[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fRdy4Ph-Pr3_YSRANo4UELfNtlCWM9i03GPoJzUPa93A":3,"$fTRUKGETOigzBq6PibjSLSkJVu7mRatssr1b-EAHI66U":37,"$frp6PG7hyg6wgyDitgNTdQsMpq9tihl0yhkG5bKvYIB0":131},{"data":4,"meta":33},[5,9,13,17,21,25,29],{"id":6,"name":7,"slug":8},1,"Career & Finance","career-and-finance",{"id":10,"name":11,"slug":12},11,"After Hours","after-hours",{"id":14,"name":15,"slug":16},3,"Wellness","wellness",{"id":18,"name":19,"slug":20},12,"Style","style",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24},4,"Voices","voices",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28},2,"Mindset","mindset",{"id":30,"name":31,"slug":32},10,"Nourish","food",{"pagination":34},{"page":6,"pageSize":35,"pageCount":6,"total":36},25,7,{"data":38,"meta":129},[39],{"id":40,"title":41,"createdAt":42,"updatedAt":43,"publishedAt":44,"content":45,"slug":46,"coffees":26,"seo_title":41,"keywords":47,"seo_desc":48,"featuredImage":49,"category":93,"author":97,"img":128},24,"Why Is Simone de Beauvoir Inspirational? The Feminist Who Changed How We Think About Women","2020-12-27T21:20:29.276Z","2025-10-25T19:14:47.741Z","2020-12-27T21:20:46.205Z","\u003Cp>Have you ever stopped to question why society treats women differently than men? Why are certain behaviors considered "feminine" while others are "masculine"? We have one brilliant French philosopher to thank for sparking that conversation: Simone de Beauvoir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you've never heard of her, you're about to discover the woman who fundamentally changed how we understand gender, feminism, and what it means to be a woman in the modern world. Her revolutionary ideas from the 1940s still shape conversations about equality, identity, and women's rights today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Who Was Simone de Beauvoir?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Simone Lucie Ernestine Marie Bertrand de Beauvoir was a French existentialist philosopher, writer, political activist, feminist, and social theorist who lived from 1908 to 1986. Born in Paris to a middle-class family, she was a deeply religious child who initially dreamed of becoming a nun. But at age 14, she experienced a profound crisis of faith and became an atheist—a transformation that would spark her lifelong exploration of existentialism and what it truly means to be human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here's what makes her story remarkable: at just 21 years old, Beauvoir became the youngest person ever to pass the \u003Cem>agrégation\u003C\u002Fem>, France's notoriously difficult teaching certification exam. She placed second—right behind Jean-Paul Sartre, who would become her lifelong partner (though they never married and maintained an unconventional open relationship that scandalized their generation).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Beauvoir was far more than just Sartre's companion. She was a formidable intellectual force in her own right, whose ideas would ultimately prove just as influential—if not more so—than his.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Why Is Simone de Beauvoir Inspirational?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Ch3>She Invented the Concept That Gender Is Socially Constructed\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Beauvoir's most groundbreaking contribution came in 1949 when she published The Second Sex (\u003Cem>Le Deuxième Sexe\u003C\u002Fem>). This wasn't just a book—it was an intellectual earthquake that fundamentally changed how we think about gender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her most famous line? "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman" (\u003Cem>"On ne naît pas femme, on le devient"\u003C\u002Fem>).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Think about that for a moment. What Beauvoir was saying—decades before it became mainstream thinking—is that femininity isn't biological destiny. It's something society teaches us, shapes in us, and often forces upon us. She articulated what scholars now call the sex-gender distinction: the difference between biological sex and the socially constructed roles and stereotypes we call gender.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This single idea became the foundation of \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwhy-we-need-feminism\">modern feminism\u003C\u002Fa> and gender studies. Every conversation we have today about gender roles, stereotypes, and equality traces back to this revolutionary insight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>She Challenged the Patriarchy When It Was Dangerous to Do So\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Writing The Second Sex in 1949, France was no small act of courage. The book was immediately condemned by the Catholic Church and added to the Vatican's Index of Prohibited Books. Critics were outraged. Men threw the book across rooms. People mocked Beauvoir in restaurants. Albert Camus reportedly reacted with "typical Mediterranean machismo," furious that she had "ridiculed the French male."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why? Because Beauvoir dared to speak openly about female sexuality, women's oppression, and the systematic ways society kept women subordinate. She wasn't polite about it. She was direct, scholarly, and uncompromising.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But here's what's inspiring: she didn't back down. She continued writing, speaking, and fighting for women's rights for the rest of her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>She Demonstrated That Women Are Complete Human Beings\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>At the heart of Beauvoir's work is a powerful argument: women have been defined as "the Other"—as secondary, incomplete, and existing only in relation to men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pointed out that Aristotle described women as "female by virtue of a certain lack of qualities." Thomas Aquinas called women "imperfect men" and "incidental" beings. Throughout history, as Beauvoir wrote, "Humanity is male, and man defines woman, not in herself but in relation to himself."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Beauvoir's philosophy was ultimately hopeful. She asserted that women are as capable of choice as men. Women can choose to elevate themselves, moving beyond passive acceptance (what existentialists call "immanence") to active self-creation and responsibility (what they call "transcendence"). In other words: you don't have to accept the limiting definitions society places on you. You can create your own meaning, your own purpose, your own identity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This message of empowerment resonates today with every woman navigating workplace bias, societal expectations, or the pressure to be "everything to everyone."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>\u003Cem>Read also: \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwhy-women-are-underrepresented-in-leadership-positions\">Why Women Are Underrepresented in Leadership Positions?\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002Fsimone_de_beauvoir_inspirational_woman_1171408981.webp\" alt=\"Simone de beauvoir writing a book\">\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cem>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fshare.google\u002Fimages\u002FWLAXRwaZkofycoBcK\">Photo\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>What Is Simone de Beauvoir Most Famous For?\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Ch3>The Second Sex: The Book That Launched Modern Feminism\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>The Second Sex is Beauvoir's magnum opus—a detailed, interdisciplinary analysis of women's oppression spanning history, biology, psychology, sociology, and mythology. It's over 1,000 pages of thoroughly researched argumentation about why women have been systematically oppressed and what can be done about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The book became a catalyst for the second-wave feminist movement in the 1960s and '70s. Feminist icons like Betty Friedan, Kate Millett, Germaine Greer, and Gloria Steinem all cited Beauvoir as a major influence. Betty Friedan specifically said The Second Sex "led me to whatever original analysis of women's existence I have been able to contribute to the Women's movement."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch3>Her Activism and Political Engagement\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Cp>Though Beauvoir initially resisted identifying as a feminist (she believed socialism would automatically solve women's oppression), she publicly declared herself a feminist in a 1972 interview. From that point forward, she became actively involved in the \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fsuffragettes-the-movement-that-changed-the-history-of-women\">women's liberation movement in France\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In 1971, she signed the Manifesto of the 343, a public declaration by 343 French women—including prominent actresses, writers, and intellectuals—admitting they had illegal abortions. This courageous act helped bring about abortion law reform in France. She also founded a feminist section in the influential journal \u003Cem>Les Temps Modernes\u003C\u002Fem> and spent her later years fighting for divorce law reform, women's rights in the Iranian Revolution, and sexual equality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Simone de Beauvoir's Most Inspirational Quotes\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Beauvoir's writing is filled with wisdom that feels remarkably relevant to modern working women. Here are some of her most powerful quotes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Women's Potential: "Women are not the victims of some mysterious fate: our ovaries do not condemn us to a lifetime of submission."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Ambition: "I am awfully greedy; I want everything from life. I want to be a woman and to be a man, to have many friends and to have loneliness, to work much and write good books, to travel and enjoy myself, to be selfish and to be unselfish… You see, it is difficult to get all that I want. And then when I do not succeed, I get mad with anger."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Taking Action: "Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Independence: "I am too intelligent, too demanding, and too resourceful for anyone to be able to take charge of me entirely. No one knows me or loves me completely. I have only myself."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Self-Knowledge: "Self-knowledge is no guarantee of happiness, but it is on the side of happiness and can supply the courage to fight for it."