Top 7 Tips for Continue Stydy wiht Workor Job not Spin yet
METHOD #1: FOCUS
ON THE ENDGAME
This isn’t a method so much as an important reminder. When you’re studying and working full-time, things are going to get crazy. You’ll feel overwhelmed at times and wonder why you chose to do both simultaneously. You may even find yourself wanting to quit your job, school or both.
In those moments, you need to remember the end game. You’re working and studying simultaneously so you can so you can offset some of the student loans. Or because you’re supporting your family while also getting a degree. Or because you love your job and want to still go to school.
Keep
these reasons in the front of your mind when things get rough. Take a breather
and remember your big, “Why?”
METHOD #2:
IMPROVE YOUR READING SPEED
Perhaps
the greatest challenge when studying and working full time is keeping up with
all the reading. It’s not uncommon to be loaded down with hundreds of pages
each week, and with time at a premium it’s tricky to get it all done.
One specific technique is to improve your
reading speed. Most people don’t realize that they read quite slowly and have
much room for improvement. By implementing
a few simple techniques, you can dramatically increase both your speed and
comprehension.
METHOD #3:
UTILIZE VACATION PERIODS
Depending
on your job, you may get longer vacation periods such as during the summer or
the holidays. This is especially true if you work as a teacher.
Take
advantage of these breaks to get more studying done than normal or to even get
ahead. Some colleges even offer accelerated courses during vacation periods or
between semesters. Taking these accelerated courses allows you to get credits
at a much more rapid pace.
METHOD #4:
CAREFULLY BREAK UP YOUR READING/STUDYING
One
of the biggest challenges of working and studying full time is managing the
heavy study load. You need to carefully plan out when and how you’re going to
study. One powerful method for managing your study load is to systematically
break up your reading and studying into carefully proportioned periods.
For
example, if you have 200 pages to read in two weeks, calculate how many study
hours you will have available in the next two weeks. If you have ten hours available,
you must read at least 20 pages per hour to complete your assignment. If you
can’t read that fast, you’ll need to budget more study time in your schedule.
Breaking
up your reading/studying into small, manageable chunks keeps you out of panic
mode when you’re forced to read hundreds of pages at a time.
METHOD #5: TAKE
FULL ADVANTAGE OF YOUR COMMUTE
Unless
you work from home, you probably have a commute to work. Most adults have at
least a 20 minute commute, with some driving much longer. Your commute time is
perfect for getting some studying done. Some simple ways to do this are:
§ Put study materials on flash cards review them when you come to
stoplights (NOT WHILE DRIVING!).
§ Download audio versions of your textbooks and listen to them as
you drive.
§ If you’re studying a subject that’s audio heavy, such as a
language, record yourself saying your vocab words along with the definition.
Then listen as you drive.
§ Record your lectures using your smartphone and then listen as you
drive. You can listen at 1.5x speed to get through the information more
quickly.
Don’t
waste your commute. It’s time that usually is filled with talk radio or music,
which isn’t bad, but doesn’t help you in your pursuit of a degree.
METHOD #6:
MAXIMIZE EVERY SPARE MINUTE
There
are numerous times throughout the day when you have spares minutes. When you’re
waiting at the doctor’s office, standing in line at the grocery store or
waiting to pick up your child from school. These moments can easily be turned
into micro study sessions.
Some
simple ways to do that are:
§ Carry flash cards with you everywhere. If you don’t want to carry
them around, snap photos of them with your smartphone and use those to study.
§ Utilize your smartphone. For example, if you’re a medical student,
put anatomy photos on your phone.
§ Download any relevant apps that can help you study.
§ Find YouTube videos and watch them on your smartphone.
Don’t
underestimate the power of small moments. A few minutes here and there quickly
adds up to hours.
METHOD #7:
MULTITASK DURING “NON-BRAIN” ACTIVITIES
Trying
to multitask while you’re studying is a bad idea. It’s difficult, if not
impossible, to focus on two things at once. However, there are many “non-brain”
activities you do throughout your day, such as cooking, working out, bathroom
breaks (seriously) or yard work.
Use
these activities to get in extra study time. Keep a stack of flashcards near
the bathroom. Listen to audio lectures while at the gym. Work on term
memorization while cooking dinner.
To
the point above, small moments add up. If you can’t find large, uninterrupted
blocks of study time, pile small moments on top of each other.