Balancing study, work, rest, leisure, and personal commitments is an essential part of succeeding at university. Finding the right study–work pattern for you often takes some trial and error, and taking on too many work hours can negatively impact your progress and wellbeing.
Start by clarifying how many contact hours (in‑class, whether online or in person) and non‑contact hours (independent study) your course requires. If you’re unsure, your course coordinator can guide you.
It can also help to track how long everyday tasks realistically take. Use this information to create a detailed weekly timetable that includes study time, work shifts, travel, and daily necessities such as sleep, meals, and household tasks. If your schedule becomes so full that there’s no room left for rest or leisure, it’s a sign that something may need to be reduced or adjusted.
Flinders has an extensive range of health and wellbeing services and you can check them out here.
Many, if not most, students fit in part-time work while studying, and graduate employers highly value workplace experience, and the employability skills it demonstrates.
Use the resources on CareerHub for career planning, job search, applications, interviews and more, including finding work whilst you study.
If you are concerned about your finances while you study, we recommend investigating financial assistance including scholarships and Centrelink. Financial counselling and loans are also available: contact FUSA’s Student Assist unit.
If you are an international students you will need to check your visa requirements also.