If you’re considering some form of further study, then you’ve probably given serious thought to how this will fit into your already busy lifestyle. There is no doubt that gaining a new qualification while still fulfilling all your existing professional and social commitments can be a challenge. However, the rewards are likely to be worth the extra effort, particularly if you are studying with the express intention of furthering your career.
如果你正在考慮某種形式的進修學習，那你恐怕應該好好想想，如何讓你的學習和你本來已經很忙碌的工作相適應。一邊考取一本新的資格證書，一邊很好地完成現有的專業工作和社交任務，這毫無疑問是一種挑戰。不過這些額外的努力一定會有相應的回報，尤其是當你把拓展職業生涯作為自己明確的學習目的時。
1. Enlist the help of family and friends
獲取家人和朋友的幫助
If you are serious about doing some form of study then it’s vital to have support from those closest to you. Talk to your partner, family and friends before embarking on a new course and make sure they understand why this is so important. That way, they will understand that you may not always have quite as much time for them as you would like.
如果你真的想要進行某項學習，那麼贏得你最親近的人的支持就是至關重要的。在開始一門新的課程之前和你的愛人、家人以及朋友們聊一聊，確保他們理解為何學習對於你如此重要。這樣一來他們也會明白，你可能無法像你期望的那樣，有那麼多時間來陪他們。
2. Talk to your employer
和你的老闆聊聊
It may be that your studies are organised and funded by your employer, it would be hoped that your current workload has been taken into consideration and provision made for training leave. However, even if you are advancing your education under your own initiative then it’s still worth letting your employer know about your plans and goals. Employers would rarely frown upon an employee improving their skills and by keeping them in the know you will receive greater understanding and support.
也許你的學習是由你的老闆組織並贊助的，那麼你應該希望老闆能夠考慮一下你目前的工作量，並且為你的學習提供補助。不過，即便你的進修學習完全是你自己的主意，讓你的老闆知道你的學習計劃和目標也是十分有益的。極少有僱主會對反對僱員提高自己的工作技能，而且讓他們知道你的學習計劃，你會獲得更好的理解和支持。
3. Maximise your time
最大限度利用時間
While at first glance it might appear that you are constantly busy, in reality most of us have periods throughout the day where we could be more productive. A commute to work by public transport allows time to catch up on some reading. The television can also be a drain on our time but it doesn’t have to be completely forgone. Plan your watching schedule to only programmes that generally interest you.
乍一看你好像總是很忙，但事實上我們大多數人一天當中總有一些時間可以更好的`利用。乘坐公共交通去上班的路上我們可以看看書。電視也會浪費掉很多時間，但我們並沒有必要完全拋棄它。你可以做好時間規劃，只看那些你感興趣的節目。
4. Play to your strengths
量力而行
People’s learning styles vary dramatically, so what works for someone else may not work for you. If you perform better in the morning, set aside an hour once or twice a week for studying. Students concentration span also varies so keep this in mind to maximise learning either in bite sized chunks or longer periods. The key is to find what works for you and then plan your time accordingly.
人們的學習方式千差萬別，所以對別人奏效的方法對你可能完全沒有用。如果你在早晨的學習表現更好，每週可以抽一兩個早晨，留出一個小時來學習。此外，不同學生注意力集中的時間長度也不同，所以記住這一點，不管是利用零散時間還是較長的完整時間，都要讓你的學習效率最大化。關鍵在於找到適合自己的方法，然後有針對性地安排你的時間。
5. Create a study zone
打造一個學習區域
If possible, it helps to have an area that is dedicated to studying, whether that means converting a spare room into a temporary study or tucking a desk into the corner of the living room. If you prefer to leave the house then you could try a quiet local cafe or your public library. Wherever it may be, creating this distinction between study time and the rest of your day will help to engage your brain and get you in the mood for learning.
如果可能的話，設置一處學習專用區域會對你有幫助，不管是把一間空房改造成一間臨時書房還是在客廳的一角放一個書桌。如果你不想待在家裏學習，那麼你可以試試一間安靜的咖啡館或者公共圖書館。不論在哪裏學習，讓你的學習時間和其餘的時間區分開來將有助於你思維的集中，並且讓你保持學習的情緒。
6. Find a study buddy
找一位學習夥伴
Setting goals with fellow students can be a great way of overcoming hurdles and boosting your own motivation. Making new friends is often an added bonus to adult learning, and technological developments mean it is now possible for people on distance learning courses to develop such relationships via the internet. If you are considering home study then it’s worth checking if the course provider has a virtual student community, which can effectively replicate the social environment of more traditional educational establishments.
和學友一起制定學習目標是克服困難、增強自我動力的一個好方法。成人學習常常有一個額外的好處就是結交新朋友，而科技的發展意味着進行遠程學習的人們現在也可以通過網絡來建立友誼。如果你正在考慮在家自學，那你可以去查一下課程提供者有沒有建立一個虛擬的學生社區，這種社區可以有效地模擬一種傳統教育機構的社會環境。