Getting a diploma is a vital stage in many women’s lives and career plans. Without a cherished degree, young women have scarce chances of getting high-paying jobs and progressing along the career ladder effectively. Thus, as soon as pregnancy and childbirth come into play, many young moms make a life-changing decision to pause or drop out of studies for the sake of childcare. Here, we explore life-saving hacks and practical tips that can help you enjoy the best of both two worlds and stay sane.
#1 Be Flexible
The main starting step for mom students is to design a flexible weekly schedule that can adjust all your child’s routines and reserve enough time for homework and class attendance. You can use a digital calendar or mobile app planner to make blocks of time needed for each of your vital duties. Make sure you understand your child’s routine well so that you can schedule the quiet study time for their nap periods or early mornings. Yet, you should be ready to make dynamic adjustments if the child gets sick or something else surfaces; flexibility is your key to survival and steady study progress.
#2 Build a Supportive Network
Asking for help is normal. You’re only human, after all, and you may see that you’re failing some critical tasks and need assistance. Ask your family members or friends to sit with the baby for a couple of hours when you compose a responsible final essay. Join a local mom group to connect with others and perform babysitting in shifts to carve out some high-quality study time.
You can also resort to top-rated writing assistance companies for help with writing if you feel you’re out of time. For instance, the ExpertGenie writing service is a reliable helper for all learners in a time crunch. You can delegate some tasks to its experts and relax, knowing that your GPA and submission schedule are in safe hands.
#3 Leverage Online Learning Tools
Studies may be too demanding if you’re a full-time offline student at a specific college or university course. So, in cases you feel you can’t go on in the usual way, consider shifting to an online study course that offers more flexibility and self-paced progress. Some educational institutions allow such a shift without losing your earned credits, and you can still get a diploma from your educational establishment after meeting the graduation requirements.
By studying online, you can listen to recorded lectures when you have time for them and learn at your own pace. You can always open an e-book and study some chapters or watch the workshop when your child is in the playground. This way, you will still progress and move towards your diploma, though probably at a slower pace.
#4 Be Realistic
Don’t fool yourself with the belief that childbirth won’t affect your study performance in any way. It will, and there is nothing criminal about it. The only thing you have to do with this change in your life is to adjust your goals to the new reality. Break down the academic workload into manageable tasks and set realistic goals for every day or week. The more honest you are with yourself, the more motivated you will remain throughout the hardest study periods. The most important thing is to celebrate small successes and praise yourself for victories and progress; otherwise, you may quickly get exhausted.
#5 Don’t Forget about Self-Care
Self-care is a vital aspect of a young mom’s life because it helps you stay sane and avoid burnout. Thus, it’s very important to schedule short breaks for a cup of your favorite tea or a short nap during the day so that you feel revived and fresh. Think of what fills you with positive energy and gives you the strength to go on. It may be a short meditation at the end of the day or a walk in the park amid natural beauty. Anything will work if it gives you a positive vibe and empowers you to address the challenges of mom studies.
#6 Explore Time-Saving Hacks
Time-saving tips really work if you give them enough attention and incorporate them into your daily routines. Time is the scarcest resource of every mom student, so you need to learn to spend it wisely and rationally. Think of what drains most of your time; if it’s the household chores or cooking, think of delegating those tasks to family members or hired helpers.
Another vital tip is to avoid wasting your active study time due to distractions. You’ll be shocked to learn how much time we lose due to pop-up messages from social media or news alerts. A single phone call that takes under one minute of your attention drives you away from the task you’re working on for 20+ minutes. Therefore, it’s vital to use headphones and turn all devices off during your active study time to concentrate on the task.
#7 Stay in Touch with Professors
Using parenthood to explain every lateness or non-submission doesn’t look like a good strategy. Still, you should be open to your teachers about your motherhood and related responsibilities, as many professors are ready to give assignment extensions or change the study format for young moms (at least temporarily). It is always possible to get a bit softer terms if you have a good relationship with the professor and work diligently.
#8 Take Advantage of Multi-Tasking
Multi-tasking is not a universal remedy for everyone, but it may work in some conditions. For instance, you can combine low-focus tasks with childcare or home routines. For example, you may watch a lecture when cooking or review flashcards you’ve learned before at the playground. High-focus tasks, however, should be reserved for quiet time alone, when you can minimize interruptions and perform high-stakes assignments with high quality.
Keep Motivated by a Long-Term Vision
Obviously, you will have a hard time combining motherhood with studies. There are only 24 hours a day, and combining so many duties can take a toll on anyone. Yet, you can stay motivated to go on by cherishing a long-term vision of graduation. Don’t forget what you need this diploma for and work towards it, even if the pace of progress gets slower with childcare.
