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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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.
When you've got a lot on your plate, you've got to make use of every moment. This article<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The call of instant gratification<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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<\/a>\u00a0method gives a really clear framework for this kind of study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDon't put off your work<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Boost your productivity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Take care of yourself<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Start on the right foot<\/h4>\n\n\n\n