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Juggling part-time jobs, university, and self-care as a law student
Striking the right balance between university, employment and self-care is not just a skill, but a necessity for success, write Cordella O’Loughlin and Daphne Fong.
Cordella O'Loughlin and Daphne Fong
Navigating law school is akin to a high-stakes juggling act, with each ball representing a crucial aspect: university, part-time work, and the often-neglected realm of self-care. As fourth year law students, we have become intimately acquainted with the delicate art of balancing the three.
For us, this has been beneficial in forcing us to develop time management skills, such as ruthless prioritisation, realistic schedules and working smarter, not harder. Because while practical experience in a workplace is a great opportunity, most students won’t want it to come at the cost of their marks.
But any good student must not forget that self-care is equally important. And no, that does not mean you have a get-out-of-jail-free card to watch as much Netflix as you like under the guise of said self-care. Instead, it means that regardless of how far into the early hours you may be tempted to stay up cramming, adequate sleep, exercise and nutrition will always outweigh that extra hour of potential knowledge.
It is easy to get trapped in the mindset that there’s not enough hours in the day, leading us to lengthen our days with coffee-heavy mornings and energy-drink-filled nights. But it has been shown time and time again that sleep not only improves our concentration and focus for our next day of learning, but strengthens the memories formed the day prior. And that trip to the gym or walk around the block that is usually the first thing to go when we feel like we’re running out of time for our assignment, or exam study, is actually what will refresh us and improve efficiency.
Sometimes, we can feel guilty for taking time for ourselves, but it is vital to remember that self-care is not selfish; it is essential for maintaining your overall health and productivity.
For some people, a lot of the difficulties in juggling university, work and self-care arise from neglecting one or two of these facets. Some people focus all their attention on one element, for example work, neglecting their university and self-care responsibilities. They may view these other aspects as things to “fit in” around work, rather than as equally important factors to focus on.
But, the reality is, they are not smaller or less important than impressing the partners at the office. Instead, it takes a balancing act. All of these aspects should be delicately juggled. For example, setting boundaries when it comes to overtime at work, is a good way to ensure that your self-care, or academic performance, isn’t compromised.
A balanced approach is vital for long-term success and fulfilment. Juggling university, employment and self-care is not just a skill, but a necessity for success. Amid university assessments and work commitments, it’s easy to overlook the importance of self-care.
However, we’ve come to understand that true success is not only measured by our academic achievements or career milestones, but by maintaining our overall wellbeing while fostering a foundation for a future filled with resilience, success and fulfilment.
Cordella O'Loughlin is a paralegal at Maddocks, and a law/psychology (honours) student at UNSW. Daphne Fong is a paralegal at Marque Lawyers, and a law student at UNSW. Daphne was the winner of the Law Student of the Year category at the 2023 Women in Law Awards.
