How I managed a successful work/life balance studying on the Executive MBA programme

As a prospective student, you may be wondering:

How do Executive MBA students juggle the programme alongside a full-time job and everyday commitments?

Hear from some of our students who share how they maintain that all-important work-life balance, managing commitments, commuting and capacity.

Managing schedules

I believe that people are multifaceted and must attend to each part of their being to be whole. Therefore, I allot a certain amount of time to study, family, work, and spiritual communion. I fully expect to not get everything done that would be nice, so I prioritize the highest value tasks and experiences within each life category. If I can study some business cases and do a homework assignment, read or ski with my wife and kids, knock out a few wins at the office, and go to church, then I consider it a good week for personal balance. Often when I travel for class or work it is more difficult to balance. In these weeks, I spend more time on study and work, and then when I get home I devote more time to family – thus evening things out overall.Brian Barner (Executive MBA London, September 2024)


Commuting on the EMBA programme

I am based in Zurich and commute to London for our EMBA class at the weekend – every two weeks. We’re just wrapping up our first term and I couldn’t help but reflect on how demanding the last four months have been and how much we have accomplished. It’s difficult to imagine how we can achieve a work/life/study balance while managing a full-time job, family and a part-time degree programme, but if you’re truly passionate about pursuing an EMBA programme despite your already busy schedule, the balance can be achieved.



For me, a work/life/study balance doesn’t need to always be equally balanced. There are end-of-year commitments at work, family priorities, or group assignments that may require more of your attention at different times and my one piece of advice is that you need to plan and map out your calendars for at least one term in advance. By eliminating surprises as much as possible while ensuring that you still maintain a flexible mindset, you can adjust that schedule as things play out. It takes a few weeks to find your rhythm and expand your capability of taking on a workload, but once you adjust to it, this hectic schedule becomes somewhat of an exciting routine.  Sherif Khalifa (Executive MBA London, September 2024 & Academic Representative)




Adjusting your work-life balance

Once your EMBA journey begins, you will need to decide how you want to adjust work-life balance to work-study-life balance.  The nature of my work and personal life meant that I needed to take a more flexible approach and set clear boundaries, to help me make the right choices. Personally, my two boundaries are: never miss a class due to work and I will always prioritise family and do my best to be present. Boundaries and identifying trade-offs can not only help you navigate the next 18 months, but also enjoy the experience. Omar Abuhanoud (Executive MBA Dubai, January 2023)


Check out the profiles of other students, scholars, ambassadors and alumni here.

You can also reach out to the Recruitment Team with any questions: emba@london.edu

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