Learning to Balance Work, School and Relationships:
This blog will go over my plan for balancing work, school and relationships. After having a taste of it last year, where I got my first job and started full time school. I know my limits and what my strengths are. The plans I make may be a bit extreme for many. Find what works for you, and I do not recommend some of the things I do, as they can lead to exhaustion.
I am doing our last year of classes, this is what our semester one looks like;
➸ Statistics
➸ Physics
➸ Biotechnology Intro
➸ Child Development
➸ AP English Literature
➸ American Government
➸ Honors Biology
Some classes in Semester two include, Entrepreneur, Investing, Weight Training and Financial Literature.
It is a demanding schedule. We raised our GPA from a 1.9 to a 3.0 within a year. I am taking Honor classes and AP to give our GPA and extra boost as well.
We are a D.I.D System, Professionally diagnosed about 5 years ago. Our family therapist has been watching our growth and new alters come to life since we were 7 years old. I can thank her for helping us get started with our excellent system communication.
However, we were not always like this. The reason for our poor GPA was due to the fact we were being drugged by an abusive psychiatrist. Our previous host slept through our classes. Teachers made us run up and down stairs, made us stand during classes. We would still fall asleep. Falling asleep during our final exams, we could never keep our eyes open. Multiple trips to the Mental Hospital only allowed this doctor to give us more drugs.
Now only on one medication, we have a first job, we have a fiance, a healthy relationship. We have jobs reaching out to us, college planned out and our finances are excellent for our age.
Everyone struggled last year. Online classes were not for everyone. Within my own home, our brother did poorly with online classes. It was also his first year in Highschool. Going through many of the things we went through, our brother suffered and failed his first year. But they allowed him to go onto the second year.
Due to the world wide issue that still continues. We were understaffed (still are), which led to us being overworked. Our managers enjoy scheduling those who are good at their job, however they sadly overwork them. They often have them close (until about 2200 or 2300. Sometimes midnight if people decide to walk in 10 minutes before closing), or work up to 6 days a week. I was quickly liked by my Manager, he scheduled me a lot. Already reaching 30 hours within the first month of working there. However, school was online, it was much easier to get sleep. Eventually, when classes started in person. My body started to dislike me. We woke up at 0530, went to school ( at 0740) and ended at 1440. Then I usually worked from 1600 until 2200. I then came home and took a while to wind down. Falling asleep at midnight usually. To wake up again the next day at 0520. This is obviously not recommended. Our lover needs up to 8 hours every night in order to function well. While we can have up to 5-7 in order to do what we need for that day. Do what works for you.
For work, I plan to maybe keep it to 4 days a week. One of the managers (she is more concerned about my well-being than work, which I do appreciate when I ask her for advice) she has said to at least have one day completely to yourself. No school and no work. A day to spend towards your mental health. I do like this idea. If I am able to do that, I am thinking maybe a Saturday. As many of the others in my position will be working only weekends. So I know I will be able to do week days and ask my manager for at least one of the weekends off. I know I will probably still want Monday off, I will probably still do Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I will probably ask for Saturday off and maybe try work all day on a Sunday to avoid closing on a Sunday. I would have to talk to our grandmother, as she likes to go to Church early. I will be sure to talk to her about it and see what works best for her. As I know, getting rid of Saturday will lower my hours. As I usually average around 8 to 10 hours on Saturdays. If I could do that on Sundays, I would love to. With how my manager is, I will have to be stern when asking and remember to put my health first. He is a bit difficult to navigate around, due to his extremist nature. But I know if I tell him it will limit the amount of times of calling out, it will allow me to do well at school and at work. So that it benefits the both of us. If Saturdays is what he needs me to do, then I will, but I will ask for the Sunday off. Just thinking about doing it is making me quite nervous. However, I have already asked for a raise, this should be no different. I just need to be confident and know what works for me.
My goals are to avoid procrastination. This is a goal for so many students, but I mean this. When there is something to be done, you do it right away. Before it becomes a big problem, let it stay small and do not let stress take over.
Study and Work in class. A lot of students are bored in class. Either on their phone while the teacher is giving a lecture. When I understand the material and do not need to listen very deeply to the lecture. I will work on other material to make sure I stay ahead. This allows me to make sure I do not have as much work outside of school. We are already at school for 8 hours, why not spend it wisely instead of allowing yourself to dread every second of it. If you have used flashcards, maybe bring them to lunch with you. So you can eat and study the flash cards. If you learn better by videos. Maybe watch some videos on the topic when you have free time in class. On the bus, during lunch etc. Use your time wisely, that is something students do not seem to remember.
I am not one to make friendships in school, or go out with people and socialize. I will mostly text and talk to our lover or one other friend that we have. I will often use up all of our social energy at work. I am not one who seeks friends in the school, it is not something that I yearn for. As it usually is a waste of time and creates drama. Which led to the downfall of our system in middle school and the start of high-school.
However, we are engaged. We are long distance for now. We make sure that we set time aside to spend together. That being just sitting on call as we both work on something or read. While she is ready for bed, reading to her to get our daily reading in. Even if she has no clue what the book is about. No matter how much we stutter, she easily falls asleep and feels loved. Making small gifts for each other to remind each other that we are thinking of each other. Sending just an emoji to our chats to show that we are thinking of them. It is that small, that easy to show someone you love them. Watching you tube videos together, she even made flash cards for my forensic test once because I was so overwhelmed. She put little motivation messages in the flashcards as well. Things such as this. Sending money to us for a cup of coffee, those simple things. Staying busy and sticking to ourselves for a while, allowing us to recharge is also important. I know we need breaks and alone time quite often, and she respects this. She finds something to do while we recharge and then we come back in a much better mood.
I believe that is all I have for you all today. I do hope that this helps someone in some way. Thank you for taking the time to read this. It means quite a lot to me.
Please have a lovely rest of your day and week.
Farewell
Simon.
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