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On Freedom: "I wish that every human life might be pure transparent freedom."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On How Society Defines Women: "Humanity is male, and man defines woman, not in herself but in relation to himself."\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Simone de Beauvoir's Legacy Today\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Beauvoir's influence extends far beyond academic philosophy. Her ideas permeate contemporary conversations about:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Gender identity and expression: The understanding that gender is socially constructed rather than biologically determined  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Intersectional feminism: Her analysis of how different forms of oppression overlap  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Women's autonomy: The idea that women should define themselves rather than be defined by others  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Work-life balance: Her writings on how domestic roles have limited women's potential  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Sexual freedom: Her frank discussions of female sexuality and desire\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>In 2018, French culture celebrated Beauvoir's manuscripts of \u003Cem>The Second Sex\u003C\u002Fem> being published, and her memoirs were added to the prestigious Pléiade collection—a sign of her permanent place in the literary and philosophical canon. Modern scholars continue to discover new dimensions of her thought, from her phenomenological approach to her intersectional analysis before the term even existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>Why Simone de Beauvoir Matters for Working Women Today\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>As modern working women, we owe Beauvoir an enormous debt. Every time we:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Question why household labor falls disproportionately on women  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Negotiate for \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fmind-the-gap-the-fight-for-gender-equal-compensation\">equal pay\u003C\u002Fa>  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Refuse to apologize for our ambition  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Choose careers over traditional roles  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Define success on our own terms  \u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003Cli>Speak up against \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-handle-sexist-people-in-business\">sexism in the workplace\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fli>\n\u003C\u002Ful>\n\u003Cp>...we're living out the freedom Beauvoir fought to secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She showed us that conventions are not destiny. That we are not "the Other" or "the second sex"—we are complete, autonomous human beings capable of transcendence, of creating our own meaning, of choosing our own paths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beauvoir rejected the idea that women must choose between career and personal life, between ambition and femininity, between intellectual pursuits and relationships. She lived authentically, wrote prolifically, loved passionately, and changed the world fundamentally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>The Bottom Line\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>Simone de Beauvoir transformed how we understand gender, paved the way for modern feminism, and demonstrated through both her work and her life that women are complete, necessary, autonomous human beings. Her most powerful message? You are not what society says you are. You become who you choose to become.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a world that still places limiting expectations on women, that's a message worth remembering—and celebrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch4>References\u003C\u002Fh4>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fen.wikipedia.org\u002Fwiki\u002FSimone_de_Beauvoir\">Simone de Beauvoir\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwordsofwomen.com\u002Fsimone-de-beauvoir-on-why-conformity-is-death\u002F\">Simone de Beauvoir Is The Badass Inspiration You Need To Keep Going\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.vogue.fr\u002Ffashion-culture\u002Farticle\u002F6-feminist-quotes-by-simone-de-beauvoir\">6 feminist quotes by Simone de Beauvoir\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch3>Follow Us On Social For More Tips & News\u003C\u002Fh3>\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cem>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fthe_working_gal\u002F\">The Working Gal on Instagram\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fh4>\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cem>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Ftheworkinggal\">The Working Gal on Facebook\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fh4>\n\u003Ch4>\u003Cem>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Ffr.pinterest.com\u002Fthe_working_gal\u002F\">The Working Gal on Pinterest\u003C\u002Fa>\u003C\u002Fem>\u003C\u002Fh4>\n","inspirational-women-simon-de-beauvoir","feminism, simone de beauvoir, second, sex, other, second sex, feminist, simone, de beauvoir","Who was Simon de Beauvoir, the feminist who has been an inspiration for many women throughout history? ",{"id":50,"name":51,"alternativeText":52,"caption":52,"width":53,"height":54,"formats":55,"hash":87,"ext":57,"mime":60,"size":88,"url":89,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":91,"updatedAt":92},35,"simon-de-beauvoir.jpg","simon-de-beauvoir",1600,900,{"large":56,"small":66,"medium":73,"thumbnail":80},{"ext":57,"url":58,"hash":59,"mime":60,"name":61,"path":62,"size":63,"width":64,"height":65},".jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Flarge_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387.jpg","large_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387","image\u002Fjpeg","large_simon-de-beauvoir.jpg",null,59.01,1000,563,{"ext":57,"url":67,"hash":68,"mime":60,"name":69,"path":62,"size":70,"width":71,"height":72},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fsmall_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387.jpg","small_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387","small_simon-de-beauvoir.jpg",17.26,500,281,{"ext":57,"url":74,"hash":75,"mime":60,"name":76,"path":62,"size":77,"width":78,"height":79},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fmedium_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387.jpg","medium_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387","medium_simon-de-beauvoir.jpg",34.3,750,422,{"ext":57,"url":81,"hash":82,"mime":60,"name":83,"path":62,"size":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387.jpg","thumbnail_simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387","thumbnail_simon-de-beauvoir.jpg",5.89,245,138,"simon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387",119.39,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fsimon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387.jpg","aws-s3","2020-12-27T21:20:19.838Z","2025-02-22T08:39:49.511Z",{"id":22,"name":23,"slug":24,"createdAt":94,"updatedAt":95,"publishedAt":96},"2020-12-24T19:16:11.810Z","2025-10-01T19:49:12.086Z","2024-06-26T07:27:59.419Z",{"id":6,"name":98,"slug":99,"instagram":100,"facebook":101,"bio":102,"createdAt":103,"updatedAt":104,"publishedAt":105,"linkedIn":106,"avatar":107,"avatarImg":127},"Dimitra","dimitra","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fdimdimi\u002F","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Fdimitra.lioliou.9","She worked in corporate, then embraced the freelancer dream and built two businesses. In the meantime, she learned five foreign languages, picked up a Master's in Digital Marketing, and somehow ended up deep in the world of AI Risk Strategy — because understanding people was always the strategy anyway.\nNow she spends her time between Greece and the US, meeting with clients, writing about whatever life brings, and helping businesses figure out what AI gets wrong before it costs them.\nJust a suggestion: don't ask her about languages. She will never stop talking.","2020-12-24T18:56:38.909Z","2026-02-19T19:46:02.745Z","2020-12-24T18:56:43.888Z","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Fdimitra-lioliou\u002F",{"id":108,"name":109,"alternativeText":110,"caption":111,"width":112,"height":112,"formats":113,"hash":123,"ext":115,"mime":118,"size":124,"url":125,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":126,"updatedAt":126},1244,"Dimitra Lioliou.png","dimitra lioliou profile pic","dimitra lioliou the working gal",250,{"thumbnail":114},{"ext":115,"url":116,"hash":117,"mime":118,"name":119,"path":62,"size":120,"width":121,"height":121,"sizeInBytes":122},".png","https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_Dimitra_Lioliou_4c495e8044.png","thumbnail_Dimitra_Lioliou_4c495e8044","image\u002Fpng","thumbnail_Dimitra Lioliou.png",47.83,156,47833,"Dimitra_Lioliou_4c495e8044",34.56,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002FDimitra_Lioliou_4c495e8044.png","2025-04-09T22:06:21.464Z","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002FDimitra_Lioliou_4c495e8044.png","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002Fsimon_de_beauvoir_9be7f93387.jpg",{"pagination":130},{"page":6,"pageSize":35,"pageCount":6,"total":6},{"data":132,"meta":430},[133,204,252,317,384],{"id":134,"title":135,"createdAt":136,"updatedAt":137,"publishedAt":138,"content":139,"slug":140,"coffees":26,"seo_title":141,"keywords":142,"seo_desc":143,"featuredImage":144,"category":174,"author":177,"img":203},23,"Fuel Your Day: The Power of a Nutritious Breakfast","2020-12-27T20:23:19.575Z","2025-02-23T19:16:13.692Z","2020-12-27T20:23:21.605Z","**Breakfast is a very important meal** - it can either make or break your day. A nutritious breakfast is essential for the protection of health and body composition (ratio of muscle tissue, fat, fluids, etc.):\n\nThat morning bowl of cereal or protein smoothie isn't just about filling your stomach – it's about setting the tone for a productive and healthy day.  Skipping breakfast can have a domino effect on your energy levels, focus, and even your waistline.\n\nLet's be creative and think of your body like a car. Breakfast is the fuel it needs to kickstart the engine after a long night's rest.  A healthy breakfast:\n\n## Starting our day by eating breakfast *boosts our metabolism and keeps our blood sugar levels at normal levels*.