Studying, gelling the student community, parenting duties. Part-time NUS MBA student Alejandro Criado reveals how he juggles all these hats while working full-time.
When I first joined the NUS MBA programme, I thought I would spend most of my time studying, but I quickly realised that the programme is much more than that. To get the most out of the programme, I had to immerse myself in school events and student activities fully. I am responsible for my own MBA experience. It is more than just grades.
With my classmates’ encouragement, I joined the Students’ Council Executive Committee as Liaison to represent the part-time students.
Alejandro represents part-time students in the MBA Students’ Council.
The role has been both fulfilling and challenging. The fulfilment comes from supporting my classmates in academic-related issues, such as course registration, reminders about important deadlines and the collation of feedback on modules.
In addition, I had the opportunity to widen my network. I met people outside my industry, such as those from the technology, consulting and banking sectors. The MBA Mentorship Programme opened access to alumni mentors and new connections.
At the same time, the role is also challenging because planning activities and continuous communication with students and the school take up time.
Still, the activities are meaningful because they enrich student life. These include student club events where top leaders and experts share career tips or give lectures on a specific subject. In BizSquad, which the executive committee organised, students were placed in groups and had to complete tasks ranging from cooking to visiting Singapore landmarks. It was an opportunity to meet new schoolmates, such as those on the full-time MBA programme or those from other cohorts.
Alejandro (second from left) visited the Merlion with his MBA schoolmates.
Family is the number one priority
But no matter how busy I am, I always have time for my two-year-old son. He’s my number one priority! I hold a managerial role at AB Vista, an animal nutrition technology company. I work from home most days, allowing us to have breakfast and play before he’s off to school.
MBA lectures end quite late, thus, we decided to delay his bedtime so that I can put him to bed at night. During finals season, we need to compromise on the time spent with him, though it is usually for a short period.
Alejandro with his family.
Despite my busy schedule, I rarely run out of time. For me, the key is to do what I like. If I don’t find passion in my job or class, I will do something else.
Some time management rules I follow are:
– I keep a to-do list which I always follow closely.
– I plan my week on Sundays.
– I prioritise tasks.
– Don’t waste time on superfluous things, e.g. I rarely watch TV, and only bought my first TV one year ago because of my kid.
– I try not to waste too much time on details, e.g. I will focus on the content of a presentation but not on slides formatting or animations that will not bring any value to my presentation.
For those who wonder whether they can manage work, MBA studies and family at the same time, my advice is not to hesitate and go for it.
Of course, each case is different, but the part-time programme provides much flexibility. You could adjust your number of modules per term based on your expected workload. There is also the possibility to take intensive elective modules which can be completed in just one week, go for credit-bearing short exchange programmes that last one to two weeks or take up to two online GNAM (Global Network for Advanced Management) modules, which allow you to complete them from anywhere.
Managing work, family, and studies is achievable if you organise yourself. But even more importantly, play an active role in student life activities. That is not about time but attitude. NUS Business School has moved from an eleven-scale to a coarser four-scale grading system—Fail, Pass, Merit, Distinction. It means that instead of spending time to score extra points, students can now spend that valuable time with their peers.
It will be a rewarding journey.
