Motivation Question

higherho

Hi All,

Lately I been having some motivation issues with my studies. I been working at my job for a year now (pretty much right out of college) and I love the job, I work very hard and I try to learn new things at the job that I'm not familiar with so that I can expand my knowledge and training at the job that is required. However, when I come home I feel that I need to relax and I'm so tired. This has been affecting my Cisco studies at home (I study things at work with our network and read up on a few things) for my CCNA and my Window server studies ( expanding my knowledge more on this since I work with servers a lot).

What can I do to overcome this hurdle? Next week I will be going to the gym more often and I been going for walks to ease my mind. To much stress? What have you done?

Essendon

I am in a very similar situation myself though I have been in the role for about 2.5 years now. If you are learning a ton at work that's what really matters. Of course studying at home helps, but nothing beats learning on a production network with real, live gear.

What I have done to make my situation better is to sleep earlier than usual. We (missus and me) reach home about 6pm, chill for about an hour, cook and have dinner and be done with the dishes by about 8.30-9 and in bed before 9.30. This way I can study in the mornings, I get up about 4, study for about a couple of hours and head off to work at about 7. And the gym is a good idea, see if you can find the time for it.

I still think I need to study more and I have pushed myself harder but it just made it worse. Try going to bed earlier, has helped me. And cut TV time too, it really eats into sleep time.

chrisone

Essendon wrote: »

Of course studying at home helps, but nothing beats learning on a production network with real, live gear.

yep especially when you bring down the network! doesnt get any better than with real live heat from your boss and peers! hahaha

Bl8ckr0uter

higherho wrote: »

However, when I come home I feel that I need to relax and I'm so tired. This has been affecting my Cisco studies at home (I study things at work with our network and read up on a few things) for my CCNA and my Window server studies ( expanding my knowledge more on this since I work with servers a lot).

What can I do to overcome this hurdle? Next week I will be going to the gym more often and I been going for walks to ease my mind. To much stress? What have you done?

This hits home. When I get off of work, I don't feel like doing anything at all.

I think the way to overcome the hurdle is to set realistic study goals. During the week (while I am doing my online classes and such) studying is very limited. I just set a small schedule and go from there.

phantasm

higherho wrote: »

Hi All,

Lately I been having some motivation issues with my studies. I been working at my job for a year now (pretty much right out of college) and I love the job, I work very hard and I try to learn new things at the job that I'm not familiar with so that I can expand my knowledge and training at the job that is required. However, when I come home I feel that I need to relax and I'm so tired. This has been affecting my Cisco studies at home (I study things at work with our network and read up on a few things) for my CCNA and my Window server studies ( expanding my knowledge more on this since I work with servers a lot).

What can I do to overcome this hurdle? Next week I will be going to the gym more often and I been going for walks to ease my mind. To much stress? What have you done?

I'm right here with you. I spend 12hrs a day at work elbow deep in Cisco and when I get home and on my days off the last thing I want to see is anything that resembles a router or switch.

But in the end, it pays the bills and I need that CCNP. lol.

Bokeh

If youre going to the gym and walks, you could always get some audio guides and listen to them while working out/walking. Maybe pop one in on your commute to work as well. Every little bit helps.

SteveO86

Bokeh wrote: »

If youre going to the gym and walks, you could always get some audio guides and listen to them while working out/walking. Maybe pop one in on your commute to work as well. Every little bit helps.

That's what I did, Audio works out great (for me) while driving.

Plus if you have smartphone install evernote take some of your own voice notes, and the audio files will be saved as .amr files, at which point you can download a free amr to mp3 converter program so you can then load them on your iPod as mp3 files.

kiki162

Motivation is always a problem.

Either you never have time cause your so tired and don't wanna look at a computer, or log into one for that matter, or your so busy with everything else in life. I would say to try and make some goals for yourself, and allocate your time during the week.

Best motivation is reminding yourself about how much you wanna get paid, and how much more money you can earn. Gotta get that degree, gotta get those certs, and keep those certs up to date to keep yourself in the "game". That's what I keep telling myself.

ConradJ

Glad I'm not the only one that struggles with this! Thanks for the tips, gents, and sorry to steal from your thread, higherho.

higherho

No problem Con.

Thank you for all the tips! I will try a few things and see if it helps me more

MickQ

Exercise is important as it helps the blood flow to the brain. Brings lots of handy oxygen with it.
Other things to consider are good diet (cut down on the sugar), good hydration, and a not stuffy room. It's amazing what a difference those can make.
Regularity in sleeping, and "early to bed, early to rise...", as Essendon said, has made a big difference for me when I need it.

millworx

Hah this too is my problem. I work at Cisco, so I'm ALWAYS buried knee deep in Cisco gear. I put in between 40-62 hours a week working. I have about 800 routers, switches and ASA's under my direct administrative control. I've been studying for CCIE, but honestly after staring at configs all day I'm burnt out. I just wanna watch SciFi on netflix or play my Xbox.

I had this whole week off and did very little studying, took CCNP ROUTE for the hell of it (passed) and it gave me some motivation to continue.

I think it's all about pacing yourself. I can go 3 months of studying 14 hours a day. But after those few months you burn yourself out. So set a steady pace, maybe an hour a day, maybe two, maybe take a weekend off.

Take the test you've been wanting to take, even if you fail, at least you will know how well you did and it should give you some extra motivation.

I also agree with going to the gym. I need to do this myself. IT work is making me fat, well that and my ex-gf. But the better you feel about yourself the easier it is to get motivated!