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Top tips for balancing nannying and your studies

We know you want to be an amazing after school nanny and a great student and that can sometimes be a careful balancing act! I was working as a Koru Kids nanny for 6 and a half hours, 4 days a week while writing my dissertation so I had to get a bit inventive when managing my workload. Here are my top tips:

Only have 10 seconds?

These three things will make the biggest difference

  1. Keep the family in the loop about upcoming deadlines.
  2. Make the most of every spare moment to get a little work done.
  3. Hold yourself accountable to make sure study time is productive.

Share your timetable

Your availability is the most important thing to let the family know but we know your university workload is far more than just your scheduled lectures. You might have meetings with tutors, group work, coursework, and study for exams you'll need to find time for too.

When you have any of these coming up, let the family you work with know. Then they'll understand if you're a little slow to get back to their texts out of work hours, know not to ask for extra babysitting, and may even be able to lighten your load a little.

Make the most of your time

When you've got a lot on your plate, you've got to make use of every moment. This article has some great tips for how to manage and prioritise your time and we have even more tips about for making the most of every spare second.

I used to do university reading in the playground when I got to pick up early, and when I got close to my thesis deadline I'd bring my laptop to work and do a little editing while little one napped.

Another nanny told me the family he worked with loved when he would read while the boy he looked after did his homework independently as it set a great example. Do remember to check with the parents before doing any of your university work during your working hours though.

Don't put off your work

The call of instant gratification is difficult to resist but when you leave everything to the last minute it becomes so much more difficult to balance your responsibilities. Try to start your assignments as soon as you're given them to save on last minute panic. When you're doing school pick up at 3, running in to university at 2.30 for a submission isn't feasible. Keep on top of your deadlines and submit early if you can to avoid deadline crises.

Boost your productivity

Make sure that time devoted to your studies is as productive as possible, set aside blocks of time to concentrate hard, build in breaks, and hold yourself accountable. The Pomodoro method gives a really clear framework for this kind of study.

Take care of yourself

When you're working really hard it's easy to let some of the important things you need to do to take care of yourself slip but you're best placed to look after the kids and look after your grade if you're looking after yourself. Make it a priority to get enough sleep, cook healthy meals, and take time to relax.

Just 3 minutes of mindfulness each day can help to reduce stress and improve mood so take some time for yourself so take some time to look after your mental health.

Start on the right foot

The first few weeks can be a challenging adjustment period for both you and the children you look after so we've put together tons of really in-depth advice to help you and the kids while you're settling in.

Remember we're here to help

If you're ever having any trouble settling in with the kids or figuring out how to manage your workload get in touch and I'm always happy to chat! I was a nanny for a 2 and a 6 year-old while finishing up my third year of university so I have plenty of practice at this juggling act.

Just email us at care@korukids.co.uk or call 02080505678 and ask for Alex.

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