How do you manage your time while learning?

miamee · 13-09-2019 12:38pm #1

I'm soon to start an online course with Cork IT and am looking forward to it. However it is 3 nights per week, 2 hours each evening and I'm wondering if anyone else has done this type of thing while working full time and how you managed yoru time?
I'm sure it's not uinmanageable at all, 2 hours is not too bad but I'm a little apprehensive until I get into it. All tips appreciated

divillybit · 15-09-2019 7:18pm

I'm starting an online postgraduate diploma with the lectures starting from tomorrow and I'm having second thoughts to be honest...and I'm single so and working full time. Im budgeting for 15 - 20 hours a week of study brtween the online lectures and reading up and course assignments..

Manach · 15-09-2019 7:21pm

For me it is an Open University course, so I parcel out time blocks - time communuting or the hours 8-9pm when there is no other task but to focus on study.

divillybit · 15-09-2019 7:30pm

I'm doing mine with Sligo IT, costing over 4k a year and I'm paying that by myself.. Its something I wanted to do before I would have family commitments and such.. It'd be hard for folk with young working families to manage I'd say

Captain Havoc · 15-09-2019 9:33pm

I'm in my fifth year studying with the OU. I plan each day, just go with it and tell everyone to leave me alone.

caviardreams · 28-09-2019 7:25pm

Hi guys
Seriously considering a distance learning masters but worried I am underestimating the time commitment - the module co-ordinator said there is an expected 10 hours per week of study which seems manageable. I was figuring the guts of a day at the weekend and then a couple of hours one evening during the week maybe?

How many hours do most people do / find manageable per week with a full time job (no kids!)?

miamee · 30-09-2019 12:26pm

What I am doing at the moment is the first semester of a Masters programme (I'm only signed up for one semester though) but time wise we have 6 hours of online classes per week and on top of that we have assignments to do and a certain amount of reading - not very much reading so far and we'll only get our first assignment this week. So far with just classes and a small bit of reading it's manageable but we have been warned multiple times not to book any trips or weekends away between now and the end of the year as we simply won't have the time.

It's intense on top of a full-time job but doable - having said that, I haven't had to do any assignments yet. I find being organised with things like lunches and dinners helps if you can do that/some of that over the weekend or at least have a plan. OH is in the second year of his Masters so also doesn't have much time for the domestic stuff.

Saint_Mel · 30-09-2019 2:45pm

In the middle of part time distance masters at the moment whilst working full time and having very active kids. It can be a struggle to find time for everything but still getting through it ... so far!!

We've 4 hours of lectures per week (1 hour per subject. 2 on Monday evening, 2 on Wednesday evening). Material put online during the week too in the form of videos, research papers and notes so the idea is to watch/read all that and then its discussed and dissected during the live lecture. I usually only get to review them over the weekend in fits and starts, or during lunch time in work. Various continuous assessment exams, assignments and projects in between.
Tough going but doable (so far). I find myself making bullet point notes during the lectures for the main points as trying to take everything in after a days work wasn't working for me at all.

cmsuser_jw12 · 30-09-2019 10:22pm

I always give myself a hour in the evening to study some times you get a good few hours done other times just go to sleep lol

divillybit · 23-11-2019 7:30pm

How's everyone getting on with their studies so far? It's a level 9 postgraduate diploma I'm doing and I'm regretting starting it.... mainly due to alot of your free time is taken up with online lectures or assignments...this weekend is the first I've taken off since September...one person I know of has dropped out already as he couldn't juggle the workload along with family commitments

miamee · 25-11-2019 12:50pm

The workload is intense and does require a lot of planning which I am only learning now - 4 weeks to the end of the course :pac: Having almost no free time is a curse and not something I would be willing to do long-term to be honest. Then again maybe not all semesters are as intense as this one. Just spent an entire weekend at the PC. My back is not happy with that!

RedXIV · 25-11-2019 12:57pm

About to come to the end of a 2 year masters, a little over 2 weeks left before thesis handed in, couple that with new job, 4 kids, including one born 6 weeks before it started, it is very tough to balance the time. I'm glad I did it but I'll be estatic when it's over.

In terms of time management, I don't have very good advice, as I tend to manage on little enough sleep so I've had a few months of late nights working on assignments and thesis over the two years. If I could give any advice, it would be consistent about putting in the hours, and identify what works for you. I need to have some sort of noise while I work (not kids screaming though), so after the kids would go to bed, I actually found the netflix hour long fireplace to be just the right amount of white noise to listen to while working away.

Do not underestimate how difficult the time management is though, and trust me, EVERYONE struggles with it.

divillybit · 09-12-2019 12:59pm

I think I've college fatigue at this stage.

miamee · 17-12-2019 12:09pm

Snap. Last group assignment is due this week, presentation on Thursday evening and I think all of us will be glad to see the back of the whole thing. I know I will

How do you manage your time while learning?

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