How to Improve Student Mom Life This Year

Simple ways you can improve your life as a student mom

The life of a student mom is a challenging one, so what can you do this year to improve it? The answer is lots of things! There are lots of simple things you can do that would make a noticeable difference in your life.

Some simple changes can make life as a college mom less stressful or overwhelming. So in this post, we are going to look at some simple ways to make student mom life better, so you can stay on top of your schoolwork while enjoying life as a mom.

Here are some simple ways to improve your life this year.

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1. WHAT ARE YOUR TWO BIGGEST CHALLENGES?

What do you struggle with the most? What’s the hardest part of being a student mom?

While there are a lot of challenging aspects in the life of a student mother, it is true that some things are more difficult than others, and some moms will find some things easier to deal with than others (it all depends on their circumstances). You can’t put everyone in the same box.

So, I want you to think of two things you struggle with the most, and write them down.

It doesn’t matter what you think about them or if it’s something you think shouldn’t be that big of a deal. If it bothers you a lot or makes your life more challenging, then write it down.

From my experience, here are the biggest challenges of student moms.

Finding time to study (some reasons include, can’t afford a babysitter, homeschooling kids, or dealing with clingy babies or demanding kids)
Staying on top of housework
Overwhelmed from juggling work and school
Lack of support
Not spending enough time with kids

There are lots of other things college moms struggle with, but the ones I listed seem to be the most common ones. Can you identify with the list above or are you struggling with something else?

Whatever your two biggest struggles are, identifying and acknowledging them is the first step to finding a solution for them.

2. BRAINSTORM A FEW SOLUTIONS

One of the lessons I have learned is that unless I am willing to change or find a solution to a problem, then it’s pointless talking about it all the time.

Now, don’t get me wrong. It helps to vent or get things off your chest occasionally. It’s better than bottling up your feelings. However, if you keep whining about something without taking steps to address or fix it, then it’s probably not very important in the grand scheme of things.

If a problem is getting in the way of your goals, then it makes sense to find a solution for it.

I know some things are more difficult to resolve than others, and there are times when your only option is to persevere. I get that and I feel you mama if that’s your situation. But, I believe there’s a solution for most problems you face as a mom in college.

For example, if your biggest challenge is finding time to study, there are a few things you can do to eliminate (or at least minimize) the problem. Of course, it depends on the cause. Some reasons moms struggle to find time to study include:

Being a working single mom
Clingy baby or kids (that means waiting until after your kid’s bedtime to study, then being too tired to stay awake and study)
Being a stay at home mom and spending all your time on housework or taking care of the kids

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons why moms struggle to find time to study. So, depending on the reason, here are a few solutions to your problem.

If it’s work-related, you can stop working and focus on your schoolwork (if possible), reduce your hours at work, or change jobs.
If it’s related to your kids, you have a few options. You can invest in some resources like a portable crib or playard, a rocker, or a mamaRoo, so you can keep your kids close to you while you study. This way, you don’t have to wait until nighttime before you get to your books. Another option is to pay for a babysitter to watch your kids a few hours a day while you study.

Now, I know these options may not work for everyone, but at least, they can get you thinking, so you can brainstorm some solutions for your biggest challenges.

3. IMPROVE STUDENT MOM LIFE BY GETTING HEALTHY

Student moms want to get healthy because they know it’s the right thing to do, but the problem is, they are so busy they can’t even find the time to get healthy.

But, getting healthy is not something you should ignore. You need good health to accomplish your goals, that’s why one of the ways you can make life better as a student mom is to take care of your health.

You need healthy foods and drinks and lots of exercise and stretching, especially since you spend a lot of time studying and attending classes. Also, you need to get enough rest and sleep to stay healthy.

So, if you keep talking about getting healthy, losing weight, eating, and sleeping well without doing anything about it, then it’s time to change that. Make your health a priority. Your body and mind will thank you for taking care of them.

You can check out the post below for some more tips for staying healthy as a busy mom.

4. MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF

Making time for yourself is one of those things that won’t magically happen. You have to be intentional about it and be proactive.

I love my kids and I enjoy spending time with them, but I find I still need some time for myself. If you are a single mom like me, then you know how hard it is to find time for yourself.

There was a time when I felt like I was on call 24/7. I knew I needed a break, but I just couldn’t find the time for a break with everything that was going on around me.

If you are in this situation, it’s important that you find the time unless you want to burn yourself out. This is one of those things you have to be selfish about. You have to say to yourself “I need my me time, and I am going to get it!” That’s the only way you are going to make this happen.

