Preparation: What worked great, what went down in flames?

I'm currently working on the CCNP but was in networking a long-time ago and am making a run at the CCIE. I expect to finish the NP by early Dec, take a break and hit the IE starting in Jan.

So I'm putting together a project plan (a side-effect of being a PMP and program manager) and am wondering, what worked well for you and what didn't? I'm thinking the single largest piece for someone with a significant-other is communication. I want to over-plan this so my GF knows how much effort is required but that I'm still planning for things like our ski trip in March.

What would you have done differently? What worked like the A-Team (I love it when a plan comes together)?

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koz24

EANx wrote: »

I'm currently working on the CCNP but was in networking a long-time ago and am making a run at the CCIE. I expect to finish the NP by early Dec, take a break and hit the IE starting in Jan.

So I'm putting together a project plan (a side-effect of being a PMP and program manager) and am wondering, what worked well for you and what didn't? I'm thinking the single largest piece for someone with a significant-other is communication. I want to over-plan this so my GF knows how much effort is required but that I'm still planning for things like our ski trip in March.

What would you have done differently? What worked like the A-Team (I love it when a plan comes together)?

I've been going at it for about 7 months now. What works well for me is setting a strict schedule and sticking to it. So for example, yesterday I decided that today I would do an 8hour block of labbing from 5am-1pm and I basically just hammered away at the workbook with small 5min breaks in between. I schedule my time blocks like this on weekdays too, though I only do 4 hour blocks on those days.

Just winging it and doing it "whenever" has not worked out well for me. I need to schedule!

But man, I've learned so much in this journey so far it's not even funny. And to think that there is SO much more to learn, wow. If you stay dedicated, you will just look back at where you were say 6 months ago and just be amazed.

EANx

I need a schedule as well. It doesn't specifically need to be weeks or months in advance but if I don't have a plan once that day rolls around, I am less efficient and easily distracted. And as I've been thinking through the process and figuring out where I do my best work for different things, I've been laying out those blocks. So three hours a week of reading at work during lunch, etc.