As a born and raised planner, I had my life figured out early on: Finish school; get married; establish my career; have a baby. It seemed so simple. How things actually turned out: I got married a year before a major career switch, started a new program and had a baby during my second year of journalism school. 
When I found out I was pregnant in Feb. 2020, I was adamant that I wanted to continue with school. It was important to me that I could contribute equally to our family and I didn?t want to continue working minimum wage jobs; I wanted a job in my field that would provide a reliable income.
But studying, working part-time, and taking care of a baby isn?t easy. I?ve had to sacrifice sleep and time with my son and ask for extensions on assignments. I?ve relied on coffee and ginseng pills to keep me awake. But I was determined to make it through.  And so, I did what I do best: I came up with a plan. It may not be foolproof?nothing with a baby is?but here?s how I made it through.
Pencil it in  
Using a physical and digital calendar is a must for me. A quick glance at a paper planner allows me to see upcoming deadlines and commitments and schedule accordingly. For easy, shareable planning, my husband and I use Google Calendar so we can take turns working and looking after our son. 
I write down everything from Ziyad?s nap time to my own appointments. I must be intentional with each minute so when Ziyad goes down for a snooze, I spend that time working on assignments, ...