Students and Alumni from Online MBA Programs and Other Programs Share Advice on Dealing with Stress

What is the biggest cause of stress among adults? When asked that question by the American Psychological Association, the top response was money. That's the answer given by 75 percent of those surveyed. Work came in a close second, at 70 percent. Enrolling in online MBA programs, with the goal of landing a more lucrative and satisfying career, can be a positive way to deal with those top two stressors.

Unfortunately, getting that advanced degree can add even more stress to a person's life.

First, there’s the expense. Attending a full time MBA program can result in thousands and thousands of dollars of debt that often takes 10 years or more to repay. That's why many adults decide to keep their full-time job, maintain their current salary and attend school part time.

That approach, however, can turn life into a major juggling act. Adding schoolwork to an already packed schedule that includes a job and perhaps a family can be difficult.

Yet, as Saint Leo students and alumni from online MBA programs and undergraduate programs will tell you, there are ways to manage it all. Here are the tips they posted on Facebook for staying sane while earning a degree part time.

Look for Flexibility

Years ago, night school was the only option for a person who wanted to simultaneously work full time while attending college. Depending on an individual's circumstances, attending class every Wednesday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. isn't always feasible.

"I was on the road participating in inspections, working 12 to 15 hours a day, including weekends," explains Ruth Ann Layman.

Online classes gave her the freedom she needed to squeeze her studies into her life. "Mostly, I would work on my class work every day for two hours and took Sunday off. When I was on an inspection, I would use any down time to participate in a discussion or work on my papers."

Kevin Floyd, who switched majors from his online degree from business administration with a specialization in management to criminal justice with a specialization in homeland security, also appreciated the flexibility that came from attending class at his convenience. As he puts it, "The online courses helped out a lot."

Become an Efficiency Expert

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That old saying is very appropriate for anyone contemplating going back to school. Sit down and realistically evaluate your schedule and plan ahead. Cramming all night might work for a 19 year-old living in the dorms but that’s not realistic for a student with a full-time job and a family.

For Angela Hemans, that meant creating a schedule. "I set specific time goals for the various assignments to be done," she explained. "I also made sure to incorporate and set dates for family, friends, fun and various activities at home that needed to be done."

Her advice to other students is to, "settle into a schedule that works best for your classes. Learn to be flexible so that if things don’t go as planned you won't panic."

Finding little chunks of study time is another successful strategy.

"I studied every day during my lunch period because that was 45 to 60 minutes that I was ahead on my evening studies," says Stacy Oster.

Lynda Froebel took the same approach by doing, "homework during the week as much as possible and setting aside either Saturday or Sunday to spend one-on-one time with my kids."

Build Your Safety Net

The little annoyances of life, like a flat tire or a sick child, can seem larger than life if you're extremely busy and don't have a backup plan. Brainstorm with family and friends before a minor disaster hits, think of all the 'what ifs' that could happen and discuss who in your inner circle would be available to help.

Jon Carr completed his bachelors in business online in 2010 and admits that he, "needed a lot of help from his wife." Since his son is autistic, he wanted to find a way to tackle his studies without interfering with his interactions with his son.

"I basically did my studies after my youngest son went to bed at 8 p.m. and worked until 11 p.m.," said Carr. "I kept this schedule for 6 days a week and it seemed to work out fine."

Remember your Priorities

What do you have in common with two people who left behind such profound legacies, Mother Theresa and Steve Jobs? Just like them, you have 24 hours in each day. Mana Silvers will soon complete her BA in Healthcare Administration and realizes the importance of making every minute count.

"I would pick one day when I focused on everything but school, then for the rest of the week I would spend at least 2 to 3 hours per day on school with no distractions. No television, no Facebook, nothing but school," explains Silvers.

She'll admit that, "it is difficult to make yourself do that when you work all day and then come home to yet more work but it feels great when you get to the end!"

Keep Your Eye on the Finish Line

While the students and alumni who contributed to this article all had different approaches to achieving a balance between the numerous other aspects of their life and their studies, they all agree it’s worth the effort.

"You have to keep in mind that school is a temporary hurdle that you have to jump over in order to get ahead in life," says Floyd.

Oster agrees and adds, "It was so tough to get out of the study mode once I graduated but I have a great job and I would do it all over again!"