![\"A](\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXeSgIScN4-Ctgn8lsvJL5L1kz4O9K2YYp5cAHl8QSUQfb7We9q_U9QwrP_VQtICKgNpDMJG_fXKwrbMKeLucKEbklstKy4dY80I8HMwAqtq1zVWjPhHxGeE1uuHH7yx_t4ZZ79W?key=VBf5iYDHSSCPai3Q7o8V0sqy\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n3. Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI literally keep a sticky note on my desk that reminds me that my daughter and husband are my number one priority, followed by self-care. Then come my job and school. This helps me say yes to things that are most important and eliminate all the time-sucks that limit my ability to be there as a mom and a partner. By knowing what\u2019s really most important, it gets easier to say no and, at the end of the day (even if I\u2019ve been going nonstop for 15 hours), I know I\u2019ve done something meaningful with my time.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. Tell people <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t try to hide that you\u2019re pursuing your educational goals! If you are balancing school and work, there will be times they overlap. Usually, that\u2019s a good thing. For example, I can apply what I learned in my organizational leadership class at UC Berkeley\u2019s Haas Business School directly to a meeting the next day at Intuit. But there\u2019s also the negative side\u2014there were a few instances where I had to say no to an end-of-day meeting to start my commute to business school. In those situations where school starts to seep into the workplace, I found it was much easier just to embrace the fact that you add value from your time in the classroom and be brutally honest with your colleagues (or clients) about the positives and negatives. Chances are, they completely understand, have your back, and also may want to hear about what you\u2019re learning!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sarah Hilmer, Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Public Policy, Local Impact and Strategic Alliances in Mountain View, CA <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBalancing school, work, and a personal life is tough! When I tell my colleagues that I\u2019m pursuing my MBA while working full-time, I often get asked, \u201cHow do you do it?\u201d The truth is there is no secret to the balancing act. I just try to show up to my commitments as best as I can\u2014whether it be a work meeting or a school group meeting. The first year was the hardest. Within three months, I moved back to the Bay Area, started my MBA program at UC Davis, and began working at Intuit. I had to learn how to re-prioritize and allocate my time. My workday is filled with meetings, so I usually take my work home, but since I\u2019ve started school, I\u2019ve learned that the best time for me to catch up on homework is during my lunch hour and on the weekends.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had a huge health scare a couple of months ago and found out I had adrenal fatigue due to chronic stress, so I\u2019ve become a huge advocate for self-care. Now, I go to bed before 10 P.M., do breathing exercises or meditation to ground myself, take time to work out, and use essential oils whenever I feel stressed. Working and attending business school has been a tough journey. Whenever I\u2019m having a hard time and want to quit, I just remember that my classmates and some of my colleagues are going through the same thing, and I focus on the fact that getting my MBA has been a dream of mine since 2014!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXdfr562hsvS-OPiWwoTHraHTP0QcQOkZZvMd10-SbJU0Q7PFf55c89eCmh3khWuDjf0MocKmL9ZCoCUjKZS2KKiKeZEYz3jDkq4iWbhfMMaixLd_E7VCRFp-3of7jNJtxyn8D_2?key=VBf5iYDHSSCPai3Q7o8V0sqy\")
5. Find the time <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
6. Self-care is crucial <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXe1_nDHmhqeFQbABQd54ySL3YYWrsurP0grc6ym6WOcJZjHYbGt9XJATIrzqmChD4qzDMWWkkt7S2ynNhr6wbKEWkClGYFk6mWNG3f-maWKByBmeRfVzBDe7Xky-QcQt6il9yGR?key=VBf5iYDHSSCPai3Q7o8V0sqy\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com\/docsz\/AD_4nXfuUV1FfhdOD78wcItWOynZPIFxH21gZfS6pAuMMCGSmAkDWHuVEQl6Z_xvVEnFRJYesR5EwzH60Qj_Twlbyr-9bjs6QPFunMdFUGRTlEQquT_Tur7aO3DtT1li6XvULjdMtuE?key=VBf5iYDHSSCPai3Q7o8V0sqy\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n