How I Learned The Art Of Focus By Balancing Full-Time Work With Part-Time Study In My 30s, And How It Almost Burnt Me Out
Self-growth is a marathon, not a sprint, especially when juggling full-time work and part-time study.
It's great to strive for hard goals and push yourself in the process. But it's important to keep tabs on your capacity and how you're coping with your workload.
Balancing competing goals is a key self-growth ingredient.
Focus is a skill
Mastering focus in your 30s demands more than just time management; it requires a complete lifestyle overhaul.
- In 2022, my life consisted of work, sleep, and study.
- That year, I completed 5 business papers at university.
- I also worked 60 hours a week, managing a team of 30 people.
I learned to focus my energy on my two biggest campaigns - work, and study.
Energy to burn?
Most advice on work-study balance is unrealistic and sets you up for failure.
The truth is, my life was unbalanced in 2022. I didn't give myself enough time to rest or recover. I also didn't give myself enough time for recreation and play.
I felt my energy slowly evaporating, like a puddle of water drying up in the sun.
Time to re-evaluate
I wondered how much I could push myself before I reached the brink of burnout.
- Luckily, I stepped back and asked myself.
- "How much longer can I sustain this level of output?"
- My answer? "Not very long!"
The end of 2022 marked a big change in how I would balance my work and study in 2023.
