The Balancing Act: Continuing Your Education

Continuing your education is the first step to achieving financial security for your family.

Pursuing the success you desire has its challenges, but with great responsibility comes great reward.

Your life is full of things that must get done. When you begin school, you may still need a full-time job. Your family still needs you. And, time for yourself is vital to fuel your desire to continue to pursue your dreams with all your heart.

But if you keep your eyes on the dream of completing your education in furthering your career, you'll achieve the success you crave.

With ingenuity, dedication, and careful planning, you can do it all.

Here are a few important considerations as you think through your success plan:

Child Care
First, create a plan for childcare. Determine who'll take care of your children while you're attending classes. Keep your monthly budget in mind while working out the details.

Your spouse may be able to care for your children while you're attending classes. This is ideal because it breaks your child's routine as little as possible.

Family members and friends can also help in a pinch. Find a family member that is willing to watch your children for a low cost. Sometimes, they may even be willing to help for no cost all.

If your search produces few results, enlist the help of a neighbouring teen or a friend's daughter to care for your children while you're in class. The important thing is that you're thinking about obstacles that are in your path and finding ways around them.

This will dramatically increase your self-confidence as you approach the beginning of the school year.

Home Life

Your responsibilities remain when you attend college. Your family still needs to eat dinner. The laundry, chores and time with your family still beg for a large chunk of your time.

Resolve to do whatever it takes to create a schedule that allows you enough time to complete homework, nurture your family relationships and remain flexible for times when things go wrong.

Enlist the help of each member of your family. Assign age-appropriate chores that involve everyone.

If your children are old enough to prepare dinner, assign them a night or two each week to prepare the meal.

Alternatively, cook a large meal the night before your class and serve leftovers the following evening.

Be flexible with your daily routine as well. Wake up an hour earlier than you're used to and tend to laundry and other household chores. Or, you can outsource the tasks by hiring a maid service once or twice each week.

If you can afford it, this can be a great way to reward yourself for your hard work and to lighten the load a little.

Remember that time with your family is just as important as completing your school assignments on time. Keep a calendar of appointments and assignments. Each day, carve time out of your calendar to bond with your family away from the hustle and bustle of work and school.

Work Life

While excelling in the classroom is important, maintaining your job security is essential to your livelihood. Therefore, provide your employer and your assigned tasks with your undivided attention while you're at work.

Leave your schoolwork at home and commit to giving your employer your best for the entire time that you're paid. Your hard work and dedication will surely be noticed and rewarded in due time.
You can maintain your life while earning your degree.

You'll certainly face obstacles along the way. But anything that is worth having is worth working for. If you plan for success, maintain a balanced
approach to your busy life, and never give up, nothing can stop you from earning your degree and achieving the success you've been dreaming about.

To your success

Sifu Lee Jacobs
www.leejacobs.co.uk