Journal of Learning and Educational Policy (JLEP) ISSN 2799-1121 · Vol. 3, No. 01 (2023) · pp. 131-136
Research Paper

Study life balance of college students: evidence from higher education sector of UT of Jammu and Kashmir

Mr. Shahzad Ahmad Bhat1, Dr. Bilal Ahmad Sheikh2
  1. 1 Research Scholar, Mittal School of Business, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India
  2. 2 ICSSR PDF Scholar, India
  3. * Corresponding author: Mr. Shahzad Ahmad Bhat, Shahzadhyder23@gmail.com
Received21 February 2023
Revised30 April 2023
Accepted7 May 2023
Published22 June 2023
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.55529/jlep.33.37.41
LicenceCC BY 4.0
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Abstract

Background: In this fast paced and demanding academic scene, study-life balance has become kind of a big deal, like really important. College students are getting more pressure lately, to juggle coursework while also handling personal matters, social time, and the rest of life responsibilities. When someone can keep some kind of equilibrium between those areas it matters a lot for their grades, overall wellbeing, and just the general feel of daily life. Objective: The goal of this paper is to give a short, conceptual picture of what “study-life balance” means, and why it matters for college students in particular. In a way, this work sets a base for later research, about practical strategies and interventions that could help both learners and academic institutions support better balance. Method: This is a conceptual/review based paper. It gathers and connects what is already known about study-life balance, and it looks at how students, teachers, and institutions each contribute to creating a setting that allows balance to actually happen. It also talks about things like flexible arrangements, support programs, and a supportive organizational culture in universities, not just the individual level. Result: From the review it shows that study-life balance doesn’t appear on its own. It needs active involvement from multiple stakeholders. Colleges and universities can help a lot by giving flexible scheduling, providing academic support programs, and building a supportive institutional culture. Just as crucial is open communication between students and teachers and shared understanding, because that can help with early noticing of stressors, and then working together on solutions. Overall, the results point out that neither institutional support alone, nor individual student effort alone is enough. Instead, a combined and more relational approach seems to produce the most sustainable outcomes. Conclusion: Achieving study-life balance seems like a multi faceted construct, and it really calls for coordinated work among students, educators, and the institutions involved. In practice, flexible academic arrangements, along with structured support programs, and a wider culture that normalizes open conversation between students and teachers are all crucial enablers. This paper is more like a preliminary basis, it highlights why we still need deeper empirical research so we can design, and also validate, specific interventions that could actually be used in real-world college contexts to bolster student wellbeing and academic success.

Keywords: Study Life Balance, Promoting Study Life, Balance Flexible Academics, College Students, Academic Wellbeing, Institutional Support.

1. INTRODUCTION

Study-life balance recognizes that individuals have multiple roles and responsibilities beyond their careers, including family, relationships, hobbies, health, and self-care. It emphasizes the need to allocate time and energy to these different areas to maintain a fulfilling and satisfying life overall. Achieving Studylife balance involves setting boundaries and priorities, managing time and resources efficiently, and creating a supportive and flexible environment that allows individuals to meet their personal and professional needs. Employers play a crucial role in promoting Study-life balance by offering flexible work arrangements, providing support programs and resources, encouraging time off, and fostering a culture that values work-life balance. Ultimately, Study-life balance is a personal journey, and the right balance may vary for each individual depending on their circumstances, values, and priorities. It involves consciously integrating work and personal life in a way that supports overall happiness, fulfilment, and success.

In today's fast-paced and demanding world, striking a balance between academic pursuits and personal life has become increasingly challenging for students. The concept of study-life balance revolves around effectively managing one's time and energy between educational responsibilities and personal interests, ultimately aiming for a harmonious integration of both aspects. The modern student faces a multitude of demands, including academic workload, extracurricular activities, part-time employment, familial obligations, and social relationships. Juggling these various commitments often leads to feelings of overwhelm and stress, making it essential to understand and prioritize study-life balance. Research has shown that achieving a healthy study-life balance is not only beneficial for students' overall well-being but also enhances their academic performance. By effectively managing their time and allocating it wisely to different activities, students can experience reduced stress levels, increased focus and productivity, improved mental and physical health, and greater satisfaction in both their academic and personal lives.

1.1. Some Key Elements of Study-Life Balance Include

  • Time Management: Effectively allocating time to work-related tasks, personal activities, and relationships.
  • Flexibility: Having the freedom and flexibility to adjust work schedules or arrangements to accommodate personal obligations and interests.
  • Boundaries: Establishing clear boundaries between work and personal life, such as avoiding excessive overtime or checking emails during personal time.
  • Self-Care: Prioritizing physical and mental well-being through activities like exercise, relaxation, hobbies, and socializing.
  • Support Systems: Building a support network of family, friends, and colleagues who can provide assistance and understanding.
  • Prioritization: Identifying and focusing on the most important tasks and goals, both at work and in personal life, to avoid overwhelm.
  • Communication: Openly discussing Study-life balance needs and challenges with supervisors, colleagues, and loved ones.

Benefits of Study-life balance include reduced stress, improved physical and mental health, increased productivity and job satisfaction, stronger relationships, and a greater sense of overall well-being.

