I need more time to study... Where can I make time in my day?

[LobbyMonster]

Hello. I need some help determining where I can cut some time in my day-to-day life for study. Single, no kids, and long distance relationship. I work a full-time engineering job (8AM to 6:30PM) and I find it absurd that I cannot seem to find time to study (besides weekends). Unfortunately, I NEED my 8 hours of sleep each night or I can't function properly during work.

This is my typical weekday.
7:30AM - Wake up and get to work. Fortunately my commute isn't long.
8AM to 12PM - Work
12PM to 1PM - Walk to lunch, eat, walk back. I eat out because I don't pack a lunch. In addition, I don't like the lunchroom. During lunch I "have" to play Clash of Clans to get an attack in. (Clash of Clan players would understand. I play this game with my friends.)
1PM to 6:30PM - Work (99% of the time I am tired after work until bedtime)
7PM - Get home
7PM to 9PM/8:30PM - Dinner/Eat out. Dinner takes a long time because I eat a lot such that I don't feel hungry tomorrow morning to last until lunch next day. I can't eat and study at the same time. Eating out takes less time since there is no need to prepare or wash dishes.
9PM to 10PM - Talk with girlfriend while having food coma. (The one thing I look forward to day to day)
10PM to 10:30PM - Shower and brush teeth (it doesn't usually take 30 minutes, but I'm rounding up)
10:30 PM to 11:30 PM - Personal time (relax, watch a tv show, practice an instrument, surf the 'net)
11:30PM to 7:30AM - Sleep

I do wish I could cut down on dinner time, but many times I eat with parents and it wouldn't be right to study in front of them.

Thanks for your thoughts in advance!

[Runningtuff]

Weekends, and get up earlier.

[gooki]

Work less? Start at 9 am and do an hours study each day before you leave for work.

[pbkmaine]

Reconsider eating and studying at the same time. Pack lunch, eat at your desk, study then. Use the 10:30 to 11:30pm time period to study. Pre-prepare evening meals on weekends and heat up for dinner during the week. Eat at home and study. What is it you are studying? Does it involve memorization? If so, make flash cards and place around the house and on your desk at work. I studied for the CPA exam while working full time at a Big 4 accounting firm. I did it by making a commitment to getting it done. That meant that when I was not sleeping or working, I was studying.

[marty998]

You spend as much time on Clash of Clans as you do with your girlfriend.

What does she think of that?

I hope you also brush your teeth in the morning too.

You also need to learn how to cook, or failing that, learn the value of dodgy chinese takeaway in plastic tubs.

I went through uni getting bottom of the barrel Chinese takeaway at the end of each day, eating it on the bus between work and uni.

[JLR]

That's a big percentage of your day for dinner. Especially if you are eating out, rather than taking the time to cook it yourself. I cook for the five of us and it doesn't take that long for me to cook, wait for our three kids to eat (sloooowly!) and clean up. Maybe learn some bulk recipes and freeze then so you can reheat and make time for studying.

Do you have to play your game every day? Could you use some of those lunch breaks to study?

Could you shuffle your evening times to study earlier in the evening, then push everything else to later, skipping your hour of personal time and still go to bed at the same time? Honestly, my husband and I are both studying at the moment and we see the study as part of our 'personal' time - we have chosen to study. It is what we have chosen to do with our time. Sure, it sucks lots and we would love some down time, but that will happen once we finish studying. Also, we are both zombies in the evenings once we get the kids to bed, but when else is there time to study?? There isn't.

What are you studying? Why are you doing it? Think about how long it is going to take you to get through it and what the benefits are. Perhaps that will motivate you to push through for now. This period of study isn't forever. And it won't get easier to fit in study as life goes on (eg. girlfriend moving in, kids, etc). Work hard now and reap the benefits.

[JLR]

P.S. You neeeed to start packing some lunch. It will save you big bucks. You don't have to eat it in the lunch room (What do you hate about your lunch room?) Check out a nearby park or something to eat your lunch at. Get some fresh air, and maybe take a book along some days to get in some study time.

P.P.S. How do you get to work? If you are catching a bus, train, etc take a book with you. Every 20 mins of study you can squeeze in will help you get ahead.

[NotJen]

Why do you work 9.5 hours a day instead of the standard 8?  It looks like you are prioritizing work over studying. If I were taking classes to further my career, I would work my 8 hr day then spend an hour studying at my desk. I would only charge 8 hours, but show everyone at work I was serious about my career and studying.

[Retire-Canada]

1. Cook for the whole week on the weekend.
2. Study at lunch and give up Clash of Titans until you meet your educational objectives [say 30mins study/day]
3. Eat pre-cooked food for dinner and study at same time...you'll get over the inability to do both simultaneously [say 1hr study/day]
4. Study on weekend 4hrs/day

That gives you 0.5 x 5 + 1 x 5 + 2 x 4 = 15.5hrs studying/wk or nearly two full days of study.

Ya you have to give up Clash of Titans and get real about your meals situation, but if you can't do that accept you don't care about studying enough to make a significant change.

You still get time to chat with your lady and some relaxing time each evening.

[swick]

MOD NOTE: I have merged the two topics into one. OP please select the most applicable forum, and do not duplicate across topics. If you feel like you have posted in the wrong place, either use the"report to Mod" function and request that we move it, or send a moderator a private message. Thanks.

[Bearded Man]

Can you take the bus or train to work. I used to have a 2 hour commute by bus every day (round trip) and used that time to study. That bought me 10 hours of study time every week. Also, during fleeting moments in the evenings and such, I do a little bit here and there. You don't need to study for a solid 4 hour session. Do 10 minutes here while waiting for laundry. Twenty minutes there while dinner is cooking in the oven (frozen pizza even). You get the idea.

Time management is about using the moments you don't think about during the day because you currently waste them and don't consider them valuable because they are so short, but when combined, they add up. As noted in my above example, merely studying on the bus gave me 10 hours of study time each week. I saved money too, a ton of it by commuting (company paid bus pass, no wear and tear on the car or gas needed).

Also, man up a bit. I can't study during lunch or when I eat dinner, I talk to my gf before bed, I don't want to cook because it takes time (and driving to eat out and waiting for them to prepare the meal doesn't??) etc. Learn some simple recipes, you can find easy recipes that can be made in 10-15 minutes with easy cleanup.