Balancing Home, jobs, School

Balancing Responsibilities
Do you feel overwhelmed by your obligations? Students often feel overwhelmed by their home, school and work responsibilities. The following are some tips to help keep your life balanced while you handle all your commitments and obligations.

At Home:

• Find age appropriate tasks and chores for your children. Post each family member's jobs to avoid confusion. All family members need to share in the household chores.
  
• Post a large calendar where family members can write down their commitments and activities. This will help avoid conflicts and keep everyone aware of upcoming events.
  
• Make a weekly plan for shopping, cleaning, and laundry.
  
• When possible plan and prepare meals ahead of time.
  
• Leave thoughtful notes and messages for your spouse, children, or roommates when they are helpful or understanding. Let them know they are appreciated.
  
• Delegate tasks to others when appropriate.

At School:

• Brainstorm with friends, your academic advisor or a counselor about ways to solve difficult or persistent problems.
  
• Look to other students as role models. Ask them for suggestions on ways to make your life easier.
  
• Join a club or on-campus activity. This will help you feel more connected to the UW-Stout community.
• Use small amounts of time productively.
• Study and do homework on-campus if you are often distracted at home.
  

At Work:

• Find a job with flexible hours.
  
• Keep your work and school schedule balanced.
  
• To avoid scheduling conflicts, provide your employer with your hours of availability at the beginning of each semester.
• Schedule a day off in advance, rather than calling in, if you anticipate that you'll need extra time to study or to work on a project.
  
• Remember, no matter what you're doing...
  Have realistic expectations for yourself. No one can do it all.
  
• Find ways to keep your stress level under control.
  
• Make sure you plan time for fun and relaxation!
  
• Maintain your sense of humor; you'll need it!