\nEating breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism, helping your body burn calories more efficiently throughout the day. This is especially important for maintaining a healthy weight.\n\n## Breakfast helps to *activate the body*, making it active and productive until lunch.\nA nutritious breakfast replenishes your body's glycogen stores, the primary source of energy for your muscles. This helps you feel energized and ready to tackle your day's activities until lunchtime. Eating breakfast improves blood flow to the brain, delivering essential nutrients that enhance focus, concentration, and cognitive function. This translates to better productivity and mental clarity throughout the morning.\n\n## A nutritious breakfast *reduces the risk of overeating* and *unnecessary snacking* during the day.\nWhen you skip breakfast, your body goes into \"starvation mode,\" leading to increased production of the hunger hormone ghrelin. This can trigger intense cravings for unhealthy, high-calorie foods later in the day. Eating a balanced breakfast helps regulate your appetite hormones, keeping cravings at bay and promoting healthy eating habits.\n\n## Breakfast consumption has been linked to *lower rates of heart disease episodes*.\nEating breakfast regularly helps regulate blood sugar levels throughout the day. This is important because chronic high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, which is linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Eating breakfast may help maintain a healthy balance between LDL (\"bad\") cholesterol and HDL (\"good\") cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease.\n\n## Breakfast is necessary not only for our body but also for the *brain*. Eating a nutritious breakfast helps to improve [concentration](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002F7-ways-to-improve-concentration-in-everything-you-do) and [productivity](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fproductivity-diaries-i-started-to-wake-up-at-6-am-and-good-things-have-happened).\nWhen you skip breakfast, your blood sugar levels drop, leading to feelings of fatigue and difficulty focusing. Eating breakfast provides a steady stream of glucose, the brain's primary source of energy. This keeps you alert and allows you to concentrate better on tasks and information throughout the morning. Skipping breakfast can leave you feeling sluggish and foggy-headed. A nutritious breakfast improves blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and essential nutrients that promote alertness and mental clarity. This can significantly impact your productivity and problem-solving skills.\n\n### Dedicating 10 minutes to making and eating a nutritious combination is just a matter of habit!\n\nWhole wheat bread with cheese or eggs and juice, yogurt with honey and nuts are just some of the [quick and nutritious breakfast options](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fbusy-mornings-20-healthy-breakfast-ideas-if-you-don-t-have-time), which do not require much time to prepare but can make a big difference in health.\n\nHowever, if you are the kind of person who can not devote any time to the preparation of breakfast but recognize its value and do not want to miss it, we can try multi-grain breakfast bites that are available in stores and which we can enjoy on the go! \n\nMulti-grain breakfast bites combine whole grains, such as oats, barley rice, and wheat, vitamins Delicious ingredients such as chocolate and fruit are a great suggestion either when consumed alone or combined with a portion of fruit and dairy product, for an even more wholesome solution!\n\n***\n\n### _Follow Us On Social For More Tips & News_\n\n#### [The Working Gal on Instagram](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fthe_working_gal\u002F) \n\n#### [The Working Gal on Facebook](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Ftheworkinggal) \n\n#### [The Working Gal on Pinterest](https:\u002F\u002Ffr.pinterest.com\u002Fthe_working_gal\u002F)\n\n","4-1-reasons-to-eat-breakfast","4 + 1 Reasons to eat Breakfast","why breakfast is important, why is breakfast such an important meal, why is breakfast so important, why breakfast is most important meal of the day, breakfast why is it important","Why is breakfast is so important? Our nutritionist explains the reasons why we should have breakfast every day and why breakfast is the most important meal of the day",{"id":145,"name":146,"alternativeText":147,"caption":147,"width":53,"height":54,"formats":148,"hash":169,"ext":57,"mime":60,"size":170,"url":171,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":172,"updatedAt":173},34,"why we should eat breakfast.jpg","why we should eat breakfast",{"large":149,"small":154,"medium":159,"thumbnail":164},{"ext":57,"url":150,"hash":151,"mime":60,"name":152,"path":62,"size":153,"width":64,"height":65},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Flarge_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934.jpg","large_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934","large_why-eat-breakfast.jpg",161.13,{"ext":57,"url":155,"hash":156,"mime":60,"name":157,"path":62,"size":158,"width":71,"height":72},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fsmall_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934.jpg","small_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934","small_why-eat-breakfast.jpg",47.55,{"ext":57,"url":160,"hash":161,"mime":60,"name":162,"path":62,"size":163,"width":78,"height":79},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fmedium_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934.jpg","medium_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934","medium_why-eat-breakfast.jpg",93.58,{"ext":57,"url":165,"hash":166,"mime":60,"name":167,"path":62,"size":168,"width":85,"height":86},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934.jpg","thumbnail_why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934","thumbnail_why-eat-breakfast.jpg",14.21,"why_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934",365.38,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fwhy_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934.jpg","2020-12-27T20:23:16.249Z","2025-02-22T08:39:44.195Z",{"id":14,"name":15,"slug":16,"createdAt":175,"updatedAt":176,"publishedAt":96},"2020-12-24T19:16:00.904Z","2025-02-19T20:04:41.159Z",{"id":22,"name":178,"slug":179,"instagram":180,"facebook":181,"bio":182,"createdAt":183,"updatedAt":184,"publishedAt":185,"linkedIn":62,"avatar":186},"Vassilis","vassilis","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fbill_kats_nutritionist\u002F","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Fprofile.php?id=1341268673","Vasilis is our male help. As a Ph.D. Nutritionist, he cares about our nutrition and wellness and he always wanders around giving us tips on how to maintain a balanced lifestyle. He loves his job and never stops reminding us that! He has a constant smile on his face and he loves classical music. You should see him in the office listening to it -we sure do; he never puts on his AirPods!","2020-12-27T19:56:47.518Z","2020-12-30T15:29:31.466Z","2020-12-27T19:56:50.698Z",{"id":187,"name":188,"alternativeText":189,"caption":189,"width":112,"height":190,"formats":191,"hash":198,"ext":57,"mime":60,"size":199,"url":200,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":201,"updatedAt":202},47,"katsilas_twg.jpg","the working gal author",300,{"thumbnail":192},{"ext":57,"url":193,"hash":194,"mime":60,"name":195,"path":62,"size":196,"width":197,"height":121},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_katsilas_twg_8646e54698.jpg","thumbnail_katsilas_twg_8646e54698","thumbnail_katsilas_twg.jpg",6.24,130,"katsilas_twg_8646e54698",18.87,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fkatsilas_twg_8646e54698.jpg","2020-12-30T15:28:08.271Z","2025-02-22T08:41:26.166Z","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002Fwhy_eat_breakfast_2ba9a89934.jpg",{"id":205,"title":206,"createdAt":207,"updatedAt":208,"publishedAt":209,"content":210,"slug":211,"coffees":26,"seo_title":206,"keywords":212,"seo_desc":213,"featuredImage":214,"category":244,"author":247,"img":251},22,"Freelancers: The Ultimate Guide to Survive During Summer","2020-12-27T19:16:01.984Z","2025-02-10T00:16:04.568Z","2020-12-27T19:17:47.056Z","Today, we have officially welcomed summer (or almost, until the weather settles a bit). All the freelancers of this world think just one thing: *How are we going to survive this summer in the heat, with the deadlines running and with us trying too hard to deal with all of this in the middle of a heatwave, regardless of holidays or even weekends, to be consistent towards our clients?*\n\nBeing a freelancer is hard enough, whether *in winter or summer*. Their lifestyle is far more different from the **lifestyle** of an employee working in an office. No matter how much we try to maintain standard working hours, we usually fail epically. I have NEVER been able to work only for 8 hours, and I have tried. I typically start enthusiastically and try to keep a rudimentary program. Still, I almost always end up working for about 20 hours straight to meet my deadline. (At this point, I would like to make a particular reference to my sister for the uncountable times she fed me by force when I didn’t even have the time to leave my laptop!).\n\nHowever, **during summertime**, most of us feel loose, and we tend to operate more passively. Therefore the life of a freelancer may be transformed into a living hell. The amount of work and the strict deadlines, including the absolute desire to turn off the desktop and storm out of the house heading to the closest beach, makes us crave a job with regular working hours in an office.\n\nOh yes, I seldom have thought to give up everything and start hitting the road to the closest beach, *leaving all the projects and deadlines behind*. However, since we are adults and have to work to live, we need to find solutions to make it through summer in front of our computers.\n\nFirst of all, **hydration** is a crucial point. When something is missing, and we don’t know what it is, it’s water. It helps concentration; it regulates body temperature and gives energy. I always keep *a bottle of water* next to me while I’m working. Also, eating well is another good point to consider. Don’t forget to eat as healthily as you can (I write these things for me, see particular reference above).\n\nHowever, the big problem is **weekends** and **public holidays** (fortunately there aren’t a lot!). When you are suffocating among projects, you know that they won’t be ready on time if you stop working. Your friends and family are not a group of freelancers, but people who don’t work these days, then yes, desperation hits your door quickly. In that case, I suggest that you take a deep breath, accept the reality, and *“dive”* into the projects. The right summer music in the background does wonders. The avoidance of checking your social media is required (the ruthless display of photos of our friends lying on exotic beaches **DOES NOT** help our productivity, been there done that).