Completing a degree while working and especially with a family to support can be stressful at times, for a woman especially. You could be taking courses full-time, part-time or online, get an online MBA, or just take classes towards extra education; social support is important to go through the process with reduced stress.
Even though you’re pretty much on your own when pursuing courses online, the support of friends and family can play a very critical role. There are many ways your friends and family circle can support you with your studies, some of which include the following.
Work in a Team to Accelerate Success
If you’re running a business or planning on starting a new one, what do you need to ensure effective execution and flow of daily work and achievements? If building a team was not on the first three points that you listed, think again it better be! For instance, if you were to incorporate a business using www.sundocumentfilings.com, you may find that having a team backing you is quite handy.
Request Help with Housework
If you have housework responsibilities besides coursework deadlines, it would be very helpful to redistribute some of the tasks with your spouse or other family members. Your family will have to understand that you are studying as an online student now, which will take up a certain chunk of your day. See if you can exchange easier tasks with someone else, or schedule your duties over the weekend when you may have more time at your disposal, for example, doing laundry on Sunday mornings instead of a weekday night, or requesting your husband to take up dish-washing duties.
Ask for Childcare Help
If you’re the parent of a small child, there’s probably too much on your plate to handle. Small children can be very demanding in terms of time and energy, and any help is always greatly appreciated. A husband’s help is particularly helpful for women undertaking higher education. Your mother, mother-in-law, or sister could also be approached for help with babysitting your child. Remember, even two hours a week would matter and you should appreciate the efforts of whoever is helping you out.
Program Outings According to Your Schedule
Your circle of friends will have to be understanding about your study schedule. You should also explain to them the times and days you’re busy with coursework, and request to arrange hangouts and get-togethers according to your timetable. While this may not always be possible, even if this can be helped a few times a month, it can go a long way in keeping your social life happening while you pursue your degree online.
Excuse Yourself from Some Family Events
Sometimes, when you’re tied down to complete an assignment within a deadline, you may not be able to attend your niece’s birthday party or the weekend brunch at your best friend’s place. Family and friends have to be considerate of your responsibilities and not hold it up against you if you’re not able to attend an event. You should also never forget that some family time is also important, and make sure you’re there for important events, such as at your parents for Christmas. For other smaller events, perhaps you can go for a shorter while rather than staying till the last guest leaves.
Get Help with Logistical Arrangements
Maybe you need to set up a mini-study with a reliable internet connection; perhaps you need help with printing a research paper or assignment; or you might need a ride downtown for an important survey. Your friends and family can provide help with these logistical arrangements as per their own skills and schedules.
Request Advice with Coursework
You may have a friend, work colleague or someone in the family who has studied the same courses/ degree as you. Don’t be shy in seeking their help to understand something related to the course or an assignment, or even in sharing ideas with them. But beware, cheating and getting someone else to do your course-related work is a big no!
Family and friends are an important part of anyone’s life. Seek their help as and when required to ease the stress of completing a degree while working and/or with kids.
What has been your experience with such a situation? What advice would you share?
Guest Author Bio:
Kelly Gibson is a professional webmaster. Her main area of interest is educational research. Check out her blog OnlineDegreeTalk.org – which aim to assist you in your journey towards online education.