More and more students are working during the academic year. While student employment offers several advantages, a significant number of working hours can be detrimental to academic perseverance. This means that balancing studies and work is a real challenge for maintaining professional activity while reducing the risk of failure or even dropping out.
Study and work, a question of balance
Working while studying can be a means of support for some, while for others it is an experience to add to their CV. In general, this challenge proves beneficial and even rewarding for a certain number of young people for whom work constitutes an additional success and a good way to learn perseverance. Nevertheless, finding a balance between student life and professional life is very difficult. The right conditions must be created to have positive results for the student, whose priority remains academic success.
Surveys of working students have shown that the academic success rate increases for a young person working less than 15 hours per week, compared to an unemployed student. This rate is revised downward once the fifteen hours are exceeded. Whereas the curve is reversed, i.e., a negative effect when the working time exceeds 30 hours. Statistics show that students accumulating more than 20 hours per week in classes, schoolwork, and paid employment, total more than 60 hours of weekly activity.
The pros and cons of balancing studies and work
A young person who has a student job alongside their studies can benefit from this association in many ways, provided they maintain a balance between their student and professional lives. Indeed, by combining work and studies, young people will have a chance to familiarize themselves with the job market and its demands. It is also an opportunity to better understand themselves and determine their professional inclinations.
A student can take this opportunity to acquire additional skills and knowledge that will benefit them later. They can also develop their sense of responsibility and autonomy, both personal and financial. It should also be noted that the greatest benefit of this experience will be gaining greater recognition and appreciation in the professional world. This can open more doors for a successful career and more opportunities.
That said, if there is an imbalance between studies and work , the repercussions can be negative on one's studies, as well as on one's personal life. In this regard, poor management of both aspects can result in poor time management and therefore less time devoted to studies. Some students begin to accumulate a lot of absenteeism and fall behind in their courses. The difficulty of managing and finding a balance between a job and student life increases stress and fatigue. This has a negative impact on concentration and motivation. We observe in some young people the development of bad eating habits, in addition to an increase in the consumption of cigarettes, alcohol and even narcotics.
How to prevent negative aspects?
In order to curb the negative aspects of working while studying, several actions can be taken, whether by the students themselves or those around them. To begin with, the young person must be vigilant upon observing certain signs such as stress, fatigue, accumulation of absences and lateness. Once such signs are detected, they must take a step back to preserve their mental and physical balance. It is recommended to set limits to reconcile studies and work without exceeding their capacities. Similarly, one should not hesitate to discuss working conditions so that the latter does not encroach on the young person's classes and student life. If necessary, consider asking for help from a loved one or a counselor when the job becomes detrimental to studies.
For its part, the employer should not require more than 20 hours per week during the academic year. Similarly, it should not impose night shifts on a student. If the company's activity requires night work, the employer can provide hours ending before 10 p.m., especially if the student has classes the following morning. It can also offer more flexible hours, particularly during exam periods. It is advisable to encourage the student by highlighting their studies and monitoring their academic progress. The success of such initiatives can only be guaranteed if the employer is fully involved and committed, staying informed of best practices when hiring students.
The intervention of a parent or caregiver can be appreciated in this process. Indeed, they must find out about the work and the tasks to be performed, as well as the number of hours spent at work. They must also keep a vigilant eye on the young person and the changes that may occur and that may affect their personal life, their studies, or their health. They can also advise the student and raise their awareness so that they do not exceed their limits and abilities to balance studies and work. The most important thing is to provide support and assistance to help the young person make balanced and healthy choices.