\n\nAnother issue is the **sunny days**. Consequently, for us who live and work in *Greece*, a country famous for its summertime, sunny days are immense torture when you see a little of them through your window. I am practically jealous of those people who get dressed and go to work because they get to see and feel the sun. Nonetheless, I end up thinking of the heat and how intolerable it is to drive a car or wait for the bus on such warm days for more than five minutes. As if by magic, I’m not jealous anymore!\n\n![freelancers-summer.jpg](https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Ffreelancers_summer_b800dfb7cf.jpg)\n\nHowever, suppose the obligations are many, and the **mood for socializing** is uncontrollable. In that case, I suggest, for those who are lucky to have a balcony, to honor it and move their office there (aka their laptop). This way, it feels like you are out of the house, without having to move from one place to another. For the social beasts, there is the option to choose a small and quiet café (you can find almost everywhere in the city those tiny treasures) and *here the change of scenery comes*!\n\nUnfortunately, there aren’t magic recipes to overcome the “torture” called **freelancing during summer**. So, till we win the lottery and be able to take a permanent vacation the whole year (how dull would it be though!), I suggest that we think how much we love our job, the fact at least we have more flexible working hours than other professions and more importantly that by being patient, persistent and good-willing, we can achieve the impossible!\n\n### Source: [Freelancers: The ultimate guide to surviving during summer](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.edl.gr\u002Fen\u002F2019\u002F06\u002F01\u002Ffreelancers-the-ultimate-guide-to-survive-during-summer\u002F)\n\n***\n\n# Follow Us On Social For More Tips & News\n\n## [The Working Gal on Instagram](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fthe_working_gal\u002F) \n\n## [The Working Gal on Facebook](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Ftheworkinggal) \n\n## [The Working Gal on Pinterest](https:\u002F\u002Ffr.pinterest.com\u002Fthe_working_gal\u002F)\n","freelancers-the-ultimate-guide-to-survive-during-summer","challenges of freelancers, summer freelancers, freelancer challenge, working in summer, challenges of freelancing, problems faced by freelancers","How do freelancers handle working from home in the summer? The ultimate guide to handle working from home during summer.",{"id":215,"name":216,"alternativeText":217,"caption":217,"width":53,"height":54,"formats":218,"hash":239,"ext":57,"mime":60,"size":240,"url":241,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":242,"updatedAt":243},31,"freelancer-surviving-summer-paris.jpg","freelancer-surviving-summer",{"large":219,"small":224,"medium":229,"thumbnail":234},{"ext":57,"url":220,"hash":221,"mime":60,"name":222,"path":62,"size":223,"width":64,"height":65},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Flarge_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8.jpg","large_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8","large_freelancer-surviving-summer-paris.jpg",121.65,{"ext":57,"url":225,"hash":226,"mime":60,"name":227,"path":62,"size":228,"width":71,"height":72},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fsmall_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8.jpg","small_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8","small_freelancer-surviving-summer-paris.jpg",38.07,{"ext":57,"url":230,"hash":231,"mime":60,"name":232,"path":62,"size":233,"width":78,"height":79},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fmedium_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8.jpg","medium_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8","medium_freelancer-surviving-summer-paris.jpg",72.65,{"ext":57,"url":235,"hash":236,"mime":60,"name":237,"path":62,"size":238,"width":85,"height":86},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8.jpg","thumbnail_freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8","thumbnail_freelancer-surviving-summer-paris.jpg",12.04,"freelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8",270.22,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Ffreelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8.jpg","2020-12-27T19:10:05.321Z","2025-02-22T08:33:27.753Z",{"id":6,"name":7,"slug":8,"createdAt":245,"updatedAt":246,"publishedAt":96},"2020-12-24T19:15:38.145Z","2020-12-24T19:15:38.158Z",{"id":6,"name":98,"slug":99,"instagram":100,"facebook":101,"bio":102,"createdAt":103,"updatedAt":104,"publishedAt":105,"linkedIn":106,"avatar":248},{"id":108,"name":109,"alternativeText":110,"caption":111,"width":112,"height":112,"formats":249,"hash":123,"ext":115,"mime":118,"size":124,"url":125,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":126,"updatedAt":126},{"thumbnail":250},{"ext":115,"url":116,"hash":117,"mime":118,"name":119,"path":62,"size":120,"width":121,"height":121,"sizeInBytes":122},"https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002Ffreelancer_surviving_summer_paris_aabf0c5de8.jpg",{"id":253,"title":254,"createdAt":255,"updatedAt":256,"publishedAt":257,"content":258,"slug":259,"coffees":14,"seo_title":254,"keywords":260,"seo_desc":261,"featuredImage":262,"category":292,"author":293,"img":316},21,"The Downsides of Working Remotely That Nobody Warns You About","2020-12-27T17:51:05.537Z","2025-12-13T05:26:37.974Z","2020-12-27T17:51:07.712Z","I'm an advocate of working from home—I've [written about its benefits](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwork-from-home) and genuinely believe it's been a positive development in my career. But I can't pretend everything is perfect. Reality has awakened me several times, and even though I've managed to create something close to ideal working conditions, I've found plenty of reasons to grumble.\n\nI'm not alone in this complicated relationship with remote work. [Based on recent statistics](https:\u002F\u002Fpumble.com\u002Flearn\u002Fcollaboration\u002Fremote-work-statistics\u002F), 69% of remote employees experience burnout, and 55% say it's hard to feel connected to coworkers. These numbers tell a story that the \"[work in your pajamas](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fbest-loungewear-from-amazon)\\!\" articles conveniently skip over.\n\nSo let's talk honestly about the downsides of working remotely—not to discourage it, but because understanding the challenges is the first step to managing them.\n\n## The Schedule That Refuses to Exist\n\nAs lucky as I feel to work from home, circumstances have forced me to change my daily routine not once, not twice, but three times. For someone like me, whose adherence to a schedule is essential, this constant upheaval is exhausting.\n\nLet's face it: when you work from home, there is no schedule—or at least, I'm [not disciplined enough](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fself-discipline-7-proven-ways) to convince myself to sit in front of the computer for set hours. What happens instead? The preparation required for remote work, combined with my [perfectionism](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fperfectionism-at-work-how-to-manage-it-and-increase-your-productivity), results in being in front of the computer screen all day trying to complete in one day what I could, under other circumstances, complete in two or three.\n\nThis isn't just a personal failing. [According to Buffer's research](https:\u002F\u002Fbuffer.com\u002Fstate-of-remote-work\u002F2023), 11% of remote workers cite difficulty disconnecting from work as their [biggest challenge](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Freal-stories-my-biggest-challenge-at-work). Late at night, when I finally say \"Enough, shut down the computer,\" that's when the damn email arrives, or the notification pops up, reminding me that I'm not done—and there are things I'd forgotten entirely.\n\nThe boundary between \"work time\" and \"personal time\" doesn't just blur—it disappears completely. When your office is also your living room (or bedroom, or kitchen table), work is always there, waiting.\n\n## The Overwork Trap\n\nHere's the irony nobody tells you about: working from home often means working more, not less.\n\n[A Forbes report](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.forbes.com\u002Fsites\u002Ftracybrower\u002F2023\u002F08\u002F06\u002Fthe-productivity-problem-with-remote-work\u002F) found that 75% of remote workers spend time on non-work activities like social media, online shopping, or [watching shows](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fshows-like-emily-in-paris) during work hours. But here's what happens next: to compensate, many of us extend our workday well past what we'd ever do in an office.\n\n![downsides of remote working](https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fdownsides_of_remote_working_f86ecf1b0b.webp)\n\nIn an office, there's a clear endpoint. People start packing up, the energy shifts, and you leave. At home, there's no such signal. The work just... continues. And because you took that thirty-minute break to handle laundry or scroll through Instagram, you feel guilty, so you keep working until 9 PM to make up for it.\n\nThe result is a strange paradox: you're technically more flexible, but you're also never truly off. Your laptop becomes this constant presence, silently judging you from the corner of your eye.\n\n## The Loneliness Nobody Admits To\n\nI have to admit that working from home isn't entirely responsible for the feeling of isolation some of us experience—each to a different degree. But it certainly doesn't help.\n\nIt's not uncommon for me to think of moments in previous work environments where I could have small talk with people—real conversation, not through a computer screen. A quick chat by the coffee machine. A shared eye roll during a boring meeting. The casual \"how was your weekend?\" that leads to an actual human connection.\n\nThe [research backs this up](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.oysterhr.com\u002Flibrary\u002Fstatus-of-remote-work-in-2025). According to recent studies, 68% of decision-makers see maintaining social connections within teams as one of their biggest challenges. And the consequences are real: 51% of employees feel their relationships with coworkers outside their immediate team have weakened, leaving 43% feeling disconnected from their company entirely.\n\nPerhaps most concerning: 25% of remote workers report an overall decline in social skills as a consequence of working remotely over the years. When your primary interaction with colleagues is through Slack messages and [Zoom calls](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fzoom-calls-make-up), something fundamental gets lost.