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The days are short when you have multiple responsibilities. This is something that every woman can confirm to be true. But, when you are studying, working, and raising kids, even adding 48 hours to every day wouldn’t be enough.

Plowing time into your professional development comes at a cost, but so do missed opportunities. No one wants to feel that sense of disappointment of lost chances for success. So, if studying helps get you to where you want to be professionally, committing to it is the way forward.

Unfortunately, you need a lot more than just commitment to combine work with study. You’re also going to need a ton of practical help to keep your plan moving. Here’s what you need to juggle working and studying without burn-out:

Sort Childcare First

Before anything else, sorting childcare should be a priority. Thinking on your childcare options is wise before you even see your study timetable. If you have a partner, now is the time to get them to commit to handling the childcare on specific days - and to stick with it. Now is not the time for flaky behavior; you need arrangements you can trust. If there are gaps in your childcare schedule, fixing these now is vital. Taking a look at care.com can help. There are loads of details for childcare centers and other caregivers available. So finding one should be simple.

Map Your Time

Multitasking can be tempting when you have tons of things to balance. Unfortunately, multitasking can also be a surefire route to burn-out. Combining studying, working, and raising kids is simpler when you stop trying to do everything. Choosing one thing and focusing on it is a lot kinder to your mind. So, dividing up your time and attempting to direct your attention to just one task instead of ten can help.

When you have many responsibilities, it can be easy to push your studies aside. But falling behind on your course will only cause future stress. If needed, taking a little and often approach can be a massive help. Working consistently on your studies, even for short bursts, can help you stay on top. This approach should also keep those stress levels low.

Seek Support at Work

Your studies will ultimately benefit your career. So why not ask if some extra support is available from your employer? Ultimately, your employer will benefit from your newfound knowledge and skills when your studies are complete. So, they may be happy to support you while you earn your new qualifications.

Knowing that they have a lot to gain from your new skills could encourage your employer to allow you periods of study time ahead of exams. Your employer may even have a mentorship scheme you could join. Having an extra person on your side and cheering you on is always a bonus. 

Attempting to study, work and raise a family is never easy. But, when you have a clear plan and support mechanisms in place, it is manageable.