In the future when you’re attending your child’s graduation ceremony this stage of excitement and worry will all seem worth it.

The cost of grad school can be quite stressful, especially when you’re a parent trying to get by and support your family. However, there are options available which mean you can focus on the joy of your child growing and achieving this next milestone.

Going to grad school can be fun, empowering, beneficial, and fulfilling. However, it can also certainly be challenging, even more so if you are a parent. Being a parent means having to juggle even more responsibilities than you already had before you began as a graduate student.

So as a parent, how can you survive while going through grad school?

Work Around Your Schedule

One of the best things you can do while going to grad school is to work around your schedule. It won’t always be simple or easy, but it’s possible.
As you start your program, you can look for some flexibility in your schedule where possible. For example, you can find class schedules that fit gaps between your usual busy time blocks. You can even consider choosing courses with online options where available since you can usually attend online classes from the comfort of your own home. These days, some degrees are available entirely online, so you won’t have to attend in-person classes at all.

Always Schedule Time for Yourself

When you start going to grad school, it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed by everything you have to do all at once. Because of how desperate you may feel to keep everything in order, you may start prioritizing everything else but yourself. At first, it may feel good to finally start being able to get things done, but you may become a ticking time bomb.
Focusing on everything but yourself may be highly detrimental to your mental health. Juggling everything at once is tough enough on its own, but forgetting self-care can undoubtedly make things worse.
It’s essential to make time for yourself, even if it is just 15-30 minutes at a time. You don’t even have to do anything special — you can just sit down to watch an episode of a show you enjoy or read a chapter of a book. You could even enjoy crafts, play video games, etc.
“Me time” can be highly beneficial for your mental health.

Utilize Your School’s Resources — Whether Online or Offline

Your school often has a wealth of resources available for its students. Take advantage of those resources since they are there to help you through your education! Many grad schools have resource pages where they list various websites such as The College Monk and others that many find helpful. These resources are all part of your journey and can make things easier for you, especially as a parent.
Seek career advice from the campus career counsellors. Talk to your advisors if you need academic or even future career advice. Approach the mental health counsellors if you find your mental health in a tough spot.
There are many things you can do to make graduate school easier for yourself. Some schools even have varying levels of financial aid available to make paying for your education less of a burden.

Invest in Tools That Can Help Your Productivity

Being more productive means that you can get more studying or work done in less time. If you manage your time well, you might just be able to find more free time that you can spend to destress or spend time with your family.
You don’t have to spend a considerable amount to help make your life easier — something as simple as fixing up your workspace or investing in a productivity planner can already help. You might also enjoy using things like task management apps or to-do lists.
Sometimes, tools aren’t quite enough to help you become more productive. You may first need to work on your mindset and habits. In that case, you can invest in self-help books centring on productivity. Alternatively, you can watch some videos for free on Youtube or any other platform where they are available.

Establish a Support System

One of the best things you can do as a parent is to establish a support system around you. Having someone you can rely on, even if it’s just to listen to you vent, can be a significant weight off your shoulders. In any situation, having someone to share some of the burdens, even for a short time, can make a difference to your mental health.
It may also benefit you to arrange for regular childcare to make it easier for you to attend classes or do your schoolwork where necessary.

Final Thoughts: Graduate School Doesn’t Have to Be Impossible

Although it may initially feel impossible to balance everything on your plate, it will become somewhat more manageable with enough preparation and work.
One of the most important takeaways in this situation is that as a parent, it is essential to also make time for yourself. Taking care of yourself first makes it possible for you to take care of everything and everyone else when you need to.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.