10 top study tips for adult learners

1. Start strong

When Stephen Covey said, "Begin with the end in mind," he could have been discussing IT training. Before diving into a new technology, operating system, programming language, or reskilling, take a moment to define your goal.

For many folks, the goal will be passing one or more certification exams. However, other likely plans include gaining proficiency in a new programming language or understanding new cloud technologies. Whatever your goal, define your intentions or reference the official exam objectives.

2. Pay your money

If you're pursuing a certification exam, your first step is to schedule and pay for the test. This approach immediately establishes a deadline with a monetary penalty for failing to meet it. It's much more difficult to procrastinate when you have an established date.

If you need a little extra discipline, find an accountability partner.

3. Choose your resources wisely

When preparing for certification exams, avoid buying too many books. Too many resources can be overwhelming. Stick to one or two, including courseware if applicable. Supplement with focused resources, such as articles, help files, and white papers to fill knowledge gaps. AI search tools and internet resources are another alternative to help you fully understand the material.

4. Develop new habits

Many adult IT learners haven't studied in years. Recognize that the study habits you relied on long ago have probably changed over time. Gone are the all-night study sessions or last-minute research papers people are able to pull off at a younger age. Some adults are more productive early in the morning as their attention spans wane after lunchtime.

Identify your productive hours. When do you accomplish most of your household chores? When do you prefer to work on projects at the office? When is the best time for you to review your family budget? Recognizing these times will help you understand when you can get the most out of your exam prep efforts.

5. Schedule your way to success

We're all creatures of habit, including during learning experiences. Establish a consistent study routine that sets your expectations, such as Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 6-9 a.m. are study times. Form a habit in your productive hours to help with time management.

Mark your schedule on your