A question frequently asked of Booth students is, “How do you balance it all?” It is an understandable question to ask if you’re a busy working professional who is considering how you can fit an MBA into your already busy life. Fortunately we have over 1300 students that have successfully made work, school, and life work for them. As current student, Ian Adams says, “It’s about living presently.” Here are a few of their tips:
1. Prioritize.
“One key is to prioritize—I have become much better at prioritizing my time as a part-time student. And that doesn't mean not having any leisure time—I’m very busy, but I still spend plenty of time relaxing, hanging out with friends, and enjoying life. By prioritizing the things you want to do and then planning ahead, you can make sure you get to the things you care about.”
Ian Adams | Current Evening MBA student
“Going to Booth is a rewarding challenge. As cliché, as it sounds, using a calendar to plan my days and weeks in advance helps me stay on top of all my work and school commitments.”
Taly Kanfi | Current Evening MBA student
2. Live in the Now.
“By living presently, I can be engaged in my school work when I'm doing schoolwork, in my job when I'm working, and focused on leisure when I'm relaxing. I find now that I spend very little time inefficiently. If I am trying to read a case study and I'm not focused, I stop and do something else with my time.”
Ian Adams | Current Evening MBA student
3. Be Intentional About Course Planning.
“I plan courses around the amount of group work required. I try to pair a qualitative class with a quantitative class each quarter. I also review the syllabus prior to registering for a class to get an idea of the workload involved and to make sure the heavy workload weeks don't overlap for both classes. Pairing a class with a high amount of group work with another class that requires little to no group work is an effective way to better manage my schedule. If I know I'll be traveling in the next quarter for work, I will plan ahead and try to schedule classes that have alternative sections taught by the same professor (another weeknight, weekend, or daytime section) so I can avoid missing class.”
Jen Schroeder | Current Evening MBA student
“My advice is to space out your classes throughout the week. You’ll have time in between to study and prepare for class.”
Jennifer Lopez | Current Evening MBA student
4. Maximize Your Commute.
“If you’re commuting, utilize travel time after class to knock out the week’s reading. This will help you prepare your analysis for conference calls and assignments due the following week.”
Maverick Goodrich | Weekend MBA alum, '15
5. Make Time for Fun.
“Typically, I am able to have one free evening per week and one free weekend day from school work, as long as I'm productive on the other days.”
Jen Schroeder | Current Evening MBA student
“Using my calendar to prioritize, I am also able to find time to spend with family and friends or squeeze in a workout. In my spare time I enjoy yoga classes or checking out a farmers market.”
Taly Kanfi | Current Evening MBA student
No matter what your Part-Time MBA journey looks like at Chicago Booth, your community will be there to support you.
Built in Support with your Part-Time MBA
We chatted with Cody Fennern, co-chair of Booth Pride, learn why he chose Chicago Booth and what makes this community special.
Representing Booth with Pride: Meet Co-Chair Cody Fennern
Which class at Chicago Booth has had the largest impact on you? Part-Time students share their favorite classes that pushed them out of their comfort zones and gave them real world tools and skills to take their careers to the next level.
The Chicago Approach in Action: Part Two
