She adds that those suffering from severe depression and suicidal thoughts should immediately see a mental health professional.
2. Tap into alternate financial resources. While your job or internships don't nearly cover your expenses, take advantage of your status as a working student. Find out what stipends, scholarships and grants are offered through your program.
Chakrabarty was paid a yearly stipend of $18,500 for both his teaching and student duties. To supplement that income, he sought out and received internal scholarships and outside grants. But for those who do acquire some debt, he suggests taking the long view: "Sometimes you have to run up your credit card to foster your future a little bit. That's one of the sacrifices if you really want to get ahead."
3. Take courses that will accommodate your work schedule. It's commendable that you want to take the most challenging courses your program has to offer. But you must also consider how doing so will affect your job. "I've really tried to deal with this by taking classes that I expected would not have a crazy amount of work," says Joseph Galvin, a fourth-year law student at Fordham University and legal intern at Andre Balazs Properties, a hotel and residential development company. A course with a final exam, rather than a 30-page paper, he notes, is much more hospitable to his 30- to 35-hour work schedule.
[Read: 4 Ways to Figure Out Your Future.]
4. Know when to call it a day. While the correlation between sleep and productivity is different for all, a consistently low baseline could catch up to you at some point. Far from a night owl, Galvin notes that once 10:00 p.m. hits, he's reached his limit. "If you're going to be doing work that's very important on very low sleep, you're going to be careless," he says.
5. Make your loved ones a priority. If seeing your child and/or spouse during work hours is out of the question, Bost suggests looking into family-oriented events and on-campus day care at the university you're attending.
You may be fortunate enough to work and attend grad school with a significant other by your side. Rely on that relationship as a source of strength and an escape from the everyday pressures you face. Chakrabarty says Annemarie was his "foundation" during the trying period. "I hope everyone can have someone like that," he adds.
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