\n\nIndeed, the lack of communication and its long-term effects are worth considering. We're social creatures, and a video call—no matter how many breakout rooms you create—can't fully replace being in the same physical space with other humans.\n\n## The New Anxieties That Replace the Old Ones\n\nAdmittedly, the most important negative aspect of working from home is creating entirely new sources of stress. The productive stress of deadlines and projects continues to exist, of course. But I've noticed something troubling: even though I've avoided several stressful situations—like the commute—my daily stress hasn't decreased. It's found new places to live.\n\nA new series of stressful situations has emerged: anxiety about a possible power interruption during an important call. Anxiety about the internet connection dropping. Anxiety about the neighbor's construction noise. Anxiety about whether my background looks professional. Anxiety about various little things that otherwise wouldn't have affected me and certainly wouldn't have stressed me out in an office.\n\nAnxiety, anxiety, anxiety.\n\n[Owl Labs data](https:\u002F\u002Fresources.owllabs.com\u002Fblog\u002Fstate-of-hybrid-work-2025) shows that workplace stress has remained consistently high since 2022, with 45% of workers reporting increased stress levels. Remote work was supposed to reduce stress by eliminating commutes and office politics. Instead, for many of us, it just traded one set of anxieties for another.\n\n## The Career Consequences Nobody Talks About\n\nHere's a troubling reality that remote work enthusiasts often overlook: working from home can actually hurt your career trajectory.\n\nResearch shows that [remote workers get promoted 31% less frequently](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.roberthalf.com\u002Fus\u002Fen\u002Finsights\u002Fresearch\u002Fremote-work-statistics-and-trends) than their hybrid or in-office peers. The reason? They miss out on office interactions and the chance to build relationships that translate to promotions and opportunities.\n\nIt's called proximity bias, and it's very real. According to a [KPMG survey](https:\u002F\u002Fkpmg.com\u002Fxx\u002Fen\u002Four-insights\u002Fvalue-creation\u002Fkpmg-global-ceo-outlook-survey.html), 87% of CEOs say they're more likely to reward employees who come to the office with favorable assignments, raises, or promotions. By choosing remote work, you may be falling out of favor with the [leaders](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fmiranda-priestly-management-style) whose decisions impact your career—even if your work is excellent.\n\nRemote workers also report challenges with visibility. In a 2023 survey, 37% of remote workers said getting recognized by leadership was their biggest challenge, followed by collaborating effectively (30%) and getting promoted (28%).\n\nThe sad truth is that in many organizations, being seen matters as much as—or more than—the quality of your actual work. Out of sight really can mean out of mind.\n\n## The Learning That Doesn't Happen\n\nResearch shows that 60% of workers say the best way to learn a job is being around coworkers. For younger professionals especially—Gen Z and Millennials starting new jobs—seeing more experienced colleagues interact and problem-solve is how you build skills you didn't know you needed.\n\nThis kind of learning doesn't translate well to remote work. You can't overhear how a senior colleague handles a difficult client call. You don't catch the nuances of office politics and professional navigation. You miss the informal mentorship that happens in hallways and break rooms.\n\n![woman working remotely](https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fdownsides_of_remote_working_873b70e705.webp)\n\nFor entry-level workers, this is particularly challenging. Remote positions are less available at the entry level—only about 28% of entry-level jobs offer remote or hybrid options, compared to nearly 45% of senior positions. So the people who might benefit most from workplace flexibility often can't access it, while those who've already built their networks and skills enjoy the perks.\n\n## When Your Home Isn't Built for Work\n\nNot everyone has a dedicated home office with good lighting, an ergonomic chair, and a door that closes. Many remote workers are operating from kitchen tables, corners of bedrooms, or shared spaces where interruptions are constant.\n\nIf you have roommates, a partner who also works from home, or children, the logistics become even more complicated. Your \"office\" might be wherever you can find quiet, which changes throughout the day. Important calls require elaborate scheduling around everyone else's needs.\n\nThere's also the financial reality: while you save on commuting costs, you're now paying for your own electricity, heating, internet upgrades, [office equipment](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fremote-work-essentials), and supplies that an employer would typically provide. These costs add up, and not all employers offer stipends to offset them.\n\n## Making Remote Work Actually Work\n\nDespite everything I've described, working from home remains a positive development in my career. Weighing the pros and cons, the scales still tilt to the positive side. But acknowledging the challenges is how we start addressing them.\n\nHere's what has helped:\n\n**Create non-negotiable boundaries.** Set a firm end time for your workday and stick to it. Close the laptop. Leave the room where you work if possible. The notifications will still be there tomorrow—and most of them aren't actually urgent.\n\n**Combat isolation intentionally.** Schedule virtual coffee chats with colleagues. Join professional communities online. Make sure you're leaving your house for non-work reasons—meet friends, take classes, go to the gym. Your social needs won't meet themselves.\n\n**Stay visible.** If your company offers hybrid options, use them strategically. Be present for important meetings and team events. Document your accomplishments and share them. Don't assume your work speaks for itself—in a remote environment, you need to help people see it.\n\n**Address the anxiety sources.** Get a backup internet solution. Have a plan for power outages. Create a professional-looking background. When you've addressed the practical worries, the anxiety decreases.\n\n**Invest in your workspace.** A good chair, proper lighting, and a dedicated work area aren't luxuries—they're investments in your health and productivity. Treat your home office as seriously as any employer would treat their workspace.\n\n## The Honest Conclusion\n\nRemote work isn't perfect. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something—probably a productivity app or a standing desk.\n\nBut imperfect doesn't mean bad. It means real. And real things can be improved when we're honest about what needs improving.\n\nI'm optimistic that as we all become more experienced with remote work—and as we eventually find whatever \"normalcy\" looks like now—many of these challenges will ease. We'll get better at setting boundaries. Companies will get better at promoting remote workers fairly. We'll figure out how to maintain human connection through screens, or we'll build hybrid arrangements that give us the best of both worlds.\n\nUntil then, I'll keep grumbling occasionally—because sometimes a good grumble is exactly what you need. And then I'll go back to work. From home. Where, despite everything, I still prefer to be.\n\nRelated Reading:\n\n• [How to Manage Your Time Effectively](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-manage-your-time-effectively)\n\n• [How to Set and Preserve Boundaries](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-set-and-preserve-boundaries)\n\n• [Toxic Positivity: When Positive Thinking Becomes Too Much](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Ftoxic-positivity-when-positive-thinking-becomes-too-much)\n\n","why-working-remotely-is-not-always-great","downsides of remote work, disadvantages of working from home, remote work challenges, work from home problems, remote work isolation, remote work burnout","Remote work has real drawbacks—from isolation to career stalls to endless anxiety. Here's an honest look at the challenges of working from home and how to manage them.",{"id":263,"name":264,"alternativeText":265,"caption":265,"width":53,"height":54,"formats":266,"hash":287,"ext":57,"mime":60,"size":288,"url":289,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":290,"updatedAt":291},30,"Negatives-remote-working.jpg","remote working challenges",{"large":267,"small":272,"medium":277,"thumbnail":282},{"ext":57,"url":268,"hash":269,"mime":60,"name":270,"path":62,"size":271,"width":64,"height":65},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Flarge_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47.jpg","large_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47","large_Negatives-remote-working.jpg",60.96,{"ext":57,"url":273,"hash":274,"mime":60,"name":275,"path":62,"size":276,"width":71,"height":72},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fsmall_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47.jpg","small_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47","small_Negatives-remote-working.jpg",21.04,{"ext":57,"url":278,"hash":279,"mime":60,"name":280,"path":62,"size":281,"width":78,"height":79},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fmedium_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47.jpg","medium_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47","medium_Negatives-remote-working.jpg",38.57,{"ext":57,"url":283,"hash":284,"mime":60,"name":285,"path":62,"size":286,"width":85,"height":86},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47.jpg","thumbnail_Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47","thumbnail_Negatives-remote-working.jpg",7.17,"Negatives_remote_working_0419baac47",118.19,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002FNegatives_remote_working_0419baac47.jpg","2020-12-27T17:44:54.838Z","2025-02-22T08:33:15.818Z",{"id":6,"name":7,"slug":8,"createdAt":245,"updatedAt":246,"publishedAt":96},{"id":26,"name":294,"slug":295,"instagram":296,"facebook":297,"bio":298,"createdAt":299,"updatedAt":300,"publishedAt":301,"linkedIn":302,"avatar":303},"Tonia","tonia","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Fliolioutonia\u002F","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Ftonia.lioliou","If you could find one person combining physical strength and mental ability it would have her name. Tonia is also a teacher, but she has serious experience in all kinds of jobs. She can do whatever you ask her. She is also a big fan of remote work -and she is not afraid to admit it. This is why she loves writing about it.","2020-12-24T18:57:03.277Z","2022-03-04T12:40:41.173Z","2020-12-24T18:57:04.381Z","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Ftonia-lioliou-078949202\u002F",{"id":26,"name":304,"alternativeText":189,"caption":189,"width":112,"height":112,"formats":305,"hash":311,"ext":115,"mime":118,"size":312,"url":313,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":314,"updatedAt":315},"the working gal author.png",{"thumbnail":306},{"ext":115,"url":307,"hash":308,"mime":118,"name":309,"path":62,"size":310,"width":121,"height":121},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_tonia_614def26ea.png","thumbnail_tonia_614def26ea","thumbnail_tonia.png",52.63,"tonia_614def26ea",111.31,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Ftonia_614def26ea.png","2020-12-24T18:57:01.136Z","2025-02-22T08:34:14.859Z","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002FNegatives_remote_working_0419baac47.jpg",{"id":318,"title":319,"createdAt":320,"updatedAt":321,"publishedAt":322,"content":323,"slug":324,"coffees":14,"seo_title":325,"keywords":326,"seo_desc":327,"featuredImage":328,"category":358,"author":361,"img":383},20,"How To Stop Making Excuses (And Why Your Brain Keeps Creating Them)","2020-12-27T14:51:57.209Z","2026-04-15T00:22:28.454Z","2020-12-27T14:53:39.741Z",">Research shows that adults make an average of 4 excuse-driven decisions per day -- most without realizing it.