Introduction:
Continuing your higher education is one of the best decisions you will make in your life. Even if you left college a decade or so ago, resuming your education will be a rewarding experience. Higher education will help you to advance your career, gain the necessary skills, and expand your network. It can also keep you away from cognitive ageing and help you fight the dreaded midlife crisis. It will make your career change a smoother process and give you respect among your colleagues and family.
However, as numerous as the advantages are, there are a few drawbacks to be aware of. There are thousands of people that are pursuing their graduation while balancing their personal and professional lives. It can be said that you are not the first one to face these challenges, and certainly, you won't be the last one either. Often, choosing to do the right thing requires that you put a massive amount of dedication and time into it. Nothing comes for free. You must be willing to sacrifice a few things to grow and succeed in your dream.
However in education, the journey itself is as fulfilling as the destination. If you know what you love, learning every day can be a refreshing activity for the mind rather than a stress-inducing one. Selecting what to learn will save you many headaches in the future.
Here are some of the difficulties you will face as you pursue your dream of higher education.
There are also a few approaches to dealing with these difficulties. The primary and most important challenge every senior professional faces while re-starting their journey towards higher education is finding the right balance between work, learning, and family. For many people, it will become a struggle to face every day. But by taking a few precautions, we can minimise the challenges or altogether remove them.
Selecting the right university, program, and country.
Once you decide to pursue your higher education, you will be overwhelmed by the choices you can make. There are thousands of universities with so many degree programs to choose from. You might get stuck forever in the deciding phase if you are not careful.
Next, choose your favourite program. Keep your career and your future in mind. Ask for feedback from your colleagues, seniors, friends and family.
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Going back to college means less family time.
Senior professionals are often the primary breadwinners for their families. For full-time colleges, you have to quit your job which might result in financial troubles. There will be children or elderly parents that need constant attention and time. You will need to make some sacrifices in terms of family time. But as much as a family needs your best efforts and time, it will also have in mind, the best of your interests and growth. We can safely say that there are few others that want to see you succeed more than your family members.
Even before you decide to pursue higher education, discuss the matter with your family. If your kids are over the age of understanding, talk to them and explain what you are going to do for the next year. Inform them beforehand of the sacrifices you and they must make in order to grow as a family.
Missing out: Inevitably you will need to make a few sacrifices to achieve your dream. Sometimes these are late-night parties or minor social/family events. It might even be India vs Pakistan or El Classico. You choose what is dear to your heart. You choose when you can study instead of spending your time somewhere else. The human mind needs space and air. Never let it suffocate. Have fun, and take vacations. But still, when the time comes, prioritise and learn without compromising.
College sometimes creates new challenges in professional life.
Having a full-time job requires you to spend a certain amount of time on it. In most cases, full-time jobs will take up at least one-third of your day. Some professions need more than that. Workplace politics, tedious working hours, and stress will have a negative impact on your mind. The rigid time schedules of the company might pose serious challenges to your learning process. But all is not lost. Many companies sponsor their employees' education costs. Some take responsibility for the full cost of your education and some for part of the cost. Many companies identify the need for academic excellence among their employees. More often than not, companies are glad that you decided to excel and grow academically.
The first thing you should do is consult with your superiors/HR about your decision and solicit their feedback. Ask them if the company has any education aid in place. Ask them if they know anyone else in your company who is pursuing higher education just like you. Also, talk to them about the scope of the degree program you are about to join. Ask for a raise or financial aid. You will come away with more information and help than you hoped for.
And finally, request flexible working hours. This will help you immensely during your program period. Work-from-home offers flexible working hours.
Financing your higher education is a challenge to overcome.
The next challenge you will face is in the financial field. As glorious as higher education is, it is not free. Not even inexpensive. Financing your education is even more difficult for the highly sought-after international degrees because the overall investment will be much higher. In recent years, the demand for higher education has been exploding. So are university fees across the globe. College fees increased by over 25% between 2008 - 2018 (Source: CNBC, 2019). Moreover, having a family and debts will make the investment seem like a larger problem than it is. Having a car loan or a housing loan will make your budget tighter.
Begin saving for your education: Saving is a classic money management skill. If you're on a tight budget, begin saving for your education starting from today. You can always squeeze some areas of your life to save a few dollars or pounds.
Enquire if your company sponsors your education: Some companies sponsor your education expenses in full and some in part. Make the best use of opportunities. Even if the company sponsors part of your education, it will immensely help you.
