After weeks of perfecting your CV, you finally found a job – so now what? Suddenly you have to be up at 9am to fold clothes, serve customers, move boxes and so on. You may find yourself wondering: when will I have time to complete my university work? How many hours will I work? Is there really enough time to do well in classes, be involved, have a social life and hold down a part-time job or am I striving for a balance that does not actually exist? In today’s college atmosphere students are expected to take on a large workload and maintain a healthy lifestyle. ‎‏

If you stop any university student on campus and ask them how they are feeling, you will get the same response: stressed. Is balance in college actually possible? When you first start working at a new job, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of getting your first paycheque. But the reality is, work is time-consuming. Whether you are working part-time or full-time, it can be difficult to make time for both work and school. If you find yourself constantly running behind schedule at work or struggling to keep up with your classes, it’s time to make some changes. So, what is it that motivates us? Is there anything that will get us over the hump and keep us going? Well, it turns out that there is! Here are 5 of the most common things that will boost your motivation:

  1. Planning for the unexpected 

While scheduling is important sometimes, you cannot always plan for the unexpected. But ensuring you have time for slowing down and taking a break if necessary, is a part of creating a healthy work-life balance. One of the best ways to ensure that you are balancing your work, school, and other activities is by taking care of your mental health and wellbeing. Sometimes this means saying no to things that are not as important, or do not need to be done right away.

  1. Creating a schedule and sticking to it

Sticking to the schedule is an important part of creating a healthy work-life balance. It is one of the best ways to ensure you are balancing your work, school, and other activities. A schedule allows you to prioritise your most important tasks and plan out when you will get them done. 

  1. Finding the perfect hobby and practising self-care 

It is more important than ever to practice self-care, which often means slowing down and learning to say no. Personally, I find cooking, exercise, or just generally relaxing allows me to switch off and take a break from my studies. It also helps me to manage stress and stay well. You may have different ways of maintaining a work-life balance. Maybe it’s joining a society or catching up with friends for drinks after work, or even scheduling a date night with your partner. Finding a hobby or an activity that allows you to unwind or just doing something that makes you feel good could really positively benefit your mental health.

  1. Personal goals

Goals are important in life. They shape our direction and provide a sense of purpose.  They can also be challenging to set and pursue; the challenge lies in finding the right goals and knowing how to achieve them.

  1.  Staying motivated 

It’s a lot easier said than done but finding a healthy balance between your work life and your personal life is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. This is where the “staying motivated” concept comes into play. In today’s world, when the demands of work and life can feel overwhelming, it’s important to take care of yourself. This can be challenging when you have so many different things vying for your attention. One of the best ways to lay the groundwork for a healthy and balanced life is by staying motivated. 

Motivation may look different for everyone, what works for me may not work for you. Finding something that keeps you inspired to take the next step may be as simple as keeping track of your daily tasks or as big as writing your first book. Staying motivated will keep you from going through the motions and instead help you look back on your accomplishments to realise how far you’ve come. After all, you’ve made it through the tough times, so why not enjoy it while you’re still at it?