As a financial modeling professional trying to continue to grow in your field, you may find that attaining an advanced degree or certification would be beneficial. But balancing a full-time job, a personal life, and school can seem overwhelming. Here are some tips for financial modeling professionals to help find a work-life balance.
HAVE A PLAN. Don’t haphazardly enter a degree or certification program. Have a plan. When would you start and complete the program? How will you pay for it? When will you study? How much time do you need weekly to work on studying and attending class? Is it doable?
ALLOT STUDY TIME. Schedule specific, undisturbed study time. Have a set place you go and study there as frequently as possible. Do not allow constant distractions or interruptions. This place may be the library after work, your office on your lunch hour, or your kitchen table after the kids are in bed but whatever it is stick to it and get in the habit of studying there at that time.
MAKE TIME FOR A PERSONAL LIFE. You can’t just neglect you and your family for the duration of your schooling. Make sure you take time to play with the kids, go on a date with your spouse or significant other, and/or go workout. You might have to be more planned and less spontaneous but keeping your personal and family life healthy will help you be more successful at both work and school.
GET EVERYONE ON BOARD. If you have family, spouse, or a significant other, even close friends on board with your back-to-school plan, you will find great success. Explain to them why it is important to you to obtain this certification or degree and what it will take from you and them for you to accomplish this goal. If they feel a part of your mission, they will be more likely to help you reach your goal instead of being a distraction. Especially with children, it is important for them to understand this is a temporary life change that will be for everyone’s benefit down the road.
CHOOSE A PROGRAM THAT FITS YOUR PERSONALITY AND YOUR LIFE. With so many options through which to obtain a degree or certification, it important to choose a program that fits you. Do you need the accountability of classroom attendance? Does your ever-changing work schedule require the flexibility of an online program? No matter your circumstance, you are likely to find a program that suits you. Finding the right program can contribute to your success.
Today, financial modeling professionals find that having a certification or degree helps them be more competitive in the job market. Keeping these tips in mind when choosing and starting a program can help you be the most successful financial modeling professional you can be while balancing work and school in the most effective manner possible.