How can you manage your time when developing your career with additional education or training?

1 Set realistic goals

Before you enroll in any course, program, or certification, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and why. What are the specific skills or competencies that you need to improve or learn? How will they benefit your current or future role? How will you measure your progress and success? Having realistic and specific goals will help you stay focused, motivated, and accountable. It will also help you choose the most relevant and suitable learning options for your needs and budget.

3 Prioritize your tasks

Managing your time also means prioritizing your tasks according to their importance and urgency. You may have to deal with competing demands from your work, your education, and your personal life, and you may have to make some trade-offs or compromises. To help you decide what to do first, you can use a matrix or a list to categorize your tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important, urgent but not important, important but not urgent, and neither urgent nor important. Focus on the tasks that are urgent and important first, and delegate or eliminate the ones that are neither.

4 Seek support

You don't have to do everything on your own. You can seek support from your employer, your instructor, your peers, and your family and friends. For example, you can ask your employer if they offer any flexible work arrangements, financial assistance, or mentoring opportunities for employees who are pursuing further education or training. You can also communicate with your instructor if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about the course content, delivery, or assessment. Additionally, you can connect with your peers who are in the same or similar learning situations, and share your experiences, challenges, and tips. Finally, you can ask your family and friends for their understanding, encouragement, and assistance with your personal responsibilities.

5 Take care of yourself

Last but not least, you need to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally while developing your career with additional education or training. Learning new skills can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also be stressful and exhausting. To prevent burnout and maintain your well-being, you need to practice self-care and balance your work, learning, and leisure activities. Some ways to do this are: getting enough sleep and rest, eating healthy and nutritious food, exercising regularly, meditating or relaxing, and doing something fun or enjoyable.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?