Wondering how you will ever survive the balancing act of distance learning, work and life? Don’t worry – you’re not alone. Studying remotely through a distance college such as REGENT Business School is an excellent way to grow your career even while you work. But no matter how flexible and rewarding this route can be, it can still be challenging to get used to the balancing act.
Many of our students are working full-time, while looking after children or parents. Some are recent high school graduates who are able to dedicate their days to studying, but others have multiple responsibilities that include studies, work and family. Needless to stay, any type of study programme has its share of stresses. Luckily, things do not have to be overly stressful if you get proactive with your time and plan your life carefully.
Staying Sane While Studying Through Distance Learning
How to you deal with the challenges of remote learning? Some tips that may help you include the following:
- Find purpose and meaning
It might sound a little obvious, but without purpose, life can all too easily become overwhelming. When you are knee deep in assignments, dealing with work stress and sitting up late at night for the umpteenth night in a row, you may start to wonder why you are putting yourself through this ordeal. This is when you reaffirm your purpose. You made the choice to invest in your future by studying further. You have dreams, and you have had the courage to pursue them – something that not everyone is able to do. Keep a list of your reasons that you chose to study and refer back to it whenever you need to. Instead of being hard on yourself for feeling the pressure, be proud that you have made it this far!
- Be proactive
The best way to avoid stress is to be proactive, organised and consistent. Set up a schedule and follow it to your best ability. Make specific times in the day to study, time to relax and time for everything else. Routine has a bad reputation for being boring, but in reality, it can be freeing in ways you never imagined. By making time for yourself as well as your studies, you will soon start to feel in control of things… even when exam time comes around. Another way to motivate yourself is to watch inspiring TED talks and videos. You could also set rewards for achieving task on your schedule. Just make sure that they are healthy rewards.
- Look after yourself
As a hardworking student and employee, you wear many hats. You need to study hard, work hard and meet your other obligations every day, but somewhere in there, you need to look after yourself, too. That means taking time out of your day to exercise (ideally for 30 minutes each day), making sure that you eat properly throughout the day, doing things that make you happy (whether that is making time for friends, watching things that make you laugh or setting a nightly ritual that involves bubble baths and a good book) and doing whatever else you can do to be kind to yourself.
With the right approach, some proactive thinking and preparation, and of course, support from friends and family, you will find that your distance learning course need not be too overwhelming. To learn more about studying remotely in South Africa, contact REGENT Business School today!
P.S. Looking for more useful advice? Check out our recent study tips for distance learning!