Here are some suggestions for making or finding time for yourself:

Wake up early before everyone else, and spend that time doing something you love, or just enjoy the peace and quiet.
Spend an extra hour in school (after your classes) or at work before coming home. Use that time to do whatever you like. Hang out with your classmates, go for a walk, eat a meal, or exercise.
If you have some support, ask your husband or partner to watch the kids for an hour or two every week, and use that time for yourself. Go for a walk, visit your parents, or do whatever you like.
Shop alone (if possible). Yes, grocery shopping alone also works. You can take your sweet time and don’t have to deal with all the hassle of having your kids with you. I love my kids, but grocery shopping was a bit painful when they were little.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways to squeeze out some time for yourself. While you probably won’t be able to go away for days at a time, you can squeeze out small chunks of time during the day or week.

Yes, you still have to manage your time well and be as productive as you can, but don’t ignore the importance of having your “me” time.

5. IMPROVE YOUR LIFE AS A STUDENT MOM BY GETTING YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT

One of the fastest ways to improve your life is to get your priorities right. Once you know what your priorities are, then you are at liberty to focus on them. That means you can pay less attention to the not-so-important stuff.

The problem is many moms in college don’t know what their priorities are or what they should focus on at any given time. Some of them have too many priorities, so they end up juggling too many things and wearing themselves out.

Instead of giving the same time and attention to lots of things, pick one or two things that are the most important to you, and give them most of your attention.

It doesn’t mean you have to ignore everything else. What this means is that you can now decide what should get most of your time, effort, and energy. This is how you make progress and improve your life.

For example, if your priorities are your job and school, then housework is going to have to take a back seat. If spending time with your kids is more important to you right now, maybe you need to take some time off from school or work.

It’s all about what is important to you at any given time. So, work out what your priorities are, then give them all your attention.

6. START MAKING BETTER DECISIONS

One of the first steps to improving your life is to make better decisions. If you notice, a lot of problems people have can be traced back to a decision they made at one point or the other.

If you truly want to have a better year as a mom in school, you have to start with the decisions you make.

Don’t make important decisions on the fly or simply based on how you feel at the time. Make important decisions based on facts, research, and their long-term effect on you and your family.

Here are some areas of your life that require good decision making.

The number of classes to take and what classes to take.
Your finances. Whether to borrow money, how much to borrow, and making spending decisions.
Relationships. Cutting off toxic relationships, breaking up with abusive partners, things like that. Also, how much time to spend with your family.
Eating and drinking habits.
Work and career. Whether to keep on working or just focus on school. Decisions about changing jobs or what to do after you graduate from college.
Schoolwork. How much time to study, where and when to study and complete assignments, dropping classes, and things of that nature.
Kids. Their schooling choices and childcare needs.

Basically, you need good decision making skills in every area of your life if you want a better life.

So, think about some of the decisions you made recently. Where they good decisions? Did they improve your life or made things worse?

If you have trouble making good decisions, it’s a skill that can be learned if you put your mind to it. But for now, before making any decision, ask yourself these questions.

Is my decision based on fact?
Did I do proper research?
Am I comfortable with this decision?
What effect would this decision have on my life?
Can this decision be overturned?

While you won’t always get it right, taking the time to ask these questions will increase the probability of making the best decision for your circumstances. So, go ahead. Give it a try.

7. CHOOSE JOY AND A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

Your attitude to life plays a big part in whether you make it or not. If you approach life with a defeatist or negative mindset, it’s very difficult to overcome obstacles and challenges.

Now, I won’t say I am always positive or I never get down on myself. Far from it!

I went through a season in my life when I was so pessimistic. I always imagined the worst and often indulged in pity parties. But, you know what? No matter how bad your situation is, someone else has it worse. When you think about it like that, then it’s easy to find some positivity in your situation.

No matter how many tips or hacks I share with you, I can’t change your attitude or how you approach student mom life, but I can tell you that choosing joy and a positive attitude will do more for you than the alternative.

So, every day, find something to be thankful for no matter how insignificant you think it is. When you feel tired or frustrated at your progress, remind yourself that there are lots of moms who never began their college journey.

Be thankful that you get to pursue your dream and you have an opportunity to create a better life for you and your family. Yes, it’s true life as a student mom is hard and you are going to have bad days, but focus on the good and let that be your motivation.

RECOMMENDED TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO HELP YOU IMPROVE STUDENT MOM LIFE

Some things I think are worth investing in to help you enjoy a better life as a mom in college.

Planner
Neck massager to relieve stress and for self-care
Indoor exercise equipment
Meal planning resources
Financial planner (to help you manage your finances)

Next steps for improving student mom life

The life of a student mom is full of ups and downs. While you can’t control everything that happens to you, you can always try to improve things.

Making life as a student mom better is all about identifying your major challenges, coming up with solutions, getting healthy, making time for yourself, and embracing a positive attitude. When you do these things, life becomes a little bit easier.

So, go ahead and use some of these tips to make your life better this year.

Are you a student mom? What do you think will make your life better?