10 Tips for Active Adult Learners

If you are juggling the roles of partner, parent, employee, and student, you may be wondering how you are going to survive the season and still complete your CX courses. Realize that you are not alone. Many adult learners struggle with the competing demands on their limited free time. Many learners find the following tips useful in getting on track and staying on track with their studies.

1.  Make lists.  You might not get everything done on your list every day, but just the act of making a list can help you stay ahead of your work. I suggest you use one of the many apps for your electronic device that are available such as Todoist or Evernote. These apps can sync with other devices to help you make sure that no task gets overlooked. You can even go old school with paper and pen. The key is to organize everything you need to accomplish. Don’t forget to add time to work on your courses.
2.  Prioritize.  Assign priorities to your “to do list” activities. The quickest way to miss completing important items is to spend too much time on less urgent tasks. Prioritize your professional development activities. Your career is important!
3.  Integrate your activities.  If you have activities planned that involve a lot of waiting, use the time to read or complete an activity. I always take coursework on business travel or to play dates with the children. Make the best use of any waiting time.
4.  Set goals.  Establish reasonable goals for yourself. Decide when you can comfortably complete each CX course. If you put professional development into the “do when you have time” category, you may never finish. Set a realistic goal to complete each class. Break the tasks down into smaller milestones.
5.  Be realistic. Examine your schedule and realistically determine if you can complete a new task before you say “yes.” If you over-book yourself, something will not get done and that something is often your professional development.
6.  Reduce time wasting activities.  For me, checking email all day long can ruin my schedule and sabotage my list of daily activities. Instead, try reviewing and responding to email 2 or 3 times a day. That is more efficient and doesn’t use all your available time.
7.  Be prepared.  Always have coursework with you. Read and work on your CX courses when unexpected free time occurs. Try bringing a CX article with you to read when you are waiting for a meeting or client. Using small amounts of unplanned available time can help you make significant progress.
8.  Ask family members for help.  You can’t do everything on your own. Summer is a great time to ask your children or other family members to help around the house. Until I did this, I found myself avoiding my course work because I was always finding things to do around the house.
9.  Give yourself some flexibility.  The unexpected event will always occur. Don’t plan your time so rigidly that you can’t make a few changes to accommodate these unplanned events.
10. Regroup and revise.  Periodically review what you have accomplished and what has not been finished. Revise your plan as needed. Whatever you do, don’t give up and keep your professional development at a high priority. You are worth it.