Online education is making it easier than ever to earn a graduate degree in many fields, including public health. You can earn a master’s degree in public health from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), without relocating or leaving your current job. Online study while continuing to work delivers an added benefit: you can apply what you learn immediately to real-world problems.
Success in an online public health program requires students to manage school, work, and personal commitments. That can be a challenge, but it’s manageable if you approach it strategically. This article offers nine practical strategies that can help you balance your commitments while an online student in a Master of Public Health (MPH) program.
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How to Balance Work and School as an Online MPH Degree Student
Careful planning and conscientious self-care guide students attempting to strike a successful work-life balance. The following strategies will help you meet all your obligations.
Master Time Management
Effective time management is critical when balancing work and study. Creating a schedule and sticking to it will help reduce stress and make you more productive.
To create your schedule, list all your time-bound commitments. Use a calendar to block out your working hours, synchronous class meetings, discussion groups, and family responsibilities. You will now know how much uncommitted time you have each week. Next, consider your assignments, project deadlines, and lesson activities, and schedule time slots to complete each on time. Remember to include downtime to allow yourself to recharge.
Study During Breaks
Take advantage of free time during the day to sneak in a bit of studying. Subway ride? That can be study time. Lunchtime? Why not get a head start on your weekly reading? You’ll be glad you did.
Online learning will help you maximize your study time.Unlike on-campus students, you won’t spend time commuting, parking, or walking to lecture halls. As an online student, you can also be productive up to the moment a class or study group starts (as opposed to wasting time waiting in a classroom).
Know When to Recharge
While sticking to your schedule is important, you also have to know when you’ve hit your limit. If you’re struggling to focus, why not take a short walk to give yourself a mental break? Also, don’t be afraid to take a ten-minute nap now and then. Set an alarm and discover how refreshing a power nap can be.
Make Studying Social
Solitary study is fine and is sometimes necessary, but it needn’t be your only option. Your online program peers are only a Zoom call away. Schedule regular study groups to help each other learn and provide essential moral support.
Lean on Your Network
Your family and friends want you to succeed and will often be willing to help when things get tough. Don’t hesitate to ask for emotional and practical support when you need it.
Organize Your Work
Setting priorities early on will help you make decisions more efficiently, significantly reducing stress. A predefined list of priorities will help you know which tasks to focus on and what can wait until later. Do this and you’ll spend your time getting work done rather than trying to decide what to do next.
Know When to Say No
As a graduate student, you will sometimes have to say ‘no’ to social events and family gatherings to meet your study schedule. It can be tough. However, there’s power in realizing that you can’t do it all and making decisions to support your goals. These social events will be much more fun once you’ve earned your degree and can relax without worrying about falling behind!
Keep Your Employer Involved
Many employers encourage employees to earn degrees and are willing to take measures to help them succeed. Speak to your employer to find out what support they can offer. You might be entitled to study leave or be able to work flexible hours or remotely to increase your study time. About half of U.S. employers offer tuition reimbursement benefits.
Prioritize Good Habits
It might be challenging to squeeze exercise, a healthy diet and sufficient sleep into your day, but they are in fact time savers. Healthy habits promote mental acuity, more energy, and overall efficiency. Try to keep the late-night study sessions and fast-food meals to a minimum.
Achieve Your Master’s in Public Health Online
Earning a degree while working can be challenging, but hardly impossible: 84 percent of graduate students work, more than half of them at full-time jobs. Stick to a realistic game plan and you can succeed. Invest time in creating a study schedule that prioritizes your work, and make the most of the support available to you, including study groups, employer support, and help from friends and family. Most importantly, remember why you want to earn your master’s and focus on the career benefits you can look forward to. This will help you stay motivated when it’s time to say ‘no’ to distractions.
If you’re looking for a flexible, online MPH degree to advance your career, consider UTK’s online MPH. The program follows a rigorous curriculum designed to prepare students for success in the rapidly evolving field of public health. As a UTK student, you can choose from four program concentrations to align your degree with your interests and goals. Online students also have the opportunity to apply what they learn in a real-life environment through the Applied Practice Experience in their final semester.
To learn more about the UTK online MPH program or how to apply, reach out to an enrollment advisor today.