and notes with you all the time. You would be surprised at all the time you have during the day with a free five minutes. Waiting for your coffee date to show up at Starbucks, waiting in line for school pickup, or during football practice. If you have a local study partner with kids take them to the park and sit on a bench and quiz each other on the upcoming test questions. Think about every time you log into FaceBook during the day—use that time to study instead!
Short and Sweet! Don’t discount a half-hour student session. If you have an uninterrupted 30 minutes you can pack a lot of information into that time. Two or three 30 minutes blocks of study time will quickly add up!
Take Breaks! Yes you heard me, take breaks! Don’t try to be Wonder Woman or Superman. Give yourself 15 minutes of a break after you study for around 50 minutes. If you find yourself re-reading the same thing over and over or your mind starts to wander…take a break! Use this time to do a quick chore, check your email or even do some yoga. Whatever it is that you do, keep it to 15 minutes or so and when you return back to your studies you will be refreshed and your brain will be alert again.
Make Your Study Area yours. Wherever you decide to make your study area make sure it is comfortable and has everything that you need. Grab all of your books, notes, pens and calculator. This way when you have the time to dedicate to study you won’t waste time sorting out your study area and take the chance of getting distracted. Make it a designated study area for everyone in the family - even if your child's studying consists of coloring.
Don’t be too hard on yourself! Time and time again I hear students especially moms wishing that they could do better, get more work done and get better grades.Remember, you have more on your plate than a non-parent student.Do what you can do and don’t compare your grades with others.When the going gets tough, remember that you can do it!
