July 2019
I vividly remember the Saturday morning where I woke up and sobbed for an hour. You’re probably asking yourself, Why would anybody wake up crying on a Saturday morning? It’s supposed to be the best day of the week!
I realized that morning that I had hit an all-time low in my work career and school career. I thought I had become this type of superhuman that could juggle all these different components of my life with ease and a smile on my face.
I mean, it should be easy, right? I should be able to juggle being a mom, wife, full-time teacher, church pianist, and part-time grad student. Along this path,
I came to learn that I can’t juggle it all and there are days that I will struggle.
That Saturday morning, I learned something. I learned that the best way to try and manage a full-time career with grad school is to plan ahead and prepare for what’s to come. Let me give you a few examples.
When I started grad school three years ago, I told my husband that I only wanted one thing. A gym membership. Some girls get their hair and nails done.
Some choose retail therapy to manage stress. I love to work out. Working out helps me to relieve stress and makes me highly energetic.
Last year, I knew that staff development and grad school would both begin in August. So, throughout the month of July, I started preparing crockpot meals. I was able to freeze 60 meals to put my mind at ease that we would at least be eating dinner, even if everything else that week had fallen apart.
One spring semester, I knew that I would need a break in the middle of the semester to help push me through to the end. So, we planned a trip to a state park.
Unfortunately, I missed an assignment during this time. It wasn’t the end of the world, though, because my professor let me redo the assignment. I was able to take the break that I so desperately needed and my professor extended grace.
With this upcoming semester, there will be a lot of change on the horizon. I will be ending my M.Ed. program at Sam Houston State University and will begin a new M.Ed. program at Texas A&M University. WHOOP! I’ve lived in Aggieland for 16 years and will officially become an Aggie. I have also been asked to move from 3rd to 4th grade. Yet, another change.
As excited as I am to see change on the horizon, I am preparing for the upcoming stress that will ensue. I will be taking 12 grad school hours in the fall alone. How am I preparing for this overload?
I will make meals starting in August that we can just heat and eat. I plan on buying paper goods. I will be utilizing my family and having them prepare dinner on those nights when I will be drowned with homework.
I have already spoken to my parents about possibly spending a few days with us if I get too overwhelmed. Of course, they agreed. I hope that you have someone in your life who would do the same for you!
I am also hiring someone to clean our house. I always thought this commodity was for the rich, but since my husband and I are debt-free with very little expenses, I figure this is worth the money!
I am instructing my children on how to hold me accountable and help me realize when it’s time to take a break. I want them to drag me out the door and go somewhere, or do something besides homework 24/7. I’m sure my two boys will make sure this happens!
I plan on writing down EVERY assignment. I want to overplan and make sure that I know exactly when homework is due and when I need to start reading that book.
I’m sitting at my computer now looking at how to organize my school calendar and prepare for upcoming lesson plans. My goal is to have these mapped out before school even begins so that I can primarily focus on finishing at Sam.
Do you see how I’m already planning on how to survive the fall semester?
What about you? What are some ways that you can better manage your time?
What could you do to better juggle your time between grad school and work?
Maybe you need to give something up. Maybe you need to include something positive in your life. Think about it. I’d love to hear your feedback!
---Whitney Sparks
Whitney Sparks is a Masters student in the Department of Education
I realized that morning that I had hit an all-time low in my work career and school career. I thought I had become this type of superhuman that could juggle all these different components of my life with ease and a smile on my face.
I mean, it should be easy, right? I should be able to juggle being a mom, wife, full-time teacher, church pianist, and part-time grad student. Along this path,
I came to learn that I can’t juggle it all and there are days that I will struggle.
That Saturday morning, I learned something. I learned that the best way to try and manage a full-time career with grad school is to plan ahead and prepare for what’s to come. Let me give you a few examples.
When I started grad school three years ago, I told my husband that I only wanted one thing. A gym membership. Some girls get their hair and nails done.
Some choose retail therapy to manage stress. I love to work out. Working out helps me to relieve stress and makes me highly energetic.
Last year, I knew that staff development and grad school would both begin in August. So, throughout the month of July, I started preparing crockpot meals. I was able to freeze 60 meals to put my mind at ease that we would at least be eating dinner, even if everything else that week had fallen apart.
One spring semester, I knew that I would need a break in the middle of the semester to help push me through to the end. So, we planned a trip to a state park.
Unfortunately, I missed an assignment during this time. It wasn’t the end of the world, though, because my professor let me redo the assignment. I was able to take the break that I so desperately needed and my professor extended grace.
With this upcoming semester, there will be a lot of change on the horizon. I will be ending my M.Ed. program at Sam Houston State University and will begin a new M.Ed. program at Texas A&M University. WHOOP! I’ve lived in Aggieland for 16 years and will officially become an Aggie. I have also been asked to move from 3rd to 4th grade. Yet, another change.
As excited as I am to see change on the horizon, I am preparing for the upcoming stress that will ensue. I will be taking 12 grad school hours in the fall alone. How am I preparing for this overload?
I will make meals starting in August that we can just heat and eat. I plan on buying paper goods. I will be utilizing my family and having them prepare dinner on those nights when I will be drowned with homework.
I have already spoken to my parents about possibly spending a few days with us if I get too overwhelmed. Of course, they agreed. I hope that you have someone in your life who would do the same for you!
I am also hiring someone to clean our house. I always thought this commodity was for the rich, but since my husband and I are debt-free with very little expenses, I figure this is worth the money!
I am instructing my children on how to hold me accountable and help me realize when it’s time to take a break. I want them to drag me out the door and go somewhere, or do something besides homework 24/7. I’m sure my two boys will make sure this happens!
I plan on writing down EVERY assignment. I want to overplan and make sure that I know exactly when homework is due and when I need to start reading that book.
I’m sitting at my computer now looking at how to organize my school calendar and prepare for upcoming lesson plans. My goal is to have these mapped out before school even begins so that I can primarily focus on finishing at Sam.
Do you see how I’m already planning on how to survive the fall semester?
What about you? What are some ways that you can better manage your time?
What could you do to better juggle your time between grad school and work?
Maybe you need to give something up. Maybe you need to include something positive in your life. Think about it. I’d love to hear your feedback!
---Whitney Sparks
Whitney Sparks is a Masters student in the Department of Education