Guest Author - Sanita Salter

1. Time Management is key.
2. Interruptions will occur please plan well.
3. Life has no plans to reschedule because you have schoolwork to complete.
4. Organize, your organizing.
5. Do not quit no matter how frustrated you become.

Time management skills are vital to any undertaking however become especially important when doing any distance learning. A laptop computer provides flexibility, as well as constant mobility and access to your program of choice. Attention single moms everywhere distance learning is not going to make going to school easier it only accommodates you needing to leave the kids at a daycare or at home for hours.

Distance learning is very much a benefit in that it does not require travel but can accommodate it if you have a laptop or access to a computer and the internet when away from home. I discussed in a previous article how emerging technology is allowing us to use I-phones, I-pods, Mp3 players, and You Tube to do online class work. That probably should be called mobile learning.

BellaOnline has several sites which have tackled the topic of time management across varying scales such as Abundance/Wealth, Attention Deficit Disorder, Business Coach, Colleges, Ezines & Newsletters, Graduate School, Holistic health, Meditation, and the list goes on. The point is time management affects multiple aspects of your life and distance learning is but one of many aspects where that skill is important.

Interruptions will occur and planning for them as pointed out by yet another editor is yet another way to not get behind on class work, homework, responsibilities, commitments, and everything else you were supposed to be doing before the interruption. Working ahead has been a previous suggestion. BellaOnline’s Work and Family site has an article listed on that. Interruptions can cause stress and the Low Carb site has information on stress.

In life, we will approach each new day with optimism and drive while attempting to get 48 hours of stuff done in less than 16. Much of the day will require a multitude of events to occur for a normal functioning day. I have recently resolved to turn the ringer off on my home phone however with three children away at school that is not such a responsible choice. The second option is to utilize caller id. And yes, it works quite well with voicemail. Screen your calls while completing schoolwork during the day when the house is quiet.

I recently spent 5 weeks out of 12 organizing myself to write my Thesis and in week 5 the first chapter was due! What took so long? See numbers 1-4. You avoid organizing your organizing by acquiring organizational skills (see BellaOnline’s Attention Deficit Disorder site’s article on flying with ADHD for more information).

And lastly, becoming frustrated and quitting your distance learning program will absolutely not release you from the stress of not getting your work done. Guilt consumes me when something is not done, not done on time, and not done very well. Prepare, preplan, work ahead (or try to), and make sure you do your best every time. Effort is what is rewarded in the end…remember that. Most times communicating with the oblige ( entity or individual awaiting something you obligated yourself to) appreciates a quick call, email, text message, or other alerting them to what is going on and if you will be late. Remember, even the power company makes payment arrangements…that’s a discussion for the forum though.

Until next time.