by Bert Rider

Created on: August 21, 2009

As we get older, our commitments and time constraints increase. Instead of living at home with mom and dad and doing chores, going to school and an occasional movie with friends, we have jobs, mortgages and social events. Life is fuller, time is short and free time is less abundant. So, when we decide to go back to school, take courses or enjoy furthering our knowledge of a subject, how do we schedule that time? There are many tips as to how to schedule classes around our busy lives. Below are just a few to consider:

1. Determine how much time you can devote to a class. If you are taking a college course for credit, the rule of thumb is to multiply the number of course hours by four. This will roughly give you the amount of time you need to devote to that course for studying, research and assignments. For example, if the course is 3 credit hours, you would multiply 3 by 4 and get 12 hours per week that you would need to dedicate to this course. Twelve hours can be a considerable amount of time for some and not that much time for others. If you have more time you can devote to classes, you may want to consider taking more than one, but don't overwhelm yourself or overestimate your free time.

2. Determine the type of family and/or work obligations you have and what you are willing to give up. If you already have a full schedule, it will be nearly impossible to add a class without giving something else up. So, you will need to look at your other obligations to determine what you can and will give up. If you coach your child's soccer team and you don't want to quit, you will need to see where you can gain the additional time you need for your class.

3. Determine the best time of day for you. This may not be easy because of your work schedule, but if you have a choice as to when you can attend class and study, then choose the best time for you. I am a morning person and I scheduled all of my college classes to begin as early in the morning as I could, because I knew that by the evening, I was too exhausted to pay attention. I tried to get my classes and homework completed before lunch each day. The afternoon and evenings were left for work. If you are a night owl, then evening classes would be more beneficial.

4. Stick with your commitment. This by far may be the hardest, yet most important part of scheduling a class into your busy life! Staying motivated and sticking with your commitment to take and finish your class will help you realize your goal and make time for it. Without commitment, it will be easy to let things slide and not complete assignments when they are due. Visualizing your goal and keeping it in mind, will help you stay committed to your schedule.

It's true that our lives are more hectic than ever. But, if we truly want to further our knowledge and education, then it can be done. Many have done it in the past and many more will do it in the future. By taking a good look at your schedule and making a commitment to complete your class, you will succeed in managing your schoolwork with your busy life.

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