Balancing Life During Nursing School
By Kymberly Wisniewski
I often get messages asking, “How do you manage school, being a mom, and still find time for yourself when it all feels overwhelming?” While it’s nice to hear that I seem to have it together and can offer advice, the truth is, I don’t always have it all figured out. Some weeks, I feel on top of things, ahead on tasks, and enjoying time with my family and personal interests. Other times, I’m buried under assignments, responsibilities, and household chores. The key thing to remember is that we’re only human. Every day has only 24 hours, and some days we’ll succeed in our plans, while on others, we might not.
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The main lesson I’ve learned since starting nursing school is to be kind to myself on days when I fall short. I wish I had a secret formula to flawlessly balance everything and excel in all aspects all the time. But, after a year and a half in nursing school, I’ve realized that it’s not possible to do it all.
That being said, there are ways to manage your time and organize your week. I start by creating a “Mental Game Plan” for the upcoming week. I check my planner to see what assignments are due and tackle the more time-consuming ones first. I save the quicker and easier tasks for later since I know I can complete them quickly. I also study in short sessions each day rather than cramming everything last-minute. I usually work on schoolwork after 9:00 pm once my son is asleep. While staying up late isn’t my preferred study time, it’s when I can focus without sacrificing family time during the day. It’s a trade-off I make to spend time with my family.
The crucial thing I remind myself of is that nursing school is temporary. The late nights, saying “no” to some things, and the stress from exams will eventually end. Making sacrifices, whether it’s time with family, sleep, or other activities, is part of this journey. Some weeks will require more sacrifice, but all of this effort is aimed at becoming a nurse. New challenges will arise after nursing school, and finding balance may be different, but that’s all part of gaining experience. It’s about taking things “one day at a time.”
The Secret to Success in Nursing School
Finding Balance While in Nursing School
One of the questions I frequently receive in my inbox goes something like this, “I am so overwhelmed. How do you balance school, be a mom, and make time for yourself?” And while I am flattered that I put out the perception that I have it all together at all times and can give advice on the topic, that just isn’t the reality. Some weeks, I feel like I am on top of my game, ahead on assignments, and spending a lot of time with my family and doing things that I enjoy. Other weeks, however, I feel like I am drowning in assignments, commitments, and household duties. The important thing that we must remember: we are only human. There are only 24 hours in every day, and some days we will get everything done that we set out to do, and other days we simply cannot.
The biggest lesson that I have had to learn since the beginning of nursing school was to give myself grace and kindness on the days that I fell short. I wish that I had some sort of secret to effectively balance everything and excel in all areas all of the time, but the greatest lesson that I’ve learned after a year and a half of nursing school is that I cannot do everything.
That said, there are ways to help you allocate your time and plan your week. The first thing I do is come up with a “Mental Game Plan” for the week. I look at the upcoming week in my planner and assess what assignments I have due, completing the most time-consuming ones first to get them out of the way. Then, I leave the quicker/easier assignments last since I know that I can just knock them out. I also study in small increments each day instead of cramming it all at the last minute. Most of my schoolwork gets completed after 9:00 pm after my son has fallen asleep for the night. While staying up late isn’t the time I would prefer to complete studying and assignments, it is the best time for me to have quiet time and focus without losing out on family time during the day. It is one of the sacrifices that I make to make sure I get as much time as I can with my family.
The most important thing that I must remind myself is that nursing school is only temporary. These late nights, saying “no”, and added stress from exams will eventually come to an end. Making sacrifices, whether it be with family, friends, sleep, or otherwise, is part of the journey. Some weeks may require more sacrifice than others, but all of this work is being done to achieve the goal of becoming a nurse. And then a new set of challenges will arise and finding balance may differ a little bit from being in nursing school, but that all comes with experience. It’s “one day at a time”.
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