You might be in unfamiliar territory if you’re a professional footballer trying to simultaneously earn academic qualifications.
This might not be possible. It’s smart to have professional qualifications in case of an emergency. Sports careers are also often short-lived. Academic qualifications allow you to transition into a new career after retirement.
You can do both with some planning and hard work. These are some tips to help you get started.
Get Organized
If you lack organizational skills, your role will be affected. You will find yourself with conflicts in your schedule, missing deadlines, and falling behind in your course work.
A large desk calendar or a planner might be useful. Make sure to take down any sporting events for the week. You should also enter the due dates for your assignments, classes, and exams.
One scheduler is best as it allows you to view all of your scheduled events at once. Multiple schedulers can be tedious and complicated. This can make it easy for you to make scheduling mistakes.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Even with your best scheduling skills, there are always last-minute changes to your football schedule.
These might not seem like a big deal to some, but it could be to you because it can clash with class assignments.
There are many websites like this one – https://uk.assignmentgeek.com/coursework-writing.html that cater to students in your situation. This link will connect you with professional writers if you require assistance.
Manage your Time Optimally
Start by highlighting the hours that are known. These are times with final schedules like playtime, classtime and travel time. These numbers will help you to see how much time you have available and then you can fill it with study time, assignments and the like.
Use Weekends Optimally
You can use the time you don’t have to play a weekend game to catch up on your course work.
You can take notes on topics, clear or start homework, and even get ahead of your semester assignments.
You can free up time for recreation and other activities by doing as much as possible. This can be used as an incentive.
Try to get work done in advance so you can adjust to changes in your schedule.
Study Smart
Studying smart is a great way to save time and get more done in a shorter amount of time.
To study smart, evaluate your learning personality. What time of day do you study the best? Are you awake at night? Is it after a hard workout?
Also, evaluate your learning style. Are you more successful studying alone or in a group setting?
Do you have the ability to manage course work while on transit? What can you do to make it easier? What is it? Reading or something more involved like writing your term paper?
Take into account all of these factors to determine how you can work smarter and make the most of your limited time.
Know When to Stop
You can tune in to yourself enough to know when you are pushing the boundaries on the field and in class.
Over-focusing on the pitch can lead to poor performance.
Studying all night and for many consecutive nights can also affect your ability focus in class.
The best way to juggle a sport or study is if you’re in good physical, emotional, and mental condition.
