How to balance?

Trial & error + planning ahead + time management. The way I see it, you can make nursing school your entire life for 2-4 years and be overloaded with stress and make yourself miserable or you can plan ahead & plan to make time for yourself, family, friends, and hobbies. Sure, you may not have as much time for this but it is just as important to make time for things you enjoy as it is to make good grades and learn the material in school.

Although I'm stressed, alot, I try to keep in mind that both my children's childhood and my time in school is going to be incredibly brief. I want to be able to enjoy both and frankly, I just play it by ear. Some days I need to study more than others, and some days it's clear that I need to spend more time with my family. I can't have a set-in-stone plan b/c the needs of my classes and my family changes from day to day. I have to be there for both, the family needs me now, but they also need me to do well for our future so although they don't always understand, sometimes they have to fend for themselves. My husband is wonderful about making daddy and kid time, which is also mommy study time. Like the previous poster said, it really is trial and error and what works one day may not work the next.

Depends on your life situation. I am graduating in May from an accelerated nursing program. For the last 16 months I had to keep working my 40 hour day job and the workload for nursing school was about 30 hours. Fortunately, my son is grown but also in college, and being in my mid 40s with debts and expenses to reflect that and no husband, I had no choice but to live a life of school, work, and sleep. I figured I can do anything for 16 months :)

If you don't have to work to maintain your homestead, obviously, you can balance better with a family, like someone who works full time. You will have to sacrifice something, but it's only for short-term so it can be done.

I think you should make time for yourself! I still go out with my sister for girls night out, with my husband for date nights, and with my kids for special treats. It is easier that I don't have to work(money is tight though!) so I can spend my time with my family, and studying.

Thank you for posting this thread. I was wondering about balancing studies and family - I will be starting classes this Fall. I have tried to complete as many co-requisites as I can but will still have a couple to do along with my core nursing classes. I understand this will make my life a little busy, but I know I will still need to find time for my children and husband. At least I won't be working, and both kids will be in school during the day - but I am nervous about how this may affect my family. I am encouraged by those who have posted about making it all work. So, thank you!

I'm not in nursing school yet, but am taking 16 credit hours of pre and co reqs this semester and this is my 3rd semester of this workload. I am a 4.0 student, and still make it to all my son's practices and games as well as being here for him every evening/night, still have 1 night a week with hubby, still run (as in training for marathons), but I pretty much gave up all my friends. They know that they'll get to see me eventually and are all pretty amazing, but I just don't have time right now for anything frivolous. My future (school), my family and my health all take precedence over them. Oh, and I stopped cleaning the house! :loveya: