As a parent working toward a doctoral degree, it can feel like an uphill battle to stay motivated and make progress on your studies while also finding time to care for your family. Aspiring to be a doctor is no small feat, and seeking a doctoral degree requires a considerable amount of time and effort. However, it’s essential to remember that pursuing academic excellence shouldn’t come at the expense of your family life.
Achieving a balance between family and academic pursuits is crucial, and it’s something that needs to be prioritized to maintain one’s well-being. Neglecting one at the expense of the other can lead to burnout, stress, and dissatisfaction in both areas of your life.
Create a Routine
Scheduling your day and sticking to a routine can help you stay organized and on track with both parenting and studying. Make sure to include time for reading, writing, taking care of the family, and any other activities that you need to do in order to be successful. The amount of time you need for each activity will depend on your individual circumstances, but the key is to establish a consistent routine that allows you to check off items from both lists.
Prioritize Your Commitments
Prioritizing tasks and commitments can help you make sure that the most important ones are done first, before taking care of the less important ones. This will help you manage your time better and ensure that family needs are met before studying for a doctoral degree. If you find it difficult to prioritize tasks, a helpful technique is to create a list of all the items that need to be done and then rank them in order of importance. The items that are highest on the list should be done first.
Plan Your Coursework in Advance
Planning your coursework in advance can help you stay on track with both parenting and studying. Start by making a list of the courses you need to take in order to complete your degree. Then, create a timeline for yourself based on when each course needs to be completed and how much time you should devote to it each week.
Having a plan in place can help you ensure that you’re making progress towards your degree while still finding time to spend with your family. For example, if you are pursuing a doctorate degree in leadership, you may have a certain number of classes to take over a certain period of time. Having the plan laid out in advance will help you stay on top of completing each course.
Make Use of Technology
Technology can be a great tool for helping you juggle parenting and studying. For example, you can use digital calendars or task management apps to keep track of tasks that need to be accomplished each day and set reminders for yourself. Essay writing and research can also be streamlined with the help of technology. Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Zotero can help you save time by automatically formatting your work or organizing your notes in one convenient place.
Take Breaks When Needed
Taking breaks from your studies is essential for staying productive and focused on both parenting and studying. Make sure to take a few minutes each day to relax and recharge your batteries. This could include taking a walk, playing a game with your family, or doing some light stretching. Taking breaks will help you come back to your studies with a fresh perspective and renewed energy, which can make all the difference in how quickly you complete your degree.
A doctoral degree can be very demanding, but it is possible to both parent and pursue an advanced degree. By following these tips, you can maximize your time and productivity while still making time for the important things in life.
