You're juggling learning new robotics skills and project duties. How can you excel at both?

Set aside time to learn new skills, technologies, or generally update ourselves about things in robotics. It is easy to get stuck to working on projects to get them done and allow us to put check boxes. The results are completed projects, but not necessarily great projects. Setting aside time to update ourselves, and intentionally doing so, allow us to up-skill and deliver even better projects. One hour a day may be enough; it does not have to be long for it to be meaningful.

I often try to follow the Eisenhower (Urgent to important) matrix, which divides tasks according to importance (urgent being the tasks done first) After knowing what tasks to do first I usually like to visualize my progress on these tasks. Either manually or using a software. During each task I dedicate specific time for it and block all distractions but give myself frequent short breaks in between to avoid early burnout

In my personal experience, I have studied for my bachelor's degree and worked a part time job at the same time. Everything comes down to time management and prioritization. Identify deadlines for the upcoming projects, and the work that has the maximum impact on your objectives. For me personally, it was taking college classes in the morning (9 am to 5 pm) and working in the evening (6pm to 11 pm). For learning new skills, focus on developing skills, instead of just cramming the theory part. If possible, try doing the hands on of whatever you're learning. For example, in the case of arduino, try practically making the project instead of just reading about it. Practical hands on experience is the most valuable learning lessons of all time!

To excel in learning new robotic skills and handling project duties, one should set clear goals and break tasks into manageable steps. Stay updated on robotics through new developments. Manage your time effectively and seek feedback from mentors and peers. Be flexible and adapt to new technologies. Collaborate with others in the robotics community, enhance problem-solving skills, document. Stay motivated. Balancing learning and project work leads to growth and success!

Setting clear and realistic goals is essential in any professional activity to ensure progress and success, and in robotics this is particularly crucial. Well-defined goals provide direction, motivation, and a way to measure progress. For example, robotics professionals can set goals such as learning new programming languages, such as Python, which is essential for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Another goal may be to test and master new robotic products and technologies, or develop a specific project, such as an autonomous robot. Setting these goals allows professionals to stay current, improve their skills, and contribute meaningfully to their field.

One of the ways to achieve alot within the shortest time possible is to streamline your goals and tasks. while it is good to have plans to learn a lot from the field of robotics and integrate it into projects, it is advisable to prioritize your goals thereby streamlining them to one or two that stands out as absolutely necessary and important at the moment. By doing this, you can easily stay within what you can achieve and have the capacity for. For instance, you can choose to focus on a particular aspect of industrial robotics while pending all other skill sets and projects in robotics.

Setting clear, achievable goals is essential for progress, in both learning and project management. Clearly define what you want to accomplish in the field of robotics, while also completing the tasks and crushing deadlines for the given projects. Set realistic goals and outline specific learning outcomes, you aim to reach. The goal could be long term like mastering a language, or a short term goal like understanding the concepts of robotics, (Ex: Kalman filter). Also, following a roadmap would help you achieve your goals quicker and in a more efficient way, because of it's structured nature, and by having a roadmap for both the project milestones, and educational targets, you can track your progress and stay motivated to do more!

Integrating continuous learning into any professional activity is essential to stay competitive and efficient, especially in dynamic fields such as robotics. Constant learning allows professionals to adapt to new technologies, improve their skills and foster innovation. An excellent way for this learning is to read specialized books, which offer deep and updated knowledge. The books allow you to accelerate learning at a low cost, providing a solid foundation and access to expert experience. In robotics, where technology advances rapidly, reading specialized books is crucial to understanding complex concepts, developing advanced projects, and keeping up to date with the latest trends and practices.

Integrating learning with project work can create seamless growth in both educational and experience. Whenever possible, try integrating your learning experience into the project work. For example, if you're learning about a new sensor, try adding it to your project to make it more advanced with sensor technology. Doing this would not only make sure you understand the theory, but also makes sure you have the full hands-on experience of whatever you're learning in theory. Seeing the results of the new knowledge in action can be incredibly rewarding, and it can keep you motivated to continue your learning and further encourage both minor and major integrations in the project work

I like to focus on projects that have a clear outcome (i.e., a portfolio piece that I can add to my website or a specific project for work) so that I have something tangible that demonstrates my understanding of my new skill. This is much more meaningful to bosses and potential new employers than a certification or badge saying I know the skill in my opinion since companies need people who can produce results at the end of the day.

When pressed for time and you are still learning something new, the temptation is to try and become an expert before moving forward with the project. We found that the best thing to do was to set time goals, managing how much time you invested into learning the new skill and executing the rest of the plan. Life is a balance, so robotics should be treated in a similar fashion.

Proper time management is crucial in any activity. To maximize efficiency I combine several methodologies: Pareto's Law and Quick Wins. Pareto's Law suggests that 80% of the results come from 20% of the efforts, that is, focusing on key tasks can speed up the process. Quick Wins, on the other hand, focuses on completing small, easy tasks first, generating a sense of accomplishment and maintaining motivation. Other useful methodologies include the Pomodoro technique, which improves concentration with intervals of work and rest, and the GTD method, which helps organize and prioritize tasks. By combining these techniques, more effective time management is achieved and, in the case of learning robotics, obtaining better results in less time.

Cal Newport had some great insights about this, he spoke about working with Turing award winners and Fields Medalists when he was doing his PhD and he said their greatest strength was their ability to focus. It takes about 20 minutes to truly get immersed in a task so I try to give myself blocks of time that are 1-1.5 hours long where I can really get into a workflow and focus on the thing at hand, whether that is my project or a new skill I am learning.

YouTube is a great place to start, there are many skill specific tutorials available and if your worried about their quality, you can always spend a month watching course lectures on the topic published by top universities like Stanford, MIT, CMU, etc. and then go back to the tutorials and critically examine them to see if they agree with what you learned from the course you watched.

Expand your network and take part in conferences, seminars and events that would expose you to more information about robotics. Taking online certificate courses and practices on simulation software is also very helpful.

Robotics experts can greatly benefit the community by sharing their knowledge, allowing others to update and improve their skills. A clear example of this is Arduino users. Many are unaware that today it is possible to program in graphical environments, which simplifies the development process. In addition, new Arduino-compatible boards have appeared that do not require the use of the traditional breadboard, thus increasing productivity and efficiency. By sharing these innovations and techniques, experts not only advance the field, but also foster a more educated and capable community.

There are a lot of simulation platforms from top robotics companies today that offer free courses for e-learning. This is a good way to kick start and develop a good knowledge of practical projects in the field. For example, Universal robots offer free e-learning courses in a very detailed simulation environment. You can also take advantage of other platforms like Kuka, Fanuc amd Gazebo.