Pursuing Education as an Adult: 3 Ideas to Find Focus and Balance
Many obstacles can hinder the pursuit of education. Sometimes, life catches up in unexpected ways, bringing financial and health troubles.
According to the Education Data Initiative, 39% of students who enroll in Bachelor’s degree programs do not finish their course within eight years. In 2023, the number of college dropouts in America exceeded 43 million.
Considering these dampening statistics, it is fantastic news if you have decided to pursue education as an adult. You may have resumed a degree program or enrolled in vocational training. Either way, it will be crucial at this point to find focus and balance. Studying as an adult, when you likely have more demands on your time and many more responsibilities, can be challenging.
1. Get the People in Your Life Onboard
A substantial impediment to studying as an adult can be family responsibilities and the difficulties of finding a work-life balance. If you have enrolled in a part-time course, it may mean working on weekends, with little likelihood of accompanying the kids to the park or a hobby class.
Therefore, the first task is to ensure that the people who matter to you are on board with the plan. Focus on an honest discussion, explaining the reasons behind your decision and the advantages, financial and otherwise, it will have for the whole family.
In some cases, continuing education may be a necessary factor for changing your career and improving your life satisfaction or mental well-being. Several studies have found that parental mental health can impact that of children.
Your employer should also be on board with the plan, especially if you are the primary breadwinner. In the modern business landscape, work-life balance is a core requirement for many professionals.
A Reward Gateway | Edenred 2025 survey found that almost 60% of UK employees prioritize their wellbeing and personal boundaries. Many have changed their working patterns, either going part-time or making their hours flexible.
Many organizations now support employees who wish to continue their education. You should consider speaking with your supervisors about possible assistance with tuition, certifications, and flexible hours that fit your new schedule.
2. Recognize Habits That Drain Your Time and Add No Value
As an adult trying to study, you will also experience several distractions, likely more so than even teenagers. After all, the world is now open to you, without the regulations and restrictions that bound you when you were first a student. Social media or sports betting are only two examples of many.
Nowadays, many media companies have ramped up their promotional campaigns through hyper-targeting and personalized algorithms.
It is hard to avoid doom-scrolling your Instagram feed when all the content seems tailor-made to your tastes. Recently, several residents of Baltimore filed a FanDuel lawsuit, complaining that the sports betting platform used deceptive marketing and VIP program tactics to target vulnerable users.
TruLaw notes that the amount Americans wager on such platforms has increased dramatically over the years, signaling addiction and causing financial and mental health consequences.
An effective way to curtail such habits that drain your resources (time, money, and effort) is to first recognize them. Then, you can create a gradual plan in which you reduce the time spent on the said activity.
It helps to introduce a replacement activity that is pleasurable but constructive for your goals. For example, you could meet a fellow student for coffee (and cake) to discuss how the course is progressing. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this gradual approach to quitting negative habits works much better than the overhyped dopamine detox.
3. Seek Mentorship and Guidance
Education, especially when you pursue it later in life, can be demanding. You may experience stages when you question the plan or second-guess your life objectives.
Seeking mentorship can be an excellent way to stay committed to the task and inch closer to the gratification of meeting your goals. Experiencing mentorship can also bring you psychosocial benefits, boosting self-confidence and your perception of your competencies.
This guidance can come from anywhere, so don’t stay limited to the professional or counselor your course may have assigned. You may also set up meetings with:
Alumni
Interested people on LinkedIn who run mentorship programs
Industry professionals at networking events
Fellow students
During these sessions, plan to focus on your progress and resolve any obstacles you are facing. These could be academic or related to time management. The idea is to build a collaborative, transparent mentor-mentee relationship, recognizing that anyone, at all, may be the force that keeps you committed.
These ideas should help you on your admirable journey of continuing education as an adult. It can take significant effort and dedication, but the results will be worth it. Chances are, you will emerge on the other side a stronger professional and a more balanced, mindful individual.
