Blog
Balancing youth work, university, tutoring, and volunteering makes for a demanding but rewarding week. Meet Mohammed, a third year Youth Work and Communities student. His schedule takes him from Sheffield to Birmingham for lectures, evening youth sessions, and weekend tutoring, all while managing ADHD and sleep struggles. Here’s a glimpse into his routine—busy, unpredictable, and deeply meaningful.
Monday
10am – I wake up, stretch, and take a moment to centre myself. Sleep is a struggle, so I don’t always wake up at the same time. If I’ve had a rough night, I give myself grace and ease into the morning. Meditation helps—The Daily Jay by Jay Shetty and The Daily Calm by Tamara Levitt are my go-to sessions on the Calm app.
11.30am – I pack my bag and drive to the train station for the 12.15pm train to Birmingham, I use this time to listen to a podcast or music.
1.30pm – I grab a coffee from Leon and head to Curzon for teaching. My Youth Work and Communities lectures run from 12.50pm to 5.00pm, with breaks in between. The modules are intense but rewarding, focusing on safeguarding, violence prevention, and multi-agency work.
6pm – I usually stay at Curzon until 9 or 10pm to catch up on coursework or spend time with friends from my course. If I’m near Birmingham New Street, I sometimes grab discounted food from Wasabi before heading to my hostel or hotel for the night.
10.30pm – I wind down with stretching and a body scan meditation. Sleep doesn’t always come easily, so I listen to an audiobook or calming music to help relax my mind.
Tuesday
8am – I wake up and get ready for another day of lectures. My final lecture ends by 1pm, and I take the 2.15pm train back to Sheffield, arriving home before 4pm.
4.30pm – I eat, recharge, and prepare for my evening youth club session with Friends of High, the SEN charity I run. We provide a much-needed space for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
6.30pm – 8.30pm – The youth club is one of the few of its kind in Sheffield, and funding is always a challenge. I’ve been reaching out to supermarkets and businesses like JD Sports for support. Despite the struggles, seeing the young people thrive makes it all worth it.
9.30pm – After the session, I wind down by watching something on Netflix or ITV. I recently finished The Traitors, which I loved for its insight into human psychology.
Wednesday
10am – Today is a slower start. I wake up later after a hectic start to the week. I do some light stretching, use my spiky prana ball to relieve tension in my upper back, and listen to a podcast.
12pm – 5pm – I spend the afternoon on university work, including planning for my placement module (which connects to my job as a youth worker and charity leader). I also have meetings related to my degree and upcoming projects.
6pm – 9pm – Sheffield City Council youth work. I lead sessions, collaborating with Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, and work on a food heritage project called Food Narratives, where young people explore global cuisines and cook dishes from different cultures.
10pm – After work, I decompress with a short audiobook or meditation, then sleep (or try to).
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Thursday
10am – Another slow morning, focusing on self-care and university work. I try to stretch, meditate, and go through emails.
12pm – 5pm – Today, I focus on securing funding for Friends of High. Keeping the charity running is tough, so I spend time contacting donors, drafting funding proposals, and networking with local businesses for support.
6pm – 9pm – Another youth work session with Sheffield City Council. Tonight’s group is in a more affluent part of Sheffield, but I’ve worked in diverse areas, and I enjoy getting to know the young people in different communities.
9.30pm – I spend time unwinding, maybe watching a show or chatting with friends. I’ve realised how important it is to make space for self-care instead of always being on edge.
Friday
10am – Morning routine as usual: meditation, stretching, and light movement to reset after a long week.
12pm – 5pm – I catch up on coursework, respond to emails, and plan for the weekend. My modules focus on violence prevention and mental health, so I try to keep up with recent studies and research.
6pm – 9pm – Final youth work session of the week! Fridays are more relaxed, and we often do creative activities or sports.
10pm – I unwind and plan for the weekend ahead.
Saturday
10.30pm – I wake up later today after a full week. Some days, I go to the gym, other days I take it easy.
12pm – 2pm – Private tutoring through Spark Academy. I work with two young people with SEND, helping them with schoolwork and confidence-building.
3pm – Afternoons are flexible. Sometimes, I meet up with friends, other times, I focus on self-care, watching a show or listening to an audiobook.
7pm – I relax in the evening. Black Doves on Netflix has been a recent favorite.
Sunday
10.30am – Another slow morning with meditation and stretching. I reflect on the past week and set intentions for the next one.
12pm – 1pm – Another tutoring session. Seeing my students’ progress is one of the most fulfilling parts of my week.
3pm – I work on my NSPCC online volunteering training, which aligns with my long-term goal of working in youth crime prevention. This is important to me, especially given recent incidents in Sheffield.
6pm – I prepare for the week ahead, going through my schedule and tasks.
9pm – I end the week with body scan meditation and audiobooks or calming music before bed.