5 Ways Technology Can Help You Balance School and Life

Technological advancement has made life easier for us. Imagine living in the 1950s. While some may call it the golden era, the truth is that it was extremely difficult to live back then. Electricity was scarce, and there were no amenities such as mobile phones or the internet.

Today, most of these facilities are considered a necessity. Even though many experts argue that the use of technology has created an imbalance between school and life, the truth is that if used properly, technology can help you bridge the gap.

A lot has changed in the last few decades, but education is the most important thing if you wish to be successful. A lot of people today are balancing education with work. Some have weekend classes while some juggle work with online courses. But how do you manage life with education? The truth is that technology can help. How? Here are some tips:

1. Let Technology Help You Manage Your Commitments

Over 4 million people aged 35 or older are enrolled in colleges. More and more Americans are waking up to the need for more education. They have realized that it is never too late to get a more training. However, most of these are married and have other commitments. This often prevents them from giving their 100% which disrupts their ability to focus on learning. Fortunately, technology can help.

You need to make a list of things that matter to you. These include family, education, work and of course your hobbies. Tools such as Google Calendar can greatly help you prepare a schedule and manage your time. Another great app is Instant. It keeps track of where you spend most of your time, including your sleep patterns so you can manage things better.

If you want a more detailed look at your schedule, you can use something like OfficeTime. It presents data in the form of graphs for a visual view of what you do. Once you have this data, you can see where most of your time goes and how you can change it, based on your priorities. For example, if you are spending 10 hours working and need more time for your education, you can set goals that include completing your work within 8 hours and using the time saved for your education.

2. Use Technology for Better Communication

Communication is very important in every aspect of life, and thanks to technology it is easier than ever before to communicate. Save time by turning notifications on for your emails, but only for the urgent ones that you really need. This will allow you to respond to important emails instantly. Similarly, prevent useless apps from communicating. Most apps send push notifications regarding updates and special offers, and most of them are usually useless to you.

According to reports, most people spend around 90 minutes on a phone every day. And sadly, a lot of it goes into doing things that are of no use, including useless communication. So make sure to use technology to communicate effectively and efficiently and block out distractions.

Structure your responses properly so that there is no time wasted in replying and clearing things. If something cannot be made clear via text, use voice notes or simply call using one of many tools such as WhatsApp or Skype.

3. Enjoy the Perks of Being a Student

Remind yourself about the perks of studying. Having advanced skills will help you carve out your niche and have a better life. Also, while you are studying, you may be eligible for student discounts and other offers that are only for students.

Technology has made it easier to see the benefit of everything. You can predict your worth with a certain degree or where you will be career-wise ten years down the line. Such information will help you stay motivated.

4. Find New Ways to Get An Education

Technology has made it easy to study. You do not necessarily have to attend classes physically thanks to eLearning and other training programs. Virtual learning is one of the fastest growing concepts due to its benefits. It allows incredible flexibility so that anyone and everyone can pursue further education.

It is a 100 billion dollar industry today and is expected to grow even more in the future. While many question the quality of education, reports indicate that eLearning is as good as traditional learning, if not better.

5. Technology Will Allow You To be On Time

You can use technology to stay organized and on schedule. Use alarms to make sure you wake up on time and get timely reminders. Most mobile devices have this function built-in so there will be no need to install new apps. However, for better functionality, you may try some third party apps as well, such as Wunderlist. It lets you schedule due dates/times and tasks. It can send reminders, including push notifications and also emails. You can also check off items once you complete one task to make sure you keep a tab on all your tasks.

Make sure to make proper use of technology to ensure that you live a balanced life. Apps can help you organize and do things in a better manner.

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