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Balancing youth work, university, tutoring, and volunteeringÌýmakes for a demanding but rewarding week. Meet Mohammed, a thirdÌýyear Youth Work and CommunitiesÌýstudent. His schedule takes him fromÌýSheffield to ̽»¨Ö±²¥ for lectures, evening youth sessions and weekend tutoring, all while managingÌýADHD and sleep struggles. Here’s a glimpse into his routine - busy, unpredictable, and deeply meaningful.

Monday

10amÌý– I wake up, stretch, and take a moment to centreÌýmyself. Sleep is a struggle, so I don’t always wake up at the same time. If ±õ’v±ð had a rough night, I give myself grace and ease into the morning. Meditation helps—The Daily JayÌýby Jay ShettyÌýandÌýThe Daily Calm by Tamara LevittÌýare my go-to sessions on the Calm appÌýwhich helps set me up for the day and allow me to feel more regulated.

11.30amÌý– I pack my bag and drive to the train station for theÌý12.15pm train to ̽»¨Ö±²¥,ÌýI use this time to listen to a podcast or music.

1.30pmÌý– I grab a coffee fromÌýLeonÌýand head toÌýCurzonÌýfor teaching. My Youth Work and CommunitiesÌýlectures run fromÌý12.50pm to 5.00pm, with breaks in between. The modules are intense but rewarding, focusing on safeguarding, violence prevention, and multi-agency work. I'mÌýalso applying what I learned directly to my youth work practice.Ìý

6pmÌý– I usually stay atÌýCurzon until 9 or 10pm to catch up on coursework or spend time with friends from my course. If I’m nearÌý̽»¨Ö±²¥ New Street, I sometimes grab discounted food fromÌýWasabiÌýbefore heading to my hostel or hotel for the night.

10.30pmÌý– I wind down with stretching and aÌýbody scan meditation. Sleep doesn’t always come easily, so I listen to anÌýaudiobook or calming musicÌýto help relax my mind.ÌýThis really helps me slow down my thoughts after a busy day and have a better night sleep.

Tuesday

8amÌý– I wake up and get ready for another day of lectures. My final lectureÌýends byÌý1pm, and I take theÌý2.15pmÌýtrain back to Sheffield, arriving home beforeÌý4pm.

4.30pmÌý– I eat, recharge, and prepare for myÌýevening youth club sessionÌýwithÌýFriends of High, theÌýSEN charityÌýI run. We provide a much-needed space for young people withÌýspecial educational needs and disabilities (SEND).This provision is quite close to my heart,Ìýwith my own lived experience of ADHD and being able to mirror my personal experiences to support and empower young people in a community space.Ìý

6.30pm – 8.30pmÌý– The youth club is one of the few of its kind in Sheffield, and funding is always a challenge. ±õ’v±ð been reaching out toÌýsupermarkets including Asda and businessesÌýlikeÌýLush for support with donations and fundraising. Despite the struggles, seeing the young people thrive makes it all worth it,Ìýboosting my determination to do what I can with my team to ensure the provision stays open.Ìý

9.30pmÌý– After the session, I wind down by watching something onÌýNetflix or ITV. I recently finishedÌýThe Traitors, which I loved for its insight into human psychology.

Wednesday

10amÌý– Today is a slower start. I wake up later after a hectic start to the week. I do someÌýlight stretching, use my spiky prana ballÌýto relieve tension in my upper back, and listen to a podcast.

12pm – 5pmÌý– IÌý have my weeklyÌý therapy session in the city centre which I really value as a way of processing my thoughts/feelings in a dedicated space.ÌýI then go to my work office andÌýspend the afternoon on university work, including planning for my placement module (which connects to my job as a youth worker and lead SEND youth worker). I also have meetings related toÌýwork and upcoming projects.

6pmÌý– 9pmÌý–ÌýSheffield City Council youth work.ÌýI lead sessions, collaborating withÌýSheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday amongst other services.ÌýI've alsoÌýbeen planning a food heritage project called Food Narratives, where young people explore global cuisines and cook dishes from different cultures. This follows consultations with young people in our provisions who come from diverse backgrounds, stating that they haven’t had the opportunity to explore their own food heritage, as well as various gaps in other services which we hope to address, so that young people who access our youth clubs are able to feel more connected to their communities and cultural identities.Ìý

10pmÌý– After work, I decompress with aÌýshort audiobook or meditation, then sleep!

