Katie's Blog

How Do You Manage Work Life-Balance After College? 

September 19, 2024 at | In Uncategorized | No Comments

As the final year is wrapping up for college seniors, Sergio is filled with excitement and eager to get to the finish line. He sits down at the cluttered counter, papers scattered like fallen leaves as he clicks through endless job ads, each one sending him into a spiral of nerves. What if I can’t find a job for me? Can I wear my panda dunks or do I need to buy dress shoes? His mind is racing with a million questions that only continue to lengthen with every new search. 

Sergio isn’t alone in feeling stressed, most graduating students are having the same concerns. They are used to balancing a full school load and a part-time job, but they know the ultimate test is soon to come: going into the workforce. While juggling school and a job has given a taste of what to expect, nothing can prepare them for the reality of a full-time job. 

Soon seniors will face an abundance of challenges. The entry into the professional workforce in many cases will lead to the end of the flexibility that they have had up until this point. Being able to distinguish the lines between work and personal life, pursue job fulfillment, and prioritize their mental well being will be key in achieving a viable work-life balance. 

For many of them this will be the first time they will have to balance a full time job that does not allow the flexibility of a college schedule and their personal life. It will be a new experience for many new graduates to have to learn how to manage their personal lives after 5pm and on weekends. 

The adjustment period may be difficult after following a certain routine for so long. When asking senior, Caden Hester, about how he would manage his free time after college his response was, “I am looking forward to life after college but I am also going to set time aside for myself. A lot of people seem to lose joy in their jobs and I want to try my very best to not let that happen to me, and I think the best way will be finding time for me. There are also new jobs evolving everyday and a lot of those are remote which allow you to have more flexibility, but for now I will try my best to find a balance in between.”

Although, it isn’t always a straight path to get there. A vice president of another liberal arts school gives his advice to graduates and says, “This work-life balance has become more popular with this generation than it ever was in mine. It means different things to different people and really has a lot to do with the type of job you work. You can work a ton, but you still need to take care of yourself. Maybe for some people it’s finding time for the gym or reading a book. It’s important to find fun outside of your job, but also find things that bring you joy with your job.” 

Stacie Hayes who is the Vice President of Careers at morningside university gives her advice to upcoming graduates and says, “Internships are one of the ways that allow students to get a feel for the workforce and how their workload and days may look. Although, maintaining work-life balance is becoming far more normal. A way I like to prioritize myself is through a calendar or a checklist. I then am able to block out a chunk of time to get things done for myself. Staying organized will be one of the best ways to allow time for yourself.” 

As the next graduating class is wrapping up their final year of school, they will soon find out how to manage their time accordingly. Finding time to take care of themselves has been a personal goal made by many and likely a new standard in today’s workplace. They will soon discover that mastering time management and self-care will be more than a goal, but crucial in today’s ever evolving world.