Finding the time

GA1

I'm involved in competitive sports, as well as having small kids at home (who need to learn how to ride a bike, throw a baseball, etc, etc), so finding the time to study/lab is challenging at best. For those of you in a similar situation, I'm curious as to how you hammer out the time needed (outside of work) to study for the NP?

I realized that I can either chop up my time and drag out getting the NP for two years (or more), or I can bite the bullet, disappear for a while, and come out - possibly in less than a year - with a fresh cert in hand (I hope), then more or less resume my life. Like getting a CCIE in miniature.

networker050184

I'm in a similar situation. Wife, three kids and not to mention a life of my own when I get the chance. I try to get in as much study as possible on my lunch break. Thats like an hour right there five days a week that adds up. I'll also try to cut out a lot on my TV time if I'm studying hard for an exam. Thats another two or so hours a day to study. My wife is usually watching something thats not very entertaining for me anyway. The biggest hurdle for me is that I'm a big sports fan and there is always a game on. I usually don't get much study in at all on the weekends. If I'm not spending time with the family I'm relaxing or doing something for myself.

With that type of schedule I'm not knocking out exams at the pace of some of the people here, but I think it helps me keep a solid pace and still enjoy life. It took me over a year to do the four CCNP exams with the type of study plan.

gosh1976

Balancing work, play, school, cert study, sleep, sports, social life, etc.. has got to be the most difficult thing for me and I'm single with no kids. Coaching youth soccer and playing in organized adult leagues were the first things I sacrificed when I decided to go after new certifications and go back to finally finish a degree I started so many years ago.

valen

I had to designate an evening for studying, in addition to working on it when the office is slow and at lunch, etc. The night I established with the wife is Tuesday, so on Tuesday nights I don't even come home. I grab something to eat and then hit a local coffee shop with my books and laptop and get to work.