Online education has the ease of flexibility and learning at your own pace. Ironically, it is this convenience factor that can cause some online students to procrastinate, or worse fail to engage in the learning process at all. Previously, we have discussed how university students beat procrastination when it comes to online lectures via the LMS platform (Learning Management Systems) — However, is it the same with those who are juggling work with online courses? If anything, it is a lot more challenging and this is how you succeed.
Accountability factor.
Pay good money for it. There are thousands of free courses online from a swift of a click but more often than not, we tend to fall off the wagon because it was free and there isn’t any obligation to even finish one. This website offers unique IT skillset courses at attractive rates which aren’t that many of. Having an accountability partner is another way to keep you in check, especially if you are someone who needs a cheerleader to keep you motivated— it could be your wife, your dad, your workmate or even a mentor. These two factors are a great kickstart to keep you accountable because staying disciplined most times needs leverage that would keep you on track.
Strategize with structure.
Set daily goals for studying. Ask yourself what you hope to accomplish in your course each day. Chart your schedule in terms of weeks and months( if it is a multi-part course) or take it to step by step by seeing what is your end-goal and work backwards. Whilst your day job is still a top priority, you should pay attention to intervals where you are likely to be dormant and perhaps slot in a few bits of lessons between those intervals. It is called bite-sized learning for a reason, so get some of the bites in whenever time allows you. Also, always reassess your goals at each course completion to make sure you are aligned with your big picture. If you are learning application-based projects like coding, practice making projects, no matter how simple and easy you may find them. Keep increasing the difficulty level, you can start with building a simple thing like a calculator and move forward to higher-level projects. Importantly, document your work and build a portfolio.
Cool Off.
Breaks are important to avoid burnouts because it is overwhelming to be facing a screen for work and then to study too. However, taking a break and going on to YouTube will not serve the purpose of ‘taking a break’. Relax and avoid screen time altogether for a while before resuming. If that is difficult, maybe add-value to your break, online, by seeking success stories. For example, Linkedin or podcasts has lots of success stories of people who have switched to tech careers. This will help give you some perspective into your online learning journey and catapult it to a passion for lifelong learning.
It is helpful to remind yourself to ensure that your course is an extension of a passion that was always at the backburner of your mind. It is an investment of time and money (in most cases) and it should be something you love. Ultimately, don’t forget to apply your new knowledge where it deems suitable and use it to reach your professional goals efficiently and effectively.
