Schedule A Time For Learning

We kicked off the business year last month with “Future-Proofing Your Job.” Subsequently, we will be getting the dope on committing to lifelong learning, a means to future-proof your job in an unapologetically advancing technology-driven world. To this end, this month we are considering scheduling a time for learning.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.” 

― Michael Altshuler

Kunle had just completed his one year compulsory NYSC programme in Katsina, where he added 3 professional certificates to his résumé. It was an awesome experience for him, being his first time in the Northern part of Nigeria, and winning the argument and pressure from his parents to redeploy to Lagos, he felt proud of himself as a young man.

He thought getting a job would be as easy as being called up for service, but 1 month became 2, 3, and 4 months. However, he never stopped applying for jobs and more importantly, he engaged himself in his life-long passion for personal development, as he has always held strongly to the belief that “success comes when opportunity meets preparation.”

5 months down the line, Kunle got a job with Ignus Prime group of companies; of course, his investment in personal development for more than 4 months gave him an edge over the other interviewees. His employment letter came with a retinue of mouth-watering benefits including a 2-bedroom flat and an official car. As expected, Kunle threw himself into this new found job of his dreams.

No sooner had he resumed than he noticed that his life-long passion for personal development had started fading, the unadventurous nature of his job made it obvious as he was tied to a number of specific technical duties that always required his presence. Kunle would leave his house as early as possible, and return as late as possible.

2 years later, he realized that his life-long passion for personal development had been alarmingly eroded. He had saved up enough money though, so he got married and family life connived with his job to make him kiss personal development goodbye.

Kunle discovered after 15 years on the job that he had only 2 additional certifications, which were the two training programmes which the company sponsored him on, along his career path, he also noticed that some of his colleagues who had gotten more certifications over the years are now his superiors, and he kept wondering how 15 years passed him by.

A lot of career people are like Kunle, they are just riding along with time, no scheduled time for learning and personal development. For you not to share in Kunle’s dilemma, the following are basic:

• Carve out a specific time periodically, realistic enough to be committed to.
• Carve out a specific place, maintaining the same venue is advised.
• Get rid of distractions like e-mails and your cell phone during this time.
• Focus your attention on your learning goals.

It’s not easy for all these to happen, faced with endless meetings, frequent interruptions, and urgent last-minute tasks, you can easily be busy all day without making any meaningful progress towards your learning goals. And that is why it’s so important to know how to schedule your time properly.

In your learning time schedule, you should incorporate some extra time to cope with contingencies and emergencies. Experience will tell you how much to allow – in general, the more unpredictable your job is, the more contingency time you’ll need. This will help introduce a flexible absorber into your schedule, so as to ensure its sustainability.

See you next month.