Set a goal and a simple plan

Skills for Success says adaptability includes setting or adjusting goals based on your skills, resources, and supports, and planning and prioritizing: define tasks and milestones, then choose an order that fits your situation.

Alberta’s official careers site, alis, says studying well takes motivation, organization, time, and practice — including when you also have work and family responsibilities. Alis suggests:

• Set realistic long-term and short-term goals (for example, finish two lessons this week), not only a far-away finish line.
• Write due dates and plans on a calendar, agenda book, phone, or other tool you will actually look at.
• Make monthly and weekly plans and a daily to-do list.
• Keep the schedule flexible. Unexpected events happen. Review the plan and change it when you need to.
• Do not “steal” from study time if you can help it. Alis suggests using small bits of found time (waiting, travel) if you need more minutes.

Another alis page, written for adults going back to learning, adds: decide what is most important, put everything in one calendar, set deadlines for each task, and give yourself a small reward when you finish on time. It also says you will be happier and more successful if you let go of the need to be perfect.

Alberta.ca’s “Going back to school as an adult” page asks you to think first: Why am I learning? What do I need to learn? How do I learn best? Online study on a computer is one of the ways it lists, along with a classroom, a tutor, or correspondence.

Try this now: write one goal for this course and the day and time you will do the next lesson.