balancing between life and studies

Hello G12-ers,

I started Global Master of Arts Program (GMAP) which is a mid-career professional degree program in March 2015. I just completed this program successfully but balancing between work and studies was quite a challenge. This was particularly an issue for me since I joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in February 2015 and start my studies at Fletcher after a month in March.  In balancing work and studies, I tried to take a more reactive approach at work not engaging in areas that I would have had I not had my studies. This really helped me to create some space to use for my studies. I also had to take some days off when I had assignments to complete or exams. It did put me under extra-pressures sometimes that make me question whether I did the right thing to have started my studies while working. Now that I am looking back after finishing my studies, I believe I made the right decision. The biggest takeaway for me out of the hard year of 2015 was that personal growth is not possible unless one gets out of one's comfort zone. I am now back in Kabul, Afghanistan with more time to focus on my career more vigorously in 2016 before moving to thing of other important decisions in life.