As our nieces and nephews head back to their hallowed halls of learning, some Savvy Aunties become Savvy Students themselves by hitting the college quad.

Going back to school as a bonafide grown-up takes a great deal of scheduling and flexibility. Unlike “typical college years,” you may have to balance a job, school, home, relationships and children or time with the nieces and nephews to make it all work.

First of all, Savvy Students have to lower their expectations of what can realistically be accomplished in the 24 hours we have each day. I’ve told my organizing clients who are balancing work and school to think of this time as a short-term crisis. It may last a couple of years, but it will be over soon.

Keep a calendar. Use the electronic calendar on your e-mail or smart phone or use a paper one, but keep a calendar. This is not the time to try to keep everything in your head. Write down your work and class schedules, due dates of long-term assignments, daily homework, school holidays, work holidays and other appointments.

With long-term assignments, record the due date on your calendar. Go backwards on your calendar, and put in reminders and blocks of time to work on the project.

Break large projects into small tasks. Say you have to do a lengthy research paper. A large project like that can seem overwhelming, and you don’t know what to do so you may freeze up and do nothing. Ask yourself, what steps do I have to take to accomplish this? Make a list of the steps you need to take. Enter those steps onto your planner as reminders of what to do and check them off as you accomplish your tasks.

For example, let’s say you need to find at least ten resources for the assignment. One action you can take is finding two resources and reading them. Every step you take is a step forward.

Have one binder. If you’re taking several classes, it’s a good idea to have one binder in which to keep your homework assignments for each class. Yes, individual professors may ask for journals or binders, but by having all of your homework contained in one binder with your notes and paper, you don’t have to worry if you have the right notebook. You just need “The Binder.”

Look for textbook deals. Leave it to enterprising students to come up with ways to save money on textbooks. Some campuses have underground bookstores usually operated by students, or check campus billboards for students selling their old books. To rent (or sell) textbooks, check out www.chegg.com.

[Editor’s note: Don’t forget to check out BigWords.com, a textbook price aggregator that will tell you which site has the best deal on the books you need!]

Create calm study areas. Libraries are great for studying since it’s quiet and peaceful. If you study at home, make sure you have a place free from distractions. Even if you don’t have ADD, you need a calm area. Listen to music if you need the noise, and make sure you have water and snacks handy. A hydrated brain is a focused one.

Manage the home front. Guess what? When you’re working and taking college classes, you’re not going to be able to make your place look pristine and perfect. You will have to cut yourself a break. There will be nights that the dishes are still in the sink and the laundry won’t get done, much less folded and put away. Only do what you can.

Manage housework by doing one household task a day for 20 to 30 minutes, or hire a housekeeper if you can afford it. If money is tight and you hate cleaning, barter with a housekeeper or a friend who loves to clean. I’m sure you can bribe nearby nieces and nephews to lend a helping hand as well - just remember that kids don’t clean like you do. Take what help you can get and move on; very few of us clean as well as our mothers and grandmothers do. Whereas my mother liked to wash the windows twice a month, I use rain to wash my windows.

Make time to take care of yourself. This means exercise, eat healthy and get enough sleep. You can read while exercising, but exercise helps you think more clearly. Studies show that not only are we terrible at multi-tasking, we need our sleep to restore our cognitive abilities. If you’re dozing off in your books, then it’s time for a nap or to go to bed. You’re better off sleeping than trying to cram in another hour of studying.

During school times, pack healthy snacks such as carrots, crackers, hummus, nuts, and fruit. Otherwise it will be too easy to reach for the pizza or fast food.

Simplify meals. Speaking of eating healthy, this is not the time to cook gourmet dinners every night. Make simple meals and plan them out for a two week stretch at a time. Check out Hungry Girl, E-Mealz or The Scramble for meal planning tips. E-mealz and The Scramble are subscription based.

Another resource for healthy eating is Food Network star Ellie Krieger’s cookbook So Easy. She makes healthy food with great flavor, and all of the recipes for lunches had to survive in a cooler bag to make the cut. During an appearance in Houston, she made three lunches in less than 30 minutes.  

A word on work. If you have a job, show up and do your best. You can read or do some homework on your break, but while you’re at work, be there. Try to limit school distractions as much as you can.

With these tips, Savvy Aunties can not only be Savvy Students but role models for their nieces and nephews. By watching you taking care of yourself and go to school, you will show them how they can succeed on their own tracks in higher education.

Janice Marie Simon, MA, CPO

Published: August 23, 2010