Managing a school schedule is tough enough. After a long day of classes, homework, papers and extra curriculars, all you need to do is chill and binge a little Netflix. I generally get it. Regrettably, binge watching Pretty Little Liars won’t pay the bills. So you have got to figure out how to balance career work on top of the crazy schedule you already have. Do not worry though, I have got a few tips to assist you handle the challenge. As a student, I pushed it to the limit. I took a full course loads, worked 5 days a week and loaded on the internships. And after a few semesters of missed classes, running late to shifts and pulling an insane number of all nighters, I mastered the balancing act. Now I’m here to assist you.

1. Get your priorities in check

You are not going to victoriously juggle work and your other responsibilities unless you exercise certain discipline and make a schedule. Before you take on a new job, write down all of your priorities and the amount of time they take each week. Estimate on the high end and include a little buffer time for hanging with friends and Netflixing. Then, crunch the numbers and see how much time you can dedicate to work.

Once you figure out what type of schedule you are working with, use an agenda or calendar to keep track of everything. Trust me, this will make your life so much easier.

2. Make your career work schedule work for you

Seriously, do not over do it. As someone who is gone overboard working until exhaustion, I am telling you to seek a job that is flexible. School comes first and there are plenty of part-time jobs that can accommodate a busy student schedule like yours. Restaurant and retail jobs are good places to look because they offer a variety of shifts to choose from. The most significant thing to remember is do not stress yourself out by taking on too many shifts.

Overworking could lead to burnout. Trust me, I have been there and it ain’t pretty. It’s okay to work fewer shifts until you’re comfortable with the balancing game. Once you’ve got it down, you can always pick up extra hours.

3. Keep your eye on the prize

I am not going to sugar coat it–balancing school and working to pay the bills can be hard. Every morning you reach for the snooze button, remember that you can’t afford to push it. Why? Because… money.

While your friends are hunting for quarters in the couch cushions, begging for allowance advances and donating plasma to make an extra buck, you will be earning money that can be used for vacation, rent, tuition and non-dining hall food (yum). Not to mention, you’re also absorbing skills and experience that’ll come in handy down the road.

Playing the balance game with school and career work is always tricky and needs patience and accountability. But, it all gets easier once that money hits your bank account.