Dr. Jan McBarron Shares 3 Tips for Balancing Work and Study
We are all familiar with the importance — and the difficulty — of achieving a healthy work-life balance. However, when studying is added to the equation, the challenge is even more arduous; and at times, can seem overwhelming.
Fortunately, balancing work and study — whether informal or formal, career-related or otherwise — does not need to be an exercise in frustration; or for some, futility. Here are three proven and practical tips courtesy of Dr. Jan McBarron, an acclaimed and award-winning physician who championed the practice of non-surgical weight loss in the U.S., and currently focuses on writing, consulting, public speaking, and engaging her global community through social media.
Create a robust schedule.
Many people who strive to balance work and study put together an overly-simple — or more aptly described, superficial — schedule that fails to capture all the tasks they need or want to achieve throughout the day, week and month. Eventually and invariably, they run out of time and end up pushing tasks back; that is, until they reach the end of the runway and are forced to acknowledge that their so-called schedule is a liability instead of an asset.
Dr. McBarron believes a schedule must be dynamic instead of static. Once created, people need to constantly monitor and update it to ensure that it’s realistic and robust. The good news is that people who make the effort to schedule their lives often discover that they waste an enormous amount of time that can be reclaimed, either by delegating tasks to someone else, reducing the duration of non-essential tasks, or eliminating some tasks entirely. Those extra hours can be productively used for work, life, and study.
Stay positive.
It may not seem like practical advice, but when it comes to achieving a balance between work and study, few things are as effective as staying positive. Staying positive is not a passive thing. People need to be proactive and immerse themselves in books, podcasts, webinars, and other tools that inspire them to be their best selves. Dr. Jan McBarron believes that maintaining and expressing thankfulness is a major part of this effort. There are millions of people in the world who cannot find a quality job — or sometimes any job — and they do not have access to schools and study material. Those people would give anything to struggle with work-study balance. Instead, they face problems that are much worse and far more difficult to solve.
Take a break every now and then.
It may seem counterproductive — or at least, counter-intuitive — but many people who struggle to achieve work-study balance urgently need to take a break. They have been burning the candle at both ends, and the next thing that will burnout is themselves. Dr. Jan McBarron advocates that taking a day off — or maybe longer, if possible — can do wonders both psychologically and physically, which in turn makes work more productive and rewarding, and studying easier and more effective.
Dr. Jan McBarron’s Final Thoughts
Achieving a healthy work-life-study balance is difficult yet highly attainable. As Dr. McBarron explained, creating a detailed and robust schedule is the starting point to unlocking your optimum work-life-study balance. You must always remember to stay positive when faced with daunting or overwhelming tasks, and always make the necessary time to take a break when you are worn out. After all, as any doctor will tell you, your physical and mental health should always be a priority.
