How to balance study, life and work as a postgraduate student

With these six tips and advice from RMIT alum, you can nail the study-life-work balance as a postgraduate student.

Juggling postgraduate study with a busy job, and still making time for friends, family, and yourself, is possible. Striking a balance is more than just achievable at RMIT; it’s common! Many postgraduate students do it every semester.

Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, a career change, or simply expanding your options, these tips will help you achieve a work, life and study balance without the worry of burnout.

Two RMIT students sitting on a bench discussing their notes. One student has a notebook while the other has a laptop

#1: Find your 'why' before enrolling

When considering both study and work later in life, you need to ask yourself what your end goal is. And that goal is different for everyone. 

It could be a career change, the next step up the ranks at work or a way to fulfil your passion. Once you’ve identified your compelling ‘why’, you can focus on 'what’ balance looks like for you. 

Master of Animation, Games and Interactivity student, Janifer Lai, studied her passion and found that exploring what she loves motivated her to find time in her schedule for study. Janifer’s balance comes easily because she prioritises what she enjoys.

“I wanted to take my studies further, and to have the freedom to experiment, learn and explore more under a friendly environment with professional guidance,” says Janifer.

How Floyd balances his work, life and study

Discover how RMIT postgrad student Floyd manages his work-life balance and the tips he has for new postgraduate students.

#2: Lean on your personal and professional support network

Your family, friends and colleagues care about your passions and life endeavours. They’re likely to be your biggest cheerleaders and want to help you achieve your goals and aspirations. So, lean on them if you’re weighing up returning to study as a postgraduate student and seek their support to help you achieve a healthy study, life and work balance.

You may find it beneficial to sit down with your family and your manager before returning to study to share why it’s important to you, any concerns you might have or any temporary shifts you might need to make to your usual routine, particularly if they involve them. Together you can identify and prepare for any hurdles that might pop up along the way, such as the possibility of needing to take a day off work to study during assessment time.

Having the conversation to ensure they’re aware of your study commitments as early as possible allows for open communication. They might even be able to offer support in other aspects of your life to help take the load off and put you at ease when trying to balance study, life and work.

#3: Choose a university that supports your lifestyle

University support services could have a huge impact on the way you’re able to achieve your work-life balance while studying. Consider the following questions when you start researching universities: 

Are you after flexible learning? If your RMIT course offers part-time study options, they will be listed on the course page under ‘Duration’.
Where’s the campus located and how will you get there? RMIT has campuses in the heart of Melbourne City, Brunswick and Bundoora. All our campuses are accessible by public transport.
Do you need childcare services? RMIT’s City campus has childcare services available to support parents of children up to five years old.

Have another question about RMIT? You can also contact one of our friendly team members through Study@RMIT.

Students walking and talking through the corridors RMIT's City campus

#4: Plan a realistic schedule

Being realistic with your expectations is the first step in planning a balanced study and work schedule. 

Master of Marketing alum, Vinisha Pulikkaprambil, planned a manageable and fulfilling daily schedule around her professional goals, aligning her classes with the skills she needed for her future career.

“Choose units that have industry projects linked to them, because that is what will give you a chance to apply the knowledge that you're gaining while studying and build your portfolio,” says Vinisha.

While you’re thinking about your future schedule, another consideration should be making time for your personal life. This will look different from person to person. For you this might mean having Sundays off each week or setting up an allotted time each night to unwind from work and study.

#5: Choose a study type that fits with your full-time job

Even full-time work can fit into the study + work + life equation. First, consider whether you need the flexibility of part-time or online study to help you manage work alongside university. Both options give you the flexibility to study at your own pace.

Time conflicts might also be on your mind as a full-time employee. Perhaps you work a 9-to-5, but your class starts at 4pm. The simplest way to tackle this issue is to have a chat with your employer and ask if you can adjust your work schedule. Juris Doctor student Floyd works in the Melbourne CBD and is easily able to walk directly from his office to the RMIT City campus for class in the afternoon thanks to an accommodating work schedule.

If work commitments prove too much of a timetable challenge, it is worth considering study options that can be completed quickly, for example a graduate certificate or a micro-credential. For these shorter courses, you may be able to organise study leave, especially if you leverage the benefits that study and accreditation can bring to your work.

#6: Use RMIT's support tools

RMIT is here to help you thrive and achieve your study and work goals, with tools for finding the postgrad course that’s right for your career and your circumstances. For example, current students can also take advantage of study support tools that can help you streamline your time management techniques, such as an assignment planner and peer mentoring. Master of Finance alum David Brown noted that the services and locations at RMIT made his time studying that much more engaging and allowed him to strike a work-life balance.

“[RMIT] as a learning environment has spaces that distil focus and are really well resourced to make learning easier,” he says. 

Ready to choose an industry-connected qualification that will make you indispensable in your industry? Be ready for what’s next by exploring RMIT’s postgraduate courses today.

Story: Jacob Johnston

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How to balance study, life and work as a postgraduate student