Remote Work During a Degree Program: Freedom and Responsibility

Working whenever and wherever you want - what sounds like the ideal student job to many is becoming a reality for more and more students. Remote work offers flexible opportunities to combine a degree program with practical experience. But what does everyday life really look like? Aileen Huber, a fifth-semester student in Marketing & Communication Management at FH Kufstein Tirol and a working student in online marketing, shares her personal experiences balancing self-organization, discipline, and a newfound sense of structure.

Flexibility as a success factor in everyday student life

Aileen works about ten hours a week alongside her studies at the IT software company VIMP GmbH, in the marketing and online marketing department. Her job is largely location-independent: although the company is based in Munich and she is on site roughly every two weeks, she performs the bulk of her tasks remotely. She describes this very flexibility as one of the biggest advantages of her job. She can decide whether to work from home or, for example, meet friends for coworking sessions to be productive together. This allows her to adapt work to her study routine individually, without being tied to fixed working hours or a specific location.

Contrary to the common assumption that a part-time job places an additional burden on studies, Aileen experiences her position as structuring. By consciously scheduling work times — for instance by reserving one fixed day per week on which she completes her tasks intensively — she creates clear routines in her daily life. This structure also has a positive effect on her studies. She says she approaches tasks more consistently overall and works more focused on projects in particular. The job, in a way, forces her to use her time more efficiently and to set priorities. So far she has had no problems with time management because of this; rather, she benefits from the additional commitment that the job brings.

Between self-discipline and a mental shift

Despite the many freedoms, remote work also brings challenges that should not be underestimated. Aileen herself says on this topic: “You should have some office experience to handle the transition to remote working well.” One of the greatest difficulties for her is getting into work mode — especially when there is no clear change of location. While a classic office routine automatically creates a separation between work and leisure, these boundaries often blur in the home office. This is particularly noticeable when lectures and work follow each other directly. Switching from student mode to work mode is not always easy for her, because both take place in the same environment and are therefore less clearly separated.

Organising everyday life was also a challenge at the beginning. Coordinating study, deadlines and professional tasks at the same time initially required a high degree of self-discipline and planning. Over time, however, she developed strategies to better bring everything together. A central point for her is to deliberately set aside time for work and not to do it somehow on the side. Only in this way can tasks be completed efficiently and without unnecessary stress. At the same time, she emphasises that remote work can also bring a certain loneliness, since direct exchange with colleagues is missing in everyday life. For this reason she values the possibility to work hybrid — to go into the office occasionally and thus maintain personal contact.

In retrospect, Aileen draws a clear conclusion: remote work is worthwhile, but it requires a high level of personal responsibility. Those who succeed in organising themselves well, creating clear structures and consciously integrating work into everyday life can benefit from the many advantages. Beyond the gained flexibility, she highlights personal development in particular — she works more structured, disciplined and goal-oriented today than before. For other students she has one simple but effective tip: schedule fixed times, batch tasks and take the work seriously. Then remote work can not only be a practical complement to studying but also a real enrichment.

Links:

• Marketing & Communication Management | ft