🎓💼 Study and work: how not to burn out during the semester

For students with part-time jobs and internships: how to organise your work week so that you have enough time for classes, money and sleep. First and foremost — a minimum set of rituals, ‘quiet windows’ for focus and a plan B for exams.

Note: general advice, not medical advice.

📅 Weekly schedule

🏫 Framework for the week (example)

• Classes: block them in your calendar as ‘unbreakable’ slots.
• Focus windows: 90 minutes each 09:30–11:00 and 14:30–16:00 3–4 times a week — notes, assignments, code.
• Shifts: 2–3 evenings for 4–5 hours + part of Saturday.
• Sports/exercise: 2×40–60 minutes on weekdays (after classes/shifts).
• Sleep: target range 7.5–8.5 hours, wake-up and bedtimes ± the same.

⏰ What it looks like on a weekday

Classes → 90 minutes of focus → short walk/lunch → classes/lab → shift 17:30–21:30 → shower/light snack → bedtime.

🧩 Grid rules

• 45/10/5: 45 minutes of focus, 10 minutes of movement/water, 5 minutes of reviewing results.
• One ‘free’ evening without shifts or group activities — for reading/sleeping.
• Plan C: a short list of ‘things to do in 25 minutes’ if the day falls apart.

📖 Exam mode

🏃‍♀️🤫 Sprints and ‘quiet period’

• For 14 days — sprint card: topics, tasks, deadlines, mock tests.
• 7–10 days — ‘quiet period’: take off evening shifts/leave only one short shift.
• Every 2–3 days — mini-retro: what's slowing you down? What can you get rid of?

🔄 Plan B for shifts

• With your manager: write down ‘exam windows’ in advance, swap shifts, move them to the weekend after the exam period.
• Mix up your tasks at work: ask for quiet, routine slots during ‘red’ weeks.

😴💡🍎 Sleep, light, nutrition

🌙 Sleep

• ‘Double protection’ against waking up: alarm clock reminder + ‘do not disturb’ mode.
• If you have trouble falling asleep after a shift, take a warm shower, drink something warm, and avoid news feeds.

☀️ Light (especially during the dark season)

• In the morning: 20–30 minutes of bright light at your workplace/by the window.
• During the day: 10–15 minutes of a ‘light walk’ between classes.
• In the evening: warm light, no blue light — reduce brain ‘acceleration.’
• For more details, see the article Polar night: productivity.

🥪 Nutrition

• Always have a basic set with you: water, fruit/bar, sandwich/container.
• Cook for 2–3 days in advance: soup/stew + grain side dish.
• Caffeine — until 14:00–15:00; later — tea/water.

🛠️ Tools

📆 Calendar

• Colours: pairs/focus/shifts/sport/sleep.
• Repeating blocks: focus windows and ‘no one's evening’.
• Statuses: “busy” on sprints, ‘available’ on shifts.

📋 Task tracker

• Kanban: Backlog → Doing → Done; daily task limit (up to 5).
• Timer: Pomodoro/Focus timer; widget on the screen.
• Anti-procrastination: extensions that block social media in focus windows.

🚨Overload signals

👂 Listen if...

• You chronically sleep less than 6.5 hours and ‘catch up’ on weekends.
• You miss deadlines/are late for shifts.
• You don't have the energy for sports and basic tasks.
• You feel irritable and ‘foggy’ in your head.

🛑 What to do

• 24-hour stop audit: cancel everything except classes and sleep.
• Minus 1 shift for the next 2 weeks; turn your work into routine tasks.
• Ask for help: curator/teacher/manager/student services.
• Light exercise: walking/stretching instead of intense workouts.

🖼️ Templates and visuals

• Weekly schedule — template for Notion/Sheet (CTA above).
• ‘Overload signals’ template — print out and keep on your desk.

✅ Mini checklist for the week

• Updated schedule: classes/focus/shifts/exercise/sleep
• Set aside a ‘no-work night’
• 14-day sprint card (if exams are coming up)
• Food containers for 2–3 days + a ‘travel’ set
• Focus timer and distraction blocker enabled