MBAs are intense. They are a crash course in everything you need to know to secure and succeed in an upper-level managerial position. Combined with the fact that many won’t want to take time off to completely commit to an MBA, and instead will want to juggle their degree while continuing with work, you have what could be considered a firestorm.
Go in With the Right Expectations
An MBA is not for someone at the beginning of their career. It is for those who already have managerial experience, or alternatively, those at the precipice of their career. A top engineer might have all the know-how for the job, but they are lacking the skillset that will let them proceed to upper management levels. With an MBA from an institution like Kettering University Online, they can use their talents in engineering and combine them with essential skills and knowledge that will help them take their career to top management.
Inform Friends, Family and Co-Workers
One of the best ways to get support from those around you is to simply let people know. If you won’t be able to stay late after work anymore because you’ll be studying and working on your degree, letting your co-workers know is essential. Overtime isn’t a requirement but setting the right expectation from the get-go can help you better support your team.
Letting friends and family know means they help you. They can come by and help you prep meals, you can go to your parents for healthy dinners, and you can schedule social activities well in advance so that you give yourself the break you need to stay sane and healthy.
Be Your Healthiest
Next you will want to get your body onboard with your MBA:
· Get a Good Night’s Rest
Nothing, not even an infinite amount of coffee, can compete with a good night’s rest. The way many of us live our lives, however, means we toss and turn every night and find it difficult to sleep. That needs to change. Make your bedtime into a routine.
Go to bed at the same time. Wake up at the same time. Have the same wind-down routine at night and the same power-ready wake up routine in the morning. Get your internal clock working with you, instead of against you, and keep this routine up even on weekends.
· Exercise Regularly
You need your body circulating with oxygen to help your mind work fast throughout the day. Exercise can help with this. You can go for a jog in the morning or even just enjoy yoga when you wake up or before bed.
· Eat Healthier on the Go
Prep healthy meals at the start of the week so that you can eat healthy without rushing in the morning. It will help you save money and fuel your brain.
Make It Easy to Study After Work
Many difficult tasks can become easier over time because of routine. That is why you need to make studying and attending online classes routine. To do this you will want to:
· Work in the Same Location
Find a spot in the library, a café, or even rent out a co-working space that you can go to again and again every day after work. The same environment will help your mind reset itself so that you can better focus on your work. Don’t do anything else in this location for the best results.
· Work at the Same Time
Working at the same time every day is the best solution. This could be split. Read on your commutes and then spend a few hours after work in your study space. Don’t go over this time. This way you can make your studying routine every day and not burn out.
Create Subject Reviews After Every Day
To help you better retain the information you learn, you will want to create subject reviews. To do this, all you need is to create notes as you go through your subject matter. For the last half hour or so of your allotted time, go through these notes, clean them up, and make them easy to understand.
These reviews can easily be re-read on your commute, during lunch, or any other time you set aside for yourself. They are your cheat sheets because they are in your words and are designed for how you learn and retain information.
Use What You Learn at Work
Reviews aren’t the only way to remember key concepts. Put what you learn to use right away. The best MBAs are specifically designed with a ‘learn today, use tomorrow’ focus so that you can start seeing the benefits in your career from day one.
Be Aware of the Signs of a Burnout
There are many different terms for a burnout: a breakdown, hitting rock bottom — but they are all the same thing. Your brain hits a wall and you spiral. Your work suffers, your education suffers, and you feel like you are drowning.
If you notice any of the signs of a burnout, ask for help. Slow down the rate you complete your online MBA. Focus on your well-being. If you burn, out all your efforts won’t bear fruit, so you need to care for your mental health.
Keep at It and Succeed
Online MBAs take a year or more longer than on-campus MBAs for a reason. Working a full-time job and completing a degree is hard. Preparing your routines so that you are ready for the extra workload before your course starts can help you right from the gate, but if you feel like you are losing control or burning out, you need to slow down.
The only failure is if you quit. Take things at your own pace and remember that every day forward is a success. Pushing yourself so hard that you quit for a week or more for a “break” is not helpful because it does not promote a healthy routine.
If you read a little every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes, you’ll finish a book. Take the same stance with your degree and you will complete your MBA and succeed in your career.