The American Time Use survey provides fascinating data on what we do each day – and how much time we spend doing it. Work takes up about 7.6 hours, sleeping 8.6, and eating and drinking 1.23 hours. On the days we do housework, we spend about 2 hours doing it. The days get shorter when we add in childcare, errands and more. Adult learners face another time balancing act, finding hours in a crowded day for studying. What gets left out? Free time or “me” time is often sacrificed.
“Many online learners tend to believe they can be masters of the universe, able to write 10-page papers, get the kids off to school, make dinner, and numerous other tasks. If only this were sustainable…” says John Moore, Ph.D., professor of health sciences at the online American Public University System.
Hectic schedules and layers of responsibilities can lead to burnout — and that can have a huge impact on a student’s ability to do well. Moore says that burnout can be a barrier to higher grades or even degree completion. But you can change this, and the solution may be simpler than you think.