\n\nEvery one of us has, at some point, made excuses for not doing something or not changing something. We've all found ourselves in a phase where something was holding us back [from taking action](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-put-ideas-into-action). As someone who doesn't particularly love change, I used to say that classic \"I cannot\" until I discovered that I actually could—and all my previous thoughts were just excuses dressed up as facts.\n\nExcuses always find room to fit into our lives. They especially love our [negative self-talk](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fscience-of-self-talk). They survive on our procrastination and denial. \"Okay, it doesn't matter, I still have time\" and countless variations keep excuses in the leading role of our lives.\n\nBut what is our position in all this? And why do our brains keep generating these excuses even when we know they're holding us back?\n\n## The Psychology Behind Excuse-Making\n\nPsychologists have a term for this pattern: **self-handicapping**. It's a behavior we engage in that actually hurts our own performance and motivation—but it serves a deeper, often unconscious purpose: protecting ourselves from anxiety and shame.\n\nAccording to research from [Headspace](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.headspace.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwhy-do-we-make-excuses) and the University of Florida, excuses aim to shift focus from issues that threaten our sense of self to issues that feel less personal. When someone asks why you failed at something, anxiety kicks in. Your subconscious quickly tries to protect your self-image, and before you know it, you've blurted out an excuse that places blame on something external—something that wasn't your fault.\n\nThe more anxious or ashamed we're likely to feel about [potential failure](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-art-of-failure-how-to-turn-mistakes-into-actual-success), the more likely we are to build barriers that actually prevent us from succeeding. It's a protective mechanism that, ironically, creates the very outcome we're trying to avoid.\n\nResearch shows that self-handicapping is correlated with low self-esteem, perfectionism, and elevated concerns about how others evaluate us. People who are afraid of being seen as \"impostors\" tend to make more excuses. It's not about laziness or lack of character—it's about fear.\n\n## The Excuses We All Make (And What's Really Going On)\n\nLet's look at the most common excuses—ones you've probably used yourself—and examine what's actually happening beneath the surface.\n\n### *\"I don't have the time.\"*\n\nI'm quite sure there's always time. Whatever your schedule looks like, you have time to change something you don't like or do something for yourself. I don't believe that you can't find time for a [walk in the park](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002F9-ways-to-walk-a-bit-more-every-day) or coffee with friends during your week. Time management is ultimately a matter of priorities. If you say you don't have time, what you're really saying is that it's not a priority—and that's worth examining honestly.\n\n![how to stop excuses](https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fhow_to_stop_excuses_69732d410a.jpg)\n\nThe real issue often isn't time—it's energy, motivation, or fear of what starting might reveal about us. It's easier to say \"I'm too busy\" than \"I'm scared this won't work out.\"\n\n### *\"I don't have the money.\"*\n\nI could accept this excuse partially, but not completely. What gives us satisfaction isn't always expensive. Sometimes the simple, free things provide the most joy. A walk, an old book from your shelf, time with someone you love—these don't cost anything, but they can change your perspective entirely.\n\nWhen money becomes the excuse for everything, ask yourself: Is this actually about money, or is money a convenient reason to avoid taking action? Many meaningful changes—[learning something new](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwhy-invest-in-lifelong-learning), improving a relationship, taking better care of your health—require little to no financial investment.\n\n### *\"I'm too tired.\"*\n\nYou are tired—I have no doubt about that. Who isn't? Everyday life is demanding for everyone. We take on many roles and responsibilities. But from my personal experience, I'll say that some of the times I was most exhausted were also when I felt most satisfied with myself. Sometimes pushing yourself a little to do something different actually generates energy rather than depleting it.\n\nThe distinction matters: Are you genuinely depleted and need rest (which is valid and important), or are you using tiredness as a reason to avoid discomfort? Only you can answer that honestly.\n\n### *\"I'm afraid I'm going to fail.\"*\n\nThis is perhaps the most honest excuse—and the one underlying many of the others. Fear of failure immobilizes us and makes us victims of circumstance rather than agents of our own lives.\n\nBut here's the thing about failure: it's the only way to see your mistakes and correct them. The biggest disappointment in life isn't failing—it's never taking the risk. What kind of life would it be without any risk? A little boring, honestly. When you're scared, it often means you're on the right path—the path that leads to growth.\n\n### *\"The right time hasn't come yet.\"*\n\nGood planning helps us organize our goals. But what about the situations you're already in that don't satisfy you? Why stay somewhere—personally or professionally—that makes you unhappy while waiting for the \"perfect\" moment?\n\nThe right time will never be found. Something will always be happening. Life doesn't pause to let you make changes in ideal conditions. You don't have to wait for external circumstances to align perfectly. You're in charge of your life, not your circumstances.\n\n## What's Really Driving Your Excuses\n\nUnderstanding why we make excuses helps us address the root cause rather than just fighting the symptoms. Here are the psychological drivers researchers have identified:\n\n### Protecting self-esteem:   \nExcuses serve as a defense mechanism. When faced with criticism or potential failure, we use excuses to justify our behavior or performance, preserving our sense of self-worth. Research shows that excuses shift causality from sources that threaten our self-image to sources that feel less personal.\n\n### Avoiding responsibility:   \nBy blaming someone or something else, we can avoid facing the consequences of our choices. This feels protective in the moment, but prevents us from learning and growing from our experiences.\n\n### [Lack of confidence](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fconfidence-gap-women-underestimate-their-abilities):   \nSometimes we make excuses because we genuinely don't believe we're capable of achieving something. The excuse becomes a way to avoid putting ourselves in a position where we might fail—and confirm our deepest fears about ourselves.\n\n### Staying in the comfort zone:   \nStepping outside what's familiar is scary. Excuses provide convenient reasons to avoid taking risks or facing challenges that would require us to grow.\n\n### Habit:   \nFor many people, excuse-making becomes automatic. Neuroscience research shows that [habits](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwant-to-be-smarter-these-are-the-9-habits-that-will-boost-your-intelligence) are neural pathways carved deep in the brain's basal ganglia, reinforced by dopamine. The good news? The prefrontal cortex can help us form new habits that override the old ones—though the old patterns don't disappear entirely; they're just tucked away.\n\n## The Hidden Cost of Excuses\n\nHere's something important: while excuses might provide temporary relief or protection, they can ultimately become obstacles to your personal growth and prevent you from achieving your full potential—at work and in life.\n\n[Research from the University of Florida](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.academia.edu\u002F18038880\u002FAcademic_Dishonesty_and_the_Perceived_Effectiveness_of_Countermeasures_An_Empirical_Survey_of_Cheating_at_a_Major_Public_University) found that excuses that are perceived as deceptive, ineffectual, or self-absorbed damage relationships and credibility. People who constantly make excuses are seen as less trustworthy and less competent—even when their excuses are technically true.\n\nThe internal cost may be even higher. When we use excuses to avoid discomfort, we reinforce the belief that we can't [handle challenges](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwhat-are-the-biggest-challenges-freelancers-face). Each excuse becomes evidence that we need protection from difficulty. Over time, this erodes confidence and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy where we become less capable precisely because we've been avoiding the experiences that build capability.\n\nExcuses are essentially false narratives we use to persuade ourselves not to do things. When we recognize that, we can stop defining our lives based on stories that aren't true.\n\n## How to Actually Stop Making Excuses\n\nBreaking the excuse habit requires conscious effort, but it's absolutely possible. Here's how to start:\n\n### Develop Self-Awareness\n\nPay close attention to when and why you make excuses. Is it due to fear of failure? Lack of motivation? The desire to avoid discomfort? Notice when you're making an excuse—it might be subtle, but with practice, you'll start to recognize the familiar justifications as they pop up. Ask yourself: What am I really avoiding here?