Stressed Students' Secrets to Success

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     An increasing number of students are trying to balance studying full time with working part time, but how many of those students are able to stay on top of it all? Studies show that 25 per cent of students find it hard to create a healthy work/study balance. However, recent figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics still show that 32 per cent of young students juggle both part time work and studying full time.

     Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that 982,300 males and 979,400 females between the ages of 15 and 24 are currently undergoing university or secondary level education in Australia. Of those 1,961,700 students, 627,500 split their time between maintaining good grades and earning an income.

     In a study undertaken by the Australian Council for Educational Research, results show that 41 per cent of student-workers say that if they hadn’t been also working during the study year, they would’ve spent more time studying; 31 per cent believed their results would’ve been significantly better. At the same time, 25 per cent say they found it difficult to balance the demands of work and study, and 20 per cent said they got behind in their studies because of their job. It points to significant difficulty creating a healthy balance between working and studying for a large number of students.

     The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that one in four young people between the ages of 15 and 25 will develop a mental health disorder. Dr Leigh Burrows, Senior Education Lecturer and Director of the Mindfulness Special Interest Group at Flinders University, isn’t surprised by this statistic, noting that it may have something to do with the amount of pressure placed on students to perform well in school while maintaining a part time job. “It’s quite a stressful life being a student,” she says. “It’s inherent in the activity being so head-based.”

     One student who has felt the stresses of university and working life is Kiera, a 20 year-old full time nursing student in her second year. At one point Kiera was juggling working a supermarket job, nursing placement, working as a care worker at a healthcare facility, and studying as a full time nursing student. “I was exhausted. I felt like my weeks never ended and just blurred into one huge stress ball,” she says. “I didn’t have any time to think about myself.”

     After dropping a few of her working commitments, Kiera found she was happier. “When I was working at the supermarket, I didn’t enjoy work at all, so quitting was definitely good,” she says. “I enjoy my care worker job. It pays amazingly and I think it’s beneficial for my future nursing career and my resume.”

     It can get tiring though, she says, and with so much on her plate she often forgets to prioritise such essential tasks as sleeping and eating. “It does affect me, especially with night duty where I can be awake for more than 24 hours at a time.”

     Despite her busy schedule, Kiera says she is keeping on top of her university course work. “My grades have been okay – no fails yet,” she says.

     Currently, Kiera is saving up for a “much needed holiday” in Europe, while the sum of her current expenditures – a phone bill, car insurance, and petrol – mean that she requires a job while she studies to live comfortably.

     Kiera recommends that people in her situation should find a hobby or social activity, to take a productive break from studying and working. Kiera likes playing social sports, drawing and catching up with her friends for coffee.

     Another student who works and studies at the same time is 19 year-old Georgia, who studies psychology full time and umpires netball games throughout the week.

     She initially found it hard to manage her time effectively. “It took me failing a subject before I was able to balance work and study properly,” she says. Procrastination got the better of Georgia and she found herself prioritising umpiring over studying her difficult subjects.

     Nowadays, Georgia keeps a list of things she needs to do during the day and ensures that she completes most of what’s on the list. “Occasionally it does get exhausting and stressful but, to ensure my mental health isn’t being dramatically affected by my work and study, I make sure I rest,” she says. “I could have a day where I study and work without much break, but the next day I do nothing.”

     Georgia’s main reason for working is to earn money, but she also enjoys the change of atmosphere it brings, and allowing a break from studying. Currently, she’s saving money, but also needs to pay rent and likes to indulge in recreational activities such as attending concerts.

     “Last year I did a course relating to healthy study habits,” Georgia says. “It was mainly about organising your time to ensure you aren’t stressed or under pressure, minimising procrastination, and multitasking.” While Georgia learnt a lot from that course, she believes she could’ve benefitted more from a different approach. “Personally, I think it’s important to find a release or an escape like making art or spending time in nature,” she says. “They should incorporate positive psychology into my course. It has a therapy-based approach and incorporates mindfulness rather than just mentioning the best ways to study.”

     Dr Leigh Burrows is passionate about assisting students to manage their stress. Her knowledge includes areas such as mindfulness, professional learning, and spiritual and emotional wellbeing.

     Mindfulness, according to Leigh, involves a process of attuning to self, others and the environment. “My idea of mindfulness is more holistic and less cognitive. It’s more involved with feelings and the body,” she says. “A lot of mindfulness it too focused on your thinking, and students are already doing enough of that.”

     Leigh recommends mindfulness practices such as walking, being in nature, breathing in fresh air, and creating art or mandalas in order to clear one’s cluttered mind. “I think that when you go for a walk or a run, you can be processing some of your ideas anyway,” she says. “It’s not healthy to sit and fixate on your work, taking a breather often provides a fresh perspective.”

     “Mindfulness is a personal thing,” Leigh says. “For some people it’s too intense, and they should see a psychologist if mindfulness makes them feel worse.” Leigh believes the services provided to students on campus are great and can’t speak highly enough of the “dedicated, caring counsellors” and “inclusive spiritual drop-in centre” on her campus.

     A lot of factors go into determining whether or not a person can handle both studying and working at the same time, as highlighted by Kiera and Georgia. Being able to handle stressful situations and manage one’s time effectively are crucial to being successful in both areas. Mindfulness can go a long way during intense times, according to Leigh Burrows, but seeking out support from dedicated professionals can be beneficial as well. In all, maintaining your mental health while studying and working should be your number one job.