The idea of attending school while working can be a challenging task. However, for varying reasons, a number of students are struggling to strike this balance- working as they attend their studies.

According to this year’s Labour Force Survey report, the number of students combining studies and employment increased from 123,100 in February 2020 to 324,084 in August 2020.

The report which was released on October 21, asserted that the share of employed students in employment increased to 8.8% in August 2020 from 3.4% in February 2020 and from 3% percent in August 2019.

This indicates that there has been a significant involvement of students in the labour market.

Between having a job, schoolwork and maintaining a social life however, students can at times find themselves overwhelmed. 

Daniellah Ngarambe a mechanical engineering student and designer says for one to manage the two, they have to work ahead and avoid doing things at the last minute.

She says, if you want to find balance between work and studying, it’s important to stay ahead and not procrastinate. Once you procrastinate, you allow your list to grow into an intimidating amount of work, she says.

"And once all that work has piled up, it becomes harder to motivate yourself to get started. You should get ahead on readings, papers and other assignments. This helps to reduce stress while allowing more time for your job also,” she adds.

For Bahati Musuhuke a member of the Prison Fellowship Advisory Youth Council and a Logistics Management Major at the Southern New Hampshire University based in Kigali, it’s important to set boundaries.

He says that one needs the ability to say ‘no.’ 

"If people ask you to do something that will get in the way of you completing a task for work or an assessment for school and it’s not very important, why can’t you say no?” he questions.

This, he says that it’s one of the simplest ways you can maintain balance in your work and study life.

"You can’t do everything, and therefore you should set boundaries for what’s realistic,” he notes.

Find work in your chosen industry

Musuhuke notes that it is always advisable to find a job in your chosen industry and not just looking for any job that’s out there.

"It’s another great way to balance your work and studies because you immediately apply the skills and knowledge you learn from school in your work,” he asserts.

Furthermore, he adds that what you learn from work can better inform your studies.

"You will get experience early on, your colleagues can offer support and advice, and both studying and working will be fun because you are doing two things in the same field.”

Divine Mutangana, a librarian and international relations student at Mount Kenya University, lays out some tips including using time wisely, as one of the best ways of being able to balance work and study.

"Be productive. Study in short periods with breaks to ensure you stay focused and avoid procrastination. Turn off social media and prepare some snacks for when you’re hungry,” she advises.

Getting rid of distractions and using incentives will help you get your school work done faster, she adds.

Mutangana also recommends informing your manager or boss about your situation.

"Explain your situation to your manager. The best way to do this is to mention that you are studying during your job interview before you start working. This will prevent possible clashes when some assignments have not been accomplished on time. School is demanding enough as it is, so make sure you are straightforward about your availability and state any concerns you might have,” she asserts.