\n\n### Own Your Choices\n\nInstead of blaming external factors or other people, acknowledge that you're in control of your actions. This shift—from victimhood to empowerment—is fundamental. Stop blaming. It's easy to point fingers, but true growth comes from accepting that you play a role in your situation, even if it's a small one.\n\n### Change Your Internal Language\n\nThe language you use internally matters enormously. Replace phrases like \"I can't\" or \"I don't have time\" with more empowering statements like \"I will make time\" or \"I'll find a way to make this work.\" When you catch yourself thinking negatively, question those thoughts. Are they really true, or are you making assumptions?\n\n### Create Accountability\n\n![how to stop excuses](https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fhow_to_stop_excuses_5a14770854.jpg)\n\nFind an accountability partner—someone you trust who will call you out when you're making excuses. Or track your own progress with a journal or app. When you're accountable to someone (including yourself), there's less room for excuses to take hold. Be brutally honest about your strengths and weaknesses, your successes and failures.\n\n### Face Your Fears Gradually\n\nExcuses often mask fear—fear of failure, rejection, or even success. Recognize your fears and confront them, but you don't have to conquer them all at once. Start with small, manageable steps that gradually push you outside your comfort zone. Each small win builds evidence that you can handle more than you thought.\n\n### Focus on What You Can Control\n\nMany excuses focus on things outside our control—the economy, other people's behavior, timing. Shift your attention to what you can control: your effort, your attitude, your response to challenges. When you stop waiting for perfect conditions, you free yourself to act in imperfect ones.\n\n## A Note on Self-Compassion\n\nAddressing excuse-making isn't about beating yourself up or striving for impossible perfection. Sometimes what looks like an excuse is actually a legitimate limitation—and that's okay. The goal isn't to eliminate all boundaries or push through every obstacle regardless of cost.\n\nThe goal is honesty. It's knowing the difference between \"I genuinely need rest\" and \"I'm using tiredness to avoid something uncomfortable.\" It's recognizing when you're protecting yourself from growth versus protecting yourself from genuine harm.\n\nResearch actually shows that people who make successful excuses for poor performances often do better the next time they try—because they've preserved their belief in themselves as capable people. Self-compassion and accountability aren't opposites; they work together.\n\n## Taking Back Control\n\nWe all need to think seriously about what's holding us back. Once we recognize that excuses are stories we tell ourselves—not facts about reality—we gain the power to write different stories.\n\nTaking responsibility for your actions and facing challenges directly will be the first great step toward an excuse-free life. Not a perfect life—just an honest one, where you're in the driver's seat instead of letting fear and avoidance steer.\n\nAnd once we realize what we actually want—and stop letting excuses convince us we can't have it—we'll feel freer than we ever imagined.\n\n\n\n","how-to-stop-making-excuses","Why Your Brain Makes Excuses -- And the Psychology-Backed Way to Stop","how to stop making excuses, why do I make excuses, self-sabotage excuses, stop procrastinating excuses, taking responsibility, excuse-making psychology","Excuses aren't a character flaw -- they're a protection mechanism. Here's what's actually driving them and the 6 steps that break the pattern for good.",{"id":329,"name":330,"alternativeText":331,"caption":331,"width":53,"height":54,"formats":332,"hash":353,"ext":57,"mime":60,"size":354,"url":355,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":356,"updatedAt":357},29,"how to stop making excuses.jpg","how to stop making excuses",{"large":333,"small":338,"medium":343,"thumbnail":348},{"ext":57,"url":334,"hash":335,"mime":60,"name":336,"path":62,"size":337,"width":64,"height":65},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Flarge_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996.jpg","large_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996","large_excuses-in-our-lives.jpg",46.48,{"ext":57,"url":339,"hash":340,"mime":60,"name":341,"path":62,"size":342,"width":71,"height":72},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fsmall_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996.jpg","small_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996","small_excuses-in-our-lives.jpg",17.1,{"ext":57,"url":344,"hash":345,"mime":60,"name":346,"path":62,"size":347,"width":78,"height":79},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fmedium_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996.jpg","medium_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996","medium_excuses-in-our-lives.jpg",30.28,{"ext":57,"url":349,"hash":350,"mime":60,"name":351,"path":62,"size":352,"width":85,"height":86},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996.jpg","thumbnail_excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996","thumbnail_excuses-in-our-lives.jpg",6.1,"excuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996",85.29,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fexcuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996.jpg","2020-12-27T14:53:28.719Z","2025-02-22T08:39:18.817Z",{"id":26,"name":27,"slug":28,"createdAt":359,"updatedAt":360,"publishedAt":96},"2020-12-24T19:15:46.057Z","2025-10-01T19:50:39.801Z",{"id":14,"name":362,"slug":363,"instagram":364,"facebook":365,"bio":366,"createdAt":367,"updatedAt":368,"publishedAt":369,"linkedIn":370,"avatar":371},"Amalia","amalia","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.instagram.com\u002Famalia.ka__\u002F","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.facebook.com\u002Famalia.kakampakou","Amalia is the Teacher. She loves what she does. She is addicted to detail: if it isn’t perfect, it’s not good enough. She loves her job and she loves writing. She wants to learn new things and she is very curious about everything. Her favorite question: Why? She usually answers the questions by herself, though.","2020-12-24T18:58:59.684Z","2020-12-27T14:58:33.474Z","2020-12-24T18:59:01.010Z","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.linkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Famalia-kakampakou-963945202\u002F",{"id":14,"name":304,"alternativeText":189,"caption":189,"width":112,"height":112,"formats":372,"hash":378,"ext":115,"mime":118,"size":379,"url":380,"previewUrl":62,"provider":90,"provider_metadata":62,"createdAt":381,"updatedAt":382},{"thumbnail":373},{"ext":115,"url":374,"hash":375,"mime":118,"name":376,"path":62,"size":377,"width":121,"height":121},"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fthumbnail_amalia_fcd74699a4.png","thumbnail_amalia_fcd74699a4","thumbnail_amalia.png",57.6,"amalia_fcd74699a4",118.47,"https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Famalia_fcd74699a4.png","2020-12-24T18:58:30.657Z","2025-02-22T08:34:20.998Z","https:\u002F\u002Fmedia.workingal.com\u002Fexcuses_in_our_lives_698cfbb996.jpg",{"id":385,"title":386,"createdAt":387,"updatedAt":388,"publishedAt":389,"content":390,"slug":391,"coffees":26,"seo_title":386,"keywords":392,"seo_desc":393,"featuredImage":394,"category":424,"author":425,"img":429},19,"How to Combine Work and Studies (Without Burning Out)","2020-12-27T14:29:52.362Z","2025-12-13T00:46:10.743Z","2020-12-27T14:31:30.238Z","Working while studying has become the norm rather than the exception. According to research from the [National Center for Education Statistics](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.researchgate.net\u002Fpublication\u002F346616755_Working_Students_in_Higher_Education_Challenges_and_Solutions), nearly 80% of college students work while pursuing their degrees. Among part-time students, that number jumps to over 80%. We're not talking about a small group of overachievers—we're talking about the majority of students juggling jobs alongside their coursework.\n\nThe reasons are familiar: tuition costs, [living expenses](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002F10-ways-to-save-money-on-home-expenses), the desire for financial independence, the need to support family, or simply wanting to afford a social life. A coffee, a movie, a book, a trip—everything costs money. And for many students, waiting until after graduation isn't an option.\n\nBut let's be honest about what this path involves. There will be days when you can barely drag yourself to class after an exhausting shift. Nights when your friends are out while you're either working or studying. Weekends consumed by catching up on coursework you couldn't get to during the week. It's not easy. Anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't done it.\n\nSo can a working student actually make this work without sacrificing their grades, their health, or their sanity? Yes—but it requires strategy, not just determination.\n\n## The Benefits Nobody Talks About\n\nBefore we get into the how, let's acknowledge something important: working while studying isn't just about survival. [Research consistently shows](https:\u002F\u002Fpdxscholar.library.pdx.edu\u002Fcgi\u002Fviewcontent.cgi?article=1016&context=honors_fac) that students who work—particularly those who keep their hours reasonable—often develop skills and habits that serve them well beyond graduation.\n\n[Studies show that working students demonstrate strong competencies across multiple areas](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.employment-studies.co.uk\u002Fnews\u002Fworking-while-studying): 87.5% complete assignments punctually (higher than many non-working students), 87.5% prioritize tasks effectively, and 76.5% manage stress effectively. These aren't just statistics—they reflect real skills that translate directly to career success.\n\nThere's also something powerful about earning your own money. Remember the first time you bought something significant with money you earned yourself? That pride, that sense of independence—it changes how you see yourself. You're not just a student waiting for life to begin. You're already an adult managing real responsibilities.\n\nInterestingly, research shows that students with part-time jobs related to their field of study [often perform better academically](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.aaup.org\u002Facademe\u002Fissues\u002F106-2\u002Frecognizing-reality-working-college-students) than both non-working students and those with unrelated jobs. Work becomes an additional source of knowledge and skills, reinforcing what they're learning in class and providing motivation to excel.