{"id":3578,"date":"2023-10-04T05:56:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T05:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/websites.emerson.edu\/grad-life\/?p=3578"},"modified":"2023-09-27T15:16:09","modified_gmt":"2023-09-27T15:16:09","slug":"5-tips-for-finding-work-life-balance-in-graduate-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/websites.emerson.edu\/grad-life\/2023\/10\/04\/5-tips-for-finding-work-life-balance-in-graduate-school\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Finding Work-Life Balance in Graduate School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo by Marvin Meyer<\/strong><\/a> on Unsplash<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s that time in the semester when graduate school is starting to feel real. You\u2019ve settled into the city, fall is fully underway, and life is getting busy. You\u2019ve probably got project deadlines looming, pages upon pages of readings, part- or full-time work, and seemingly no time for yourself. If you\u2019re wondering how to make it through the semester in one piece, today\u2019s blog is for you. We\u2019re going to share some tips for how to maintain a healthy work-life balance, even in the busiest moments of graduate school. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 1: Reflect and make goals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to time management and work-life balance, everyone has different needs and strategies. As you are thinking about what you need to feel well-balanced in graduate school, think about what leads you<\/em> to feel burnt out. It\u2019ll probably be different than what makes your friends feel overwhelmed, and that\u2019s okay. Just figure out what the biggest stressors for you are.  For example, maybe you\u2019ve got a 12-hour day packed with classes and work, which leaves you feeling exhausted the rest of the week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you figure out what causes you the most stress, brainstorm ways you can make yourself feel a little less frazzled. Maybe you can\u2019t change your schedule, but you can bring a water bottle and plenty of snacks so that you have less brain fog throughout the day. Try to think about your past month, identify your most consistent areas of stress, and set some goals to help yourself feel a little more balanced and present during those times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you start setting goals for yourself, be flexible! If you\u2019re trying to start meal prepping or going to bed earlier, know that it\u2019s not going to be a perfect system. Some days, life will get in the way and you\u2019ll find yourself having pretzels for lunch or staying up late to work. When that happens, try not to be hard on yourself. The point is to try out strategies to make yourself feel less overwhelmed, so making your goals super rigid is only going to add to your stress!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip 2: Schedule your breaks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The busier you get, the easier it is to fill up every second with work and throw your work-life balance out the window. The problem is that you\u2019ll get less efficient if you\u2019re not giving yourself breaks every once in a while. So, working for hours on end will do more harm than good. If you\u2019re like me, you have every intention of taking a break, but then get too distracted with all the tasks to finish. The next thing you know, it\u2019s been 5 hours and you\u2019re staring at your computer, brain dead. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Gaining Visuals<\/strong><\/a> on Unsplash<\/strong><\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Try setting a timer to make sure you\u2019re giving yourself adequate breaks. When you start a busy day, set a timer that goes off every hour to remind you to take a second, breathe, and step away from your task for a moment. That brief break will let your brain come up for air, which then helps you feel more energized and present. If you like to get in the zone for a few hours at a time, try scheduling a Google calendar event for a longer break every couple hours. If you have an hour already blocked out for a break, you\u2019ll be more likely to actually give yourself that break. Sometimes getting a reminder on your phone or laptop is all you need to snap out of hustle mode, check in with yourself, and refresh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 3: Make small substitutions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s just not possible to take a full weekend to rest and reset. But just because you don\u2019t have hours on end of free time doesn\u2019t mean work-life balance is out of the question. Instead, try to find small slivers of your day that you could use more intentionally for yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by <\/a>Kelly Sikkema<\/a> <\/strong>on Unsplash<\/strong><\/a>
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A great place to start is thinking about your commute. If you use public transportation each day, you\u2019ve got a built-in part of your day during which you can\u2019t be on your laptop or doing work. Instead of doom scrolling through your commute, try bringing small things that help you get some time for yourself, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n