How to balance online study and full-time work

As the workforce gradually embraces the concept of lifelong learning, the traditional 9-to-5 schedule of the average ‘learner’ is evolving. Tertiary education is not something reserved for students anymore. It’s something ordinary working adults are undertaking, in addition to their full-time jobs and family responsibilities. And this demographic shift has necessitated a change in both learning and teaching.  

Students today value flexibility above pretty much anything else, which has triggered a boom in online study. Worldwide, 49% of students have now completed some sort of online learning, and the number of online learners is expected to increase to 57 million by 2027. But how do you balance the responsibilities of an online degree, and a job, and a family, and whatever else you’ve got on the go? Lifelong learning may be the future, but that doesn’t mean it’s always easy.  

Here are some tips to help balance online study and full-time work. 

1. Create a realistic schedule 

The emphasis is on realistic here. Work will always come first, so set specific study times that fit around your job hours and home-life commitments. Use tools like digital calendars to block off study periods, and make sure to include breaks. The trick isn’t to back-load your studies right before exams, or the night before an assessment is due, but to chip away at the coursework with small, consistent study sessions, spaced out over time. Routine is your friend. Get into one.  

2. Prioritise important tasks 

With a job and possible family life to juggle, adult education requires even more structure than traditional tertiary study. ‘Winging it’ is no longer an option. The best thing to do is to list your tasks for both work and learning, then rank them in terms of deadline and importance. Time-critical tasks get pushed to the front of the queue. Break down any larger projects into smaller, manageable chunks. That’ll give you a sense of progress and achievement.  

3. Use your commute time 

Australians commute, on average, about 48 minutes per day (up 23% since 2002). That’s 4.5 hours a week you could be chipping away at coursework. Depending on the nature of your commute, this could include reading lecture notes, summarising information, study admin that you’ve been putting off forever, or simply listening to online tutorials in your car. Lectures, audiobooks, educational podcasts. There’s always a way to maximise your travel time.  

4. Leverage technology as much as you can 

Adult learners have a lot of balls in the air, but there are plenty of great tools to help you keep track of them. Study apps, task managers, digital calendars, and even productivity tools are all great for organising your work/study life. Most of these apps will synch your schedule across devices too, so you can keep track of your courseload from school, home and the office. RMITO also has a student resources hub, with plenty of supports to make your life easier.   

5. Use your organisation’s support network 

Most tertiary organisations these days have comprehensive student support networks, geared specifically to help online learners. This includes stuff like one-on-one academic support, health and wellbeing, apprentice programs, and admin assistance. If you’re struggling with a particular area of online study, chances are there’s a department for that exact issue. So, reach out! Talk to your lecturer, talk to your student officers, talk to your peers in class. There’s always someone ready to help.   

6. Set some boundaries 

While you’re working full-time and studying on the side, some things will have to give. And this usually means time with friends and family. It’s important to let others know about your study/work commitments and ask for their understanding when you need a break. Remember, your course won’t last forever, and it’s okay to set some social boundaries during this hectic time. Your mental and physical health always comes first.  

7. Let your employer know 

You may be undertaking tertiary study as part of a structured work development program, and if so, great! But for everyone else, it’s important to let your employer know of your new study commitments. Good communication is half the battle. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be given less work, but it will give your boss an understanding of what you’re going through and hopefully lead to a bit more flexibility/empathy. If your job does offer flexible hours, try and book those in when you’ll need them most, like around exam time. Give plenty of notice, too, if you can.