One of the most relevant reasons why adults shy away from returning to school is work. We’re not necessarily talking about the work involved in attending school (even though that plays a huge role), we’re talking about work that’s already on the plate. That is, our jobs. Who has time to attend school while working a 9-to-5?! Anyone?
Well, actually, yes. A lot of working adults attend nursing school so there’s no reason to think you can’t. You just have to figure out how others do it and adopt their methods! Here’s what we advise.
Take a look at your current job and marvel at how well it runs. What’s the secret? It’s organization. Next, take a look at a failed project of some sort. Chances are the lack of organization contributed to its failure. Organization is a key component of all successful endeavors, so make a real effort to keep your nursing school material separate from your work equipment and family matters. Then use a calendar exclusive to your online nursing program and schedule time to study.
It won’t be easy scheduling time for nursing school, work, and family, so you’re going to have to use tricks. Delegate some tasks to others in the home and learn how to multitask. Take advantage of technology and invest in a modern computer, some text-to-speech software and a PDA. A text-to-speech software can read aloud some of your PC-bound reading material while you’re cooking or cleaning while a PDA can bleep and bloop important reminders of what you need to do and when you need to do it.
Introduce your plans to attend nursing school and stress the importance of support. You’ll need support from your family, friends, and employers and that support must be active – not just emotional. Tell your friends your time studying is more important than partying. Tell your family members that they absolutely must pitch in and help with cooking and chores. Finally, tell your boss that you can no longer work after-hours or work on extra projects because you’re trying to improve your current working skills by attending school.
Your new plans may not be met with welcoming arms. In fact, you might even encounter some outright resistance. Stick to your guns and emphasize how important your plans are.
You won’t escape the stress of working and attending nursing school no matter how hard you try. And if you’re not careful, something as simple as a “B” grade could set you off into an unjustified, angry tirade just because you expected an “A.” Take breaks, get plenty of exercise, meditate, don’t overwork yourself, and take time to appreciate the things you already have.
People have worked and attended school at the same time for years. It’s nothing new. Some quit while others hung in there long enough to hang a nice, impressive degree above their office chair. You can achieve the same with an accredited online nursing program, a great support system, and some incredible multitasking.
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