2. RELATED WORK

Due to the load of responsibilities that students often face, including academic workload, personal obligations, part-time employment, and family duties, they can become overwhelmed. Achieving a balance between one's studies and personal life is crucial. In order to understand the concept of work-life balance, it is important to acknowledge the various demands we encounter and the resources, such as time and energy, that we have available to meet them. [1] Suggests that stress is an inevitable aspect of university life, and universities aim to provide students with eustress, which refers to functional stress. However, when this functional stress transforms into dysfunctional stress or distress due to an imbalance between work and personal life, it can lead to negative psychological, physical, and emotional consequences, ultimately impacting students' overall well-being. identified several challenges that higher education students face in achieving a work-life-study balance, as they encounter a unique set of problems in this regard. Factors such as the number of friends, financial satisfaction, and perceived discrimination can influence students' contentment, as suggested by. Work-life is defined by [2] as the collective ideas, attitudes, and values regarding the level of support and importance an organization places on the work and family lives of its employees. [3], [4] Found that work-family balance significantly predicts happiness and overall quality of life. Conversely, failure to achieve balance has been associated with lower job and life satisfaction [5], diminished well-being and quality of life [6], and other negative outcomes such as increased stress [7] and compromised mental health [8], [9]. The body of evidence strongly suggests a strong link between work-life balance and happiness.

2.1. Objective

To explore study life balance of college students.

2.2. Sample Selection

The present exploration focused on college students from 4 different colleges of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The 4 colleges were selected on random basis. The sampling technique involved was simple random sampling.

2.3. Sample Size

Students from Government Degree College Pampore, Government Degree College Kulgam, Government Degree College Anantnag and S.P College enrolled in various study programs during the present academic session were included in the exploration. An appropriate number of students (200 as the sample size (n)) were selected to obtain representative characteristics of the population from this study. Information for this study was collected between October 2022 to November 2022. The Primary Data collection source was well-constructed Questionnaire.

2.4. Analysis

Table 1. Association between Study Life Balance and Gender of Students
Table 1

2.5. Gender

The variations in statement of study life balance with gender are shown in Table 1 as a result of the Chi-square analysis. From the result Chi-square test, it can be inferred that the Chi-square values of 9.478, 9.749, 14.056, 7.440, 5.572, and 4.383 corresponding to study-life balance were found to be significant at the 5% level except for two statements. "Health facilities and satisfaction with study hours". Thus, the result suggests that students' study-life balance varies according to gender, which is considered as a clustering variable. For example, for the statement "family pressure for study", Males experience more family pressure to study than female students. Similarly, women balance study life better than male students.

2.6. Findings

The major finding of this exploration is that Males experience more family pressure to study than female students and females balance study life better than male students. Similarly, Students who effectively manage their time and balance their academic commitments with personal interests tend to perform better academically compared to those who experience imbalance or excessive stress. Balancing study and personal life allow students to explore their interests, discover new passions, and foster personal growth. This can lead to a broader perspective and a more well-rounded educational experience.

2.7. Suggestions for Future Research

Long-term Effects: Investigate the long-term effects of study-life balance on individuals beyond their academic years. Examine how the ability to maintain a healthy balance during college or university influences career success, job satisfaction, and overall well-being in the long run.

Technology and Study-Life Balance: Examine the role of technology in study-life balance. Investigate how students' use of digital tools, social media, and online platforms impacts their ability to achieve a healthy balance. Identify potential challenges and effective strategies for leveraging technology to enhance study-life balance rather than becoming a source of distraction or overload.

Gender and Study-Life Balance: Explore the gendered experiences of study-life balance and how it may differ for male and female students. Investigate the unique challenges and expectations faced by each gender, and how societal norms and stereotypes influence their perceptions and experiences of study-life balance.

Impact of Study-Life Balance on Different Academic Disciplines: Investigate whether the nature of different academic disciplines affects study-life balance. Examine how students in STEM fields, humanities, social sciences, and other disciplines experience and manage their academic workload and personal commitments.

3. CONCLUSION

Study-life balance is a dynamic process that requires ongoing adjustments and self-reflection. It encourages further research and interventions aimed at promoting study-life balance among college students, ultimately fostering their academic success, personal well-being, and overall satisfaction. This exploration serves as a foundation for further exploration and implementation of strategies to help students for navigating the challenges of study life while maintaining their well-being and achieving their academic goals.

Acknowledgments

The authors have no specific acknowledgments to make for this research.

Funding Information

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or notfor-profit sectors.

Author Contributions Statement

Name of AuthorCMSoVaFoIRDOEViSuPFu
Mr.Shahzad Ahmad Bhat✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓
Dr. Bilal Ahmad Sheikh✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓✓

C: Conceptualization; M: Methodology; So: Software; Va: Validation; Fo: Formal analysis; I: Investigation; R: Resources; D: Data curation; O: Writing – original draft; E: Writing – review & editing; Vi: Visualization; Su: Supervision; P: Project administration; Fu: Funding acquisition.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Informed Consent

All participants were informed about the purpose of the study, and their voluntary consent was obtained prior to data collection.

Ethical Approval

Not Applicable.

Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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How to cite: Mr. Shahzad Ahmad Bhat, Dr. Bilal Ahmad Sheikh (2023). Study life balance of college students: evidence from higher education sector of UT of Jammu and Kashmir. Journal of Learning and Educational Policy, 3(01), 131-136. https://doi.org/10.55529/jlep.33.37.41

Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Published by HM Publishers.