Learning While Working Full-Time - Zinny Factor

It could feel quite interesting and relaxing to have a job and make a living without having to study anymore. However, if you are looking out for advancement in the long run then continuing your education might creep in at some point or the other.

To avoid this being too late, it’s always a good option to start thinking and planning early and that’s why this article is here to give you some direction.

Working full-time can feel mentally consuming especially since your brain will be working for most of the day already. Having to study afterward can feel like a stretch! Hell, we’ve heard once or twice where people say that having to just go to work in the first place can be a lot of work already. Hopefully, your career/ job is something that you enjoy, but studying also needs some form of dedication so let’s get real!

Secondly, to stay competitive in an ever-changing industry, it’s only logical that you invest in furthering your education to stay up to date. So, how can you continue to learn while working full-time? Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Consider Online Education

The rise of the internet has provided several other options to keep learning. These days, there are even online accredited sites that are titled specifically for a particular industry! Amazing to say the least. Even most universities and colleges now offer online learning opportunities.

So this is something that you can explore rather than the conventional classroom style. Most of these sites also provide self-paced education which can be beneficial for someone in a high demanding career. A few online training sites are Coursera, edX, Udemy, Codecademy, etc.

2. Narrow down what you want to study

After having a chat with someone I admire, I saw another angle to this. You can decide to take note of your strengths and weaknesses and decide what you will want to improve on most specifically. Would you want to improve on your strengths and grow on that? Or would you rather improve on your weaknesses in your job?

This is a good way of narrowing down your study goals. Basically, this is applying the principles of SWOT analysis, but specifically to your professional learning goals. You can also think of whether you want to study something that will directly affect your current role or something that will be of importance in the future.

3. Join a Professional Organization

Joining a professional organization can bring about the possibility of mentorship at the very least. This can also help you build your network as well as make great connections and learn from other professionals in your field. Many times, there will be events or workshops and possible speaker series which can give you new insights.

It’s another way of staying in touch with changes in your industry while learning at the same time! You could also go for conferences if one is available to you. Ask your employer if they can cover the cost for you.

4. Job Shadow

Shadowing another person in your company is an exciting way to walk in the shoes of another person’s career while exploring learning opportunities. If you do the exact thing for a long time in your role, you might start to feel bored. It’s a good idea to take some time to take on an exciting project with someone in the organization and this is a good way of learning and improving your skills. Who knows if this might lead to a new position eventually.

5. Take advantage of your company’s learning fund

Many companies are starting to have learning funds and providing this as part of company benefits. If this is the case, it’s an opportunity to take advantage of while also improving your learning goals. Most often than not, you’d have known if your company offers this as a benefit. However, if the case is different, you can speak with your HR department to make further inquiries on this.

Even if it’s not something your company offers, you never know until you ask! You might be surprised to realize they would be willing to fund your education no matter how little.

6. Read a book

It can be a lot to add into your routine, that is, to read. However, you have to agree that reading is a way of keeping intellectually sound. Get a book and read even if it’s unrelated to your job position. If reading hard copies will be a chore, you could try out audio books like Audible. Look at it this way: it would feel like you are listening to music, except that you’d be deriving knowledge.

Motivational books, inspirational, biography, whatever your poison is, just try to read a book every once in a while. It’s a positive step to help in your continuous learning. We wrote a  Book Review: The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday and we’ll be updating the website with amazing books regularly.

Studying and working can be a challenge and we admit it, however, it’s not something impossible to do. That’s why we are here to provide realistic and practical tips that have been tested and trusted! In the next post, we’ll delve into how to juggle between studying and working full-time.

Share below, other ways that you have been able to work while also continuing your education. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on these tips discussed in the comment section. If you enjoyed reading this article be sure to subscribe to the blog to receive exclusive updates and feel free to share this post!

by Zinny
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