Balancing Nursing School, Work, and Personal Life: Strategies for Success
Reflection by Tania Mendoza
Nursing school is a big transition. Oftentimes, it feels as if there is no time for anything other than studying. But we can’t dedicate our entire lives to school, right? As I’ve come to realize, maintaining a balance between school, work, and personal life is not only important, but necessary. Without that balance, I risk sacrificing my mental health and facing burnout. When I began my first degree in public health at Oregon State University in 2017, I didn’t know how I would manage everything. Learning how to allocate the right amount of time to assignments and studying was challenging. The dread and disappointment of spending hours studying only to perform poorly on an exam was real. However, I discovered strategies to meet my school responsibilities, improve my test taking skills, and make time for the people and activities that I enjoy. I was able to transfer this experience to nursing school, but even then, it was not as easy as I imagined.
The most difficult part of nursing school for me was at the start. Between the overwhelming amount of information and pressure of exams and assignments, I did not know how I was going to make it through another degree. Over time, I learned to adjust and I realized how crucial it was to schedule personal time outside of school. Making time for walks in nature, going to the gym, and spending time with my loved ones created moments of rest and connection, providing me the mental recharge I needed to focus. Whether it’s spending time with others or taking a short break for a walk or a light snack such as fruit or a granola bar, I found that I absorb more information and complete assignments with more clarity of mind. Of course, there are times when exam season or heavy workload weeks make it impossible to rest. During these seasons, I can’t afford to take long breaks, but I find ways to take shorter rest periods. I work on regulating my stress and body tension through deep breathing and creating a calm environment involving soothing music and using my oil diffuser to help me focus better.
Maintaining organization is crucial. I rely on a detailed weekly planner that I purchased at Office Max to keep track of everything. At the start of the term, I write down all my deadlines, clinical hours, class time, and exam days; by doing so, I am able to visualize what I have coming up to ensure I give myself enough time to prepare. If possible, I look at the assignment instructions ahead of time to determine the extent of the workload. I also have monthly calendars by my desk to identify the lighter workload weeks to schedule time with friends and family. On my busier weeks, I limit my commitments. Every morning, I like to plan out my day with tasks to complete by the end of the day. If I am unable to complete all the tasks, I will add them to my to-do list for the next day while staying mindful of deadlines. I like to meal prep on Sunday nights for the week to avoid stress, fuel my body with nutrients, and allow more time for school.
Effective time management is essential in creating a balance and it’s something that I’ve heard many people struggle with, including myself. Over time, this became easier, but sometimes life happens and managing time doesn’t go as I hoped. Despite that, I always strive to do my best. To manage my time effectively, I focus on prioritizing tasks and setting clear goals. One of the most helpful practices is starting assignments early, so that if unexpected things come up, I have more flexibility, and if not, I can use the extra time to rest or study material. While I work on assignments, I like to work in intervals of about 30 minutes followed by short breaks. By doing so, I stay focused and productive during my study sessions. I also prioritize my tasks starting with ones requiring less time then working on larger tasks. This approach helps me feel accomplished as I cross off easier tasks from my list first. If time allows, I will regularly quiz myself to assess my learning and determine how much study time I need. Needless to say, there are times when everything gets too busy that I have no extra time and I have to sacrifice sleep or free time to ensure my success.
I do want to recognize that my strategies are not always effective. No matter how much I plan, unexpected things in life can come up that are out of my control. In particular, a family member may need urgent help, some individuals may be dealing with losses, or unexpected physical and mental health challenges can arise. In these moments, I do my best to seek support from faculty, classmates, or loved ones. The common consensus of my cohort is that some weeks we will face more stressful and emotional challenges that lead us to operate in survival mode. The important thing is to remind ourselves that we are not alone. I do my best to stay disciplined, take it day by day, and seek support when I encounter challenges.
The truth is, nursing school is tough, but not impossible. It requires focus, motivation, and learning effective strategies. The ability to achieve these goals will be different for each one of us depending on life circumstances and commitments. It is essential to show compassion and patience for ourselves through the whole process. As I move closer to graduation, I am preparing myself to obtain my Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) through the RN to BSN program. Thanks to the Billi I. Odegaard Nursing Scholarship Fund, I have received financial aid and mentorship to support me as I pursue my nursing school journey. With the support of my family, friends, instructors, and so many others, I am confident that I will soon fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse supporting the Latinx community through equitable and compassionate care.