Thursday

10amÌý– Another slow morning, focusing onÌýself-care and university work. I try toÌýstretch, meditate, and go through emails and my calendar.

12pmÌý– 5pmÌý– Today, I focus on securing funding forÌýFriends of High. Keeping the charity running is tough, so I spend timeÌýcontacting donors, drafting funding proposals, and networkingÌýwith local businesses for support.

6pmÌý– 9pmÌý– Another youth work session with my my main placementÌýat Sheffield City Council. I work in a more affluent part of Sheffield, in the South West with a small team of youth workers, after recognising that there has been a limited youth work provision for over four decades, I'm nowÌýtrying to bring this back as youth work should beÌýuniversal forÌýall young people.Ìý±õ’v±ð worked in diverse areas, and I enjoy getting to know the young people in different communities whoÌý have a plethora of experiences and strengths.Ìý

9.30pmÌý– I spend timeÌýunwinding, maybe watching a show or chatting with friends. ±õ’v±ð realised how important it is to make space forÌýself-careÌýinstead of always being on edge.ÌýWinding down, and often not doing anything, is key for reducing burnout, and has also helped to build my mental presence and performance in different areas of my life.Ìý

Friday

10amÌý– Morning routine as usual: meditation, stretching, andÌýlight movement to resetÌýafter a long week.

12pm – 5pmÌý– IÌýcatch up on coursework, respond to emails, and plan for the weekend. My modules focus onÌýviolence prevention and mental health, so I try to keep up with recent studies and research.ÌýI am also the lead for the youth work student network. This has been a highlight of the course as a way of networking with other students, academics and practitioners in the youth and community work field across ̽»¨Ö±²¥ and more widely in the UK.Ìý

6pmÌý– 9pmÌý– FinalÌýyouth work session of the week! Fridays are more relaxed, and we oftenÌýdo creative activities or sports.

10pmÌý– IÌýunwind and plan for the weekendÌýahead. I spend time with family and often do some cooking and meal prep for the week ahead.ÌýÌý

Saturday

10.30pmÌý– I wake up later today after a full week.ÌýSome days, I go to the gym, other days I take it easy.

12pmÌý– 2pmÌý–ÌýPrivate tutoring through Spark Academy.Ìý I have a caseloadÌýof  two young people with SEND, helping them with schoolwork and confidence-building. I recently started tutoring which has been really nice, as ±õ’v±ð always wanted to do more collaborative work with parents and in homes.

3pmÌý– Afternoons are flexible. Sometimes, IÌýmeet up with friends, other times, IÌýfocus on self-care, watching a show or listening to an audiobook.ÌýI also quite like visiting the city centre in Sheffield.ÌýIÌýjust find a nice café like the Chakra Lounge to drink a matcha latte (my favourite drink and place to go!) to sit, read or listen to something. I also quite like having conversations with the staff who I have positive relationships with, and ¾±³Ù’s just nice to catch up on ·É³ó²¹³Ù’s going on in our lives.Ìý

7pmÌý– I relax in the evening.ÌýBlack DovesÌýon Netflix has been a recent favourite.Ìý

Sunday

10.30amÌý– AnotherÌýslow morningÌýwith meditation and stretching.ÌýI reflect on the past weekÌýand set intentions for the next one.

12pm – 1pmÌý–ÌýAnother tutoring session.ÌýSeeing my students’ progress is one of the most fulfilling parts of my week.

3pmÌý– I work on myÌýNSPCC online volunteering training, which aligns with my long-term goal of working inÌýyouth crime prevention. This is important to me, especially given recentÌýincidents in Sheffield.

6pmÌý– I prepare for the week ahead, going through myÌýschedule and tasks.

9pmÌý– I end the week withÌýbody scan meditationÌýandÌýaudiobooks or calming musicÌýbefore bed.