Being a mother can be tough and feel like a full-time job at times. On the other hand, you might still have aspirations and want to do better for both yourself and your family. Whether you were thinking of enrolling in nursing school for the first time or you are a nurse considering furthering your education, doing so while taking care of a family can seem difficult, if not impossible, especially if you’re in this alone. However, there are some things that you can do to make things easier for you. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

Consider Online Classes

One of the things all mothers should consider is online education. This will give you much more flexibility than traditional classes, as you can take them on your own time. Asynchronous classes allow you to watch lectures whenever you want. You could take classes in the evening when everyone is sleeping. Some people even decide to wake up early and take classes in the morning before taking their children to school.

This is also great for those who are already working. If you have an associate’s degree, you could get your BSN faster through an accelerated program. If you want to find one, you can run a search for the top accelerated nursing programs online. These are the best option for those who want to get their credentials fast while keeping their current job.

Be Realistic

You might want to do everything at once, and you might be able to do it for a little while, but you have to take it easy on yourself. Try to find areas where you could alleviate the load. For instance, you could decide to work on partial shifts. Your employer might be more lenient than you think if they know that your goal is to further your education.

Learn How to Master Time Management

Time management will be your greatest challenge when you’re a mom attending nursing school. This is why you will need to learn the core principles and use the right tools. You first need to look at the syllabus at the beginning of every semester and note important events like exams and clinical hours. Then, add them to your planning devices whether it’s your smartphone, tablet, phone calendar, etc. We also suggest that you pick up an app for Evernote that will allow you to record lectures and notes and organize class information.

Also, you need to learn how to organize the rest of your life as well. Do some meal prepping so you can save time and make things easier for you. You should also take time at the beginning of every week so you can organize your personal and school responsibilities.

Don’t make the mistake of being too rigid, however. There are some instances when assignments may take more time to be completed. In this case, you might want to re-prioritize or erase tasks from your to-do list for the day. You might also get blindsided by an unforeseen event, like illness for instance. It’s important that you know your instructor’s policy regarding absences and notify them immediately if you won’t be able to attend classes for a prolonged time.

Get Everyone Involved

You have to make sure that everyone in the house is on board if you want a chance at being successful. You first have to let the little ones know that mom won’t be as available to them. You also have to let them know that you’re doing this for the greater good of the family. Once they know why you’re doing this, i.e., so you can afford all the nice things they have in life, they will understand.

This would also be a great time to show them the value of work by getting them involved in more chores. Even the youngest ones can start learning how to clean after themselves. Make sure that you have a clear chore calendar if you don’t have one already and make sure that everyone knows their role.

Build a Great Study Space

You also want to build a nice sanctuary where you can escape the ruckus of the house and concentrate on your work. Ideally, this should be a room that’s fairly isolated. We also suggest that you go a step further and decorate it so you can make it more enticing and more conducive to work.

Paint can make a big difference in the room’s atmosphere and can facilitate focus. Colors like forest green coupled with neutral tones like beige or taupe will ground you and make the room feel much more comfortable. Don’t get too comfortable, however. You don’t want to have excuses to start lounging and you certainly don’t want to have any screen other than your computer there.

You could even decide to work out of a coffee shop or library. Libraries are the best choice as you’ll have access to tons of research material too. Everyone there is also on the same page, unlike in a coffee shop.

Bond with Other Mom Students

Another thing you should do is try to build bonds with other moms who are in the same situation as you. You could join or form a study group, for instance. Study groups are great for tons of reasons. They are a great way to keep you accountable. You might also get inspired by other mothers in your group who may have it tougher than you.

Study groups are a great way to build a sense of community with other people in your program. You could decide to hold the study group at your house, but you could also switch locations to another student’s house every week. These are just a few tips you should follow if you want to get a chance at succeeding in nursing school while taking care of your family. The most important thing is making sure that everyone does their part and that you have realistic expectations as to what you can actually handle.