\n\n## The 20-Hour Rule: What Research Actually Shows\n\nHere's something crucial that doesn't get discussed enough: the number of hours you work matters significantly. Research consistently shows that working more than 20 hours per week is associated with lower grades, reduced retention rates, and slower progress toward degree completion.\n\nThis doesn't mean you can't work more than 20 hours—many students do, out of necessity. But if you have flexibility, aim to stay under that threshold. If you can't, be strategic about which semester you take on heavier work hours (perhaps during lighter course loads) and which semesters you prioritize academics.\n\nThe goal isn't to work as little as possible—it's to find the balance where work enhances rather than undermines your education. For some students, that might be 10 hours per week. For others, it might be closer to 20\\. Pay attention to how different work schedules affect your academic performance and adjust accordingly.\n\n## Time Management Strategies That Actually Work\n\nWhen you're working and studying, time becomes your most valuable resource. You don't have the luxury of wasting it. Here's how to make every hour count.\n\n### Master Your Schedule Before It Masters You\n\n![work-with-studies.jpg](https:\u002F\u002Fworkingal.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com\u002Fwork_with_studies_64b7d32451.jpg)\n\nAt the start of each semester, map out everything: class times, work shifts, assignment due dates, exam periods. Look for conflicts before they become crises. If your work schedule is flexible, try to cluster your classes so you have dedicated work days and dedicated school days rather than constantly switching between modes.\n\nUse a planner—physical or digital—religiously. When you write something down, it becomes real. You're more likely to remember it and follow through. Every assignment, every shift, every deadline should have a place where you can see it.\n\n### Use \"Dead Time\" Productively\n\nWorking students often have pockets of time that non-working students waste: commute time, breaks between classes, slow periods at work. These fragments add up. Read course materials during your commute. Review notes during your lunch break. Keep a book or study materials with you at all times so you can use unexpected free moments.\n\nThis doesn't mean you should never rest—it means [being intentional](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fintenional-living) about when you rest and when you work. Sometimes that 15-minute break is for scrolling your phone. Sometimes it's for reviewing flashcards. The key is making conscious choices rather than letting time slip away by default.\n\n### Plan for Chaos—Because It Will Come\n\nThere will be weeks when everything collides: multiple exams, a big project deadline, and your manager asking you to cover extra shifts. These weeks are survivable if you've planned for them. Work ahead when you can, so you have buffer room when you can't. Starting assignments the day they're assigned—even just reading through them—gives you flexibility later.\n\nBuild \"emergency study time\" into your schedule. Block out a few hours each week that you protect for catching up or getting ahead. When crisis weeks hit, you'll have that time already reserved.\n\n## Communicating with Employers and Professors\n\nOne of the biggest challenges working students face is navigating the expectations of two different worlds: your employer and your school. Both want your best, and sometimes those demands conflict.\n\n### With Your Employer:\n\nBe upfront about being a student. Most employers who hire students understand this—they've made a conscious choice to employ people with academic commitments. Give them your exam schedule at the beginning of each semester. Communicate schedule conflicts as early as possible, not the day before. Offer solutions when you need to request time off: \"I have exams this week, but I can pick up extra shifts next week to make up for it.\"\n\nIf your employer consistently doesn't respect your academic needs despite clear communication, that's a sign to look for a different job. There are employers who value student workers and will work with your schedule—find them.\n\n### With Your Professors:\n\nYou don't need to announce to every professor that you work—but when [conflicts](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-avoid-conflicts-at-work-1) arise, be honest. Most professors are more understanding than students expect, especially when you approach them proactively rather than at the last minute with excuses. \"I work to support myself through school, and I have a scheduling conflict with the exam. Could we discuss alternatives?\" This works much better than missing the exam and explaining afterward.\n\nThat said, don't use work as a perpetual excuse for poor performance. Professors can tell the difference between a student genuinely struggling to balance responsibilities and one using work as a reason not to prioritize their course. Take responsibility for your academic performance—ask for help early, attend office hours, and show that you're making genuine effort.\n\n## Protecting Your Wellbeing (Because Burnout Is Real)\n\nResearch shows that 65.7% of working students report feeling overwhelmed by their responsibilities. That's not a sign of weakness—it's a natural response to carrying a heavy load. The key is managing that overwhelm before it becomes burnout.\n\n### Don't Sacrifice Sleep—Protect It\n\nYes, there will be nights when you have to stay up late to finish a paper or study for an exam. But chronic [sleep deprivation](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Frevenge-bedtime-procrastination) makes everything harder: your memory suffers, your concentration deteriorates, your mood crashes. A tired brain learns less efficiently than a rested one. Getting six hours of sleep and studying will often yield better results than getting four hours and studying longer.\n\n### Don't Forget to Actually Have Fun\n\nYou may not be able to go out every night like students without jobs, but make sure you're spending time with friends on your days off. It's a shame to transform your student years into pure routine. There's still energy in you, even when you think you don't have any left. Socializing isn't wasted time—it's what keeps you sane and reminds you why you're working so hard in the first place.\n\n### Lean on Your Support System\n\nDon't withdraw from family and friends when things get hard. They're your support system—let them support you. Share your concerns, your stress, your small victories. Sometimes you need someone to remind you that you're doing something impressive, because when you're in the thick of it, it's easy to forget.\n\nThe pride in their faces when you accomplish something will bring you back when you're struggling. And practical help matters too—a family member who can cook you [dinner during exam week](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002F10-one-pot-dinners-you-need-for-your-busy-weekdays) or a friend who can quiz you on material makes a real difference.\n\n## When It Gets Really Hard\n\nThere will be moments when you want to give up everything because you feel like you can't do it anymore. You'll question whether you made the right choice. You'll fantasize about quitting your job to \"finally live the student life\" or dropping out to work full-time and escape the constant pressure.\n\nThese feelings are normal. They don't mean you're failing—they mean you're human and you're carrying a lot.\n\nWhen you're in that place, remember a few things:\n\nThink about how strong you'll be when you come out on the other side. How proud you'll feel on graduation day, knowing you did this the hard way. That goal can motivate you through the difficult stretches.\n\nThink about the courage it took to enter the world of independent adults who manage their own lives. That determination is now part of who you are. It doesn't go away when things get hard—it's exactly what gets you through.\n\nDon't feel like you're failing your studies because you can't give 100% every single day. You're doing the best you can under difficult circumstances. You may lose balance sometimes—that happens to everyone. It will be temporary.\n\nIf you weren't working, you might not be studying any harder anyway—trust me on that one. The structure that work provides often makes students more, not less, efficient with their study time.\n\n## Making It Work Long-Term\n\nThe path of the working student is challenging and sometimes exhausting. But it's also a path that builds something valuable: evidence that you can handle difficult things, manage competing demands, and persist when it would be easier to quit.\n\nHaving a job that isn't directly related to your studies doesn't make you less of a student. Waitresses, retail workers, delivery drivers, babysitters—these aren't \"lesser\" jobs for students who couldn't do better. They're the jobs that make education possible for millions of people who don't have the luxury of financial support.\n\nWe live in a society where circumstances aren't always ideal, and responding to those circumstances with determination rather than defeat is its own kind of education. By the time you graduate, you'll have learned more than what was in your textbooks. You'll have learned how to manage time under pressure, how to show up when you're tired, how to prioritize ruthlessly, and how to push through when things get hard.\n\nThose skills? They're exactly what employers are looking for. And they're exactly what will carry you through whatever comes next.\n\nThe road is hard. But at the end of it, you'll feel like a winner—because you will be one.\n\nRelated Reading:\n\n• [How to Manage Your Time Effectively](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-manage-your-time-effectively)\n\n• [Why Invest in Lifelong Learning](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fwhy-invest-in-lifelong-learning)\n\n• [Don't Be Busy, Be Productive](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fdon-t-be-busy-be-productive)\n\n• [The Gig Economy: Is It Right for You?](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fthe-gig-economy-is-it-right-for-you)\n\n• [How to Set and Preserve Boundaries](https:\u002F\u002Fwww.workingal.com\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-set-and-preserve-boundaries)\n\n\n\n \n\n ","how-to-combine-work-and-studies","working while studying, how to balance work and school, working student tips, part-time job and college, student work life balance, study and work schedule","Balancing work and studies is hard—but possible. 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