Even as a full-time student, balancing your school work with your personal responsibilities can be challenging. Now, add a full-time job with semi-frequent travel into the mix, and things can seem nearly impossible.
Thankfully, we’ve put together a few tips that can help you stay on top of your workload no matter where you are.
Stay organized.This might sound like common sense, but when you’re short on time and traveling outside the comforts of home, organization can be key to your productivity. Before your trip, figure out exactly which assignments you’ll need to complete while you’re gone and determine how much time you’ll need to dedicate to studying each day. If you take the time to carefully plan your daily tasks beforehand, it will be much easier to stay on track while you’re away.
Download or print your in-flight materials.Unless you’re flying domestically on a plane that offers in-flight WiFi, this tip can be a game changer. Make the most of your flight time by downloading or printing any necessary course materials before your trip, in case you won’t be able to bring your laptop with you. This way, you’ll be able to make the travel time go by a little faster and knock out some of your workload at the same time. If you are traveling out of the country and have limited access to a computer, notify your professors of the situation in advance and work on a plan that best suits your class schedule.
Check your Wi-Fi options.Depending on where you’re traveling, there’s a good chance your hotel will offer at least some type of Wi-Fi. However, you may be spending the majority of your time outside the hotel, where internet access could be less reliable. If possible, try to research the locations where you’ll be spending most of your time during the trip, and see if you can confirm the availability of internet in the area. This will take some of the guesswork out of where you can squeeze in a little extra study time.
Maximize downtime.In addition to travel time, you can make the most of any potential downtime by bringing your coursework and materials with you each day. If there are any breaks during your scheduled meetings or activities, use this time productively and try to accomplish some of the school-related tasks on your plate for the day. This will also help ensure that your assigned tasks don’t pile up at the end of every workday, when you could be relaxing or sightseeing instead.
No matter where you’re traveling, the best way to stay on track with your coursework is by planning ahead, communicating with your professors and staying organized. Having a clear, carefully thought-out plan in place before leaving can help prevent future headaches and missed deadlines when you’re trying to balance studying and a career.
Interested in studying online? Learn more about the declining stigma of earning a degree online, or check out a snapshot of William & Mary’s Online MBA students.