Try scholarships provided by universities: Many universities offer scholarships to their students. Enquire if your university has one. Check for adult education funds in your country and community.
Try the instalment option: Recently, due to the pandemic, many colleges are offering EMI or instalment options for their students. Check with your university if they have one. It will take the immediate financial burden off your shoulder.
You will struggle to connect with younger classmates.
Online degrees are the best choice for senior working professionals. They are designed to fit into the busy lives of senior professionals. Apart from that, they are also flexible, cost-effective, and credible. Even if you choose to quit your job and attend a full-time college instead of an online degree program, you will struggle in connecting with younger minds.
Most probably, your classmates will be far younger than you; sometimes, up to a decade or two younger. Although you might form some of the best relationships with your classmates and make many memories. However, when it comes to academic activities, you will see the maturity gap between you and your younger classmates. Often, they are less disciplined and lack experience. You might be forced to finish group projects alone. They might have a hard time comprehending the depth of knowledge you bring to the table. It will be hard to find like-minded people in your classroom.
Stress management is key to your emotional health.
In a recent study by the International Journal of Indian Psychology, researchers have found that mid-aged people are susceptible to falling into depression. The sample size was 100 people. The result showed that 6% of the sample had a severe level of depression, 10% of the sample had a moderate level, 16% of the sample had a mild level of depression and the rest 68% of the sample fell in the minimal level of depression(Source: Bashir, Academia.edu).
It is better to be safe than sorry. Too many people neglect their mental health issues like depression and anxiety until it starts to deteriorate their physical health and social connections.
Juggling work, family life, and education are stressful. You need to be informed and prepared to face the stress. Stress management goes a long way when it comes to this. Again, planning, and managing your time will be your best bet. Rely on your family for assistance and cheer. Learn productivity hacks and study hacks on the internet.
Burnout: Time is a limited resource. For all humans, time is short when on a busy schedule. Having more time is considered true wealth. When you don't manage your time, you will start to think that you have too many things on your plate. This will result in stress and anxiety. Falling behind schedules, interruptions during learning, and workplace stresses will overwhelm an individual and possibly lead to burnout.
So, plan well in advance and plan well!
Your physical health might get affected.
Sleep deprivation: If you don't pay attention to your sleep schedule, it will take a toll on your health. If you are exhausted, studying late at night will result in sleep deprivation.
An average adult needs 7 or more hours of night sleep (Source: CDC.gov - Centers for Disease Control and prevention). Increase your sleep quality, even if you can't help with the time. Deep sleep will refresh both the mind and the body. It will help you concentrate and memorise effectively.
Again, plan your schedule well!
You will have less personal time.
With a tight schedule, personal lives will take a hit. You will find less time for your activities and entertainment. It is necessary for humans to have some quality alone time in retrospection. Humans must have personal hobbies and interests. Hobbies like reading and journaling will not take much time. But still, the tight schedule might force these hobbies away from your daily routine.
Self-care: If you are a gymaholic, yoga enthusiast, or religious, you will find it even harder to maintain your schedule. Traffic in the cities will cut your free time further. This is why you need to choose your everyday places carefully. Planning ahead will save you time.
Networking: Networking is an important post of professional life. Ignoring your connections for long times will be cumbersome to your professional life. With your studies, you might have a hard time maintaining your relationships. Going to parties, and being active on LinkedIn or Facebook are all time-consuming.
A weekly or monthly schedule will be better for you than a daily schedule. You can't cram everything into your daily schedule. But you can always find time for everything important on your weekly/monthly calendar. Choose one day every week for networking. Write your LinkedIn posts on your lunch break. Hack time.
Social media: Social media has become a normal part of humanity nowadays. An average user spends 145 minutes per day on social media (Source: Statista). The amount of time increases if you are not careful.
Set a timer on your smartphone to track and alert you when you mindlessly scroll your time away.
Conclusion
Just like most of the good things in life, even higher education poses challenges in the journey you take towards it. Even though the work seems to be overwhelming, with simple and small-scale, and deliberate steps, you can conquer the challenges.
When it comes to balancing career and studies, time management and planning are crucial. Get as much assistance as you can from your company, higher-ups, colleagues, university, and family. Ask for help. Be flexible and work towards your goal one step at a time. Once again, planning and sticking to your schedule will make your life easier. A weekly schedule is better than a daily one.
What are your thoughts?