Balancing work and study: Tips for healthcare administration students

Whether you’re seeking a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration to pursue an entry-level healthcare management position or a master’s degree to qualify for more advanced roles, completing an education in this field can be professionally and personally rewarding. However, if you’re balancing work and study through the process, achieving your educational goals can leave you feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

You’re not alone if you’re straining to juggle professional duties and educational requirements in areas such as healthcare administration and healthcare management. While it may seem daunting at times, the good news is that you can manage both types of responsibilities with the right strategies. Here’s how you can strike a successful balance between work and study as a student in this field.

Be realistic about the demands involved.

The dynamic nature of healthcare makes it especially daunting for healthcare administration students to balance work and study. “Healthcare administration students face several unique challenges when balancing work and school. Both academic and professional responsibilities in healthcare administration can be demanding, often requiring long hours and intense focus,” said Heather Alonge, PhD, MPH, core faculty member in the Master of Healthcare Administration program at Walden University.

Healthcare administration students face several unique challenges when balancing work and school. Both academic and professional responsibilities in healthcare administration can be demanding, often requiring long hours and intense focus.

When selecting a healthcare management or healthcare administration program, make sure you understand the required curriculum and the amount of time you’ll need to devote to your education outside formal instruction hours. Weigh those demands against your work obligations. This can help you establish realistic educational goals and determine whether a full-time or part-time healthcare administration program is right for you. “The healthcare field is always evolving, requiring students to stay updated with the latest regulations, technologies and best practices, adding to their study load. Understanding and keeping up with healthcare laws and regulations is crucial but can be complex and time-consuming. Building professional relationships is important in healthcare administration, requiring time and effort outside of work and study hours,” said Alonge.

Consider a program that offers online learning.

Many healthcare administration programs allow you to fulfill most or all of your credits in online coursework. These types of programs are popular among working healthcare administration students because they often allow you to arrange your coursework around your work schedule. Without a strict class schedule or the need to commute to a campus, online learning offers you more freedom to balance work and study.

While you’ll gain flexibility with an online program, you’ll have to remain self-disciplined and motivated to succeed in this type of independent study. To get the most from an online education, look for an accredited program that offers features such as class group chats, online instructor office hours, virtual healthcare administration student organizations and other ways to connect and interact with your instructors and fellow students. These types of programs can help you bridge the gap between home and classroom even though you’re not meeting in person.

Ideally, you can use the flexibility of online learning to establish clear boundaries between the time you allocate for work and study. This can help you avoid overlapping obligations. ”Students should avoid multi-tasking and carve out dedicated time to complete their various objectives and tasks. This helps to improve productivity and clarity of work,” said Alonge.

Establish a manageable schedule to prioritize your time.

To balance work and study as a healthcare administration student, you will have to set a plan to manage your time. Establish a realistic schedule that includes all your priorities and stick to it. In addition to work and study, plan the time you need to meet personal demands such as caregiving duties for children or other family members. Your schedule should also allow for time to rest and recharge so you’re not overwhelmed by obligations.

“Students should dedicate a set amount of time, whether it is once a week or once a month, to do something for themselves that they enjoy. This could be having coffee at their favorite coffee shop, going to a movie or visiting a museum. These small acts of self-care help to establish good mental health and give the student something to look forward to during the hours of school and work,” said Alonge.

You can master time management by recording the required dates for class times, assignment due dates and exams on your calendar at the start of each semester. At the same time, include dates and times for work-related meetings and project deadlines. Review your priorities weekly to stay ahead of the most pressing demands for the upcoming week. Follow daily checklists to remain aligned with your goals. These strategies can help you stay organized and reduce the need for last-minute cramming and desperate measures. Planning ahead can help you meet all your obligations with a minimum of stress, especially when the unexpected occurs. ”Crises like cyberattacks, pandemics and states of emergency create long and unpredictable hours for healthcare administrators, which can create challenges for completing required assignments and studying,” said Alonge.

Enlist the support and assistance of your employer.

Talk to your supervisor or employer about your educational goals. “The most important thing healthcare administration students can do to help reduce challenges between work and school is to openly communicate. Students should share with their employers about their studies. This can help employers and departmental leaders understand limitations and potentially offer more flexible work hours,” said Alonge.

When discussing the challenges of balancing work and study, offer a plan in which you can continue to meet your work responsibilities while staying on track with your studies. Since these needs differ by individual, consider your specific challenges and pose reasonable solutions. Most employers are willing to help you achieve your goals. “The pursuit of the degree not only benefits the employee but also the employer, so the employer should be supporting the employee,” said Alonge.

Take advantage of support services that can help you succeed.

Whether you complete a healthcare administration degree in person or online, you don’t have to face the challenges of balancing work and study alone. Most colleges and institutions have academic support centers that specialize in a wide range of services to help students succeed. If you’re facing challenges with academic, financial, social or emotional issues or are feeling stressed about returning to school as an adult healthcare administration student, it’s likely that your institution can help you find solutions or direct you to appropriate resources.

“I always encourage students to utilize the academic support services available to them through the university to include academic advisors, tutoring services and library and writing support services. These support services enable students to maximize their resources, improve their skills, evaluate their course load and manage their schedules effectively,” said Alonge.

Prioritize physical and mental health.

As you pursue your education, recognize that balancing work and study can be challenging for any student. Research indicates that employed students have a higher risk of burnout because the combination of work and study reduces their ability to meet the demands of professional and academic life simultaneously.

Focusing on your physical and mental health can help your body remain resilient in times of stress and setbacks so you can combat the threat of burnout. “I often remind students to prioritize their mental and physical health like they would with a school or work task,” said Alonge. “A big suggestion I give students is to set an appointment on their calendars for exercise, even if it is a walk at their lunch break or waking 20 minutes earlier for a quick at-home workout. Physical exercise should always be complemented with mindful practices such as meditation, yoga or journaling.”

While it’s possible to succeed in balancing work and study, the road can get rocky at times for everyone. Feelings of anxiety and depression can undermine your academic and professional success along with your personal well-being. If you feel unable to cope with your situation, you may benefit from seeking professional mental health support.

“Students should feel empowered to seek counseling services when the task of balancing work and school become overwhelming. In our post-COVID world, there are many online professional counseling services that accommodate working professionals’ schedules to offer evening and weekend sessions. Counselors are also more specialized often providing services for career counseling, life coaching and time management practices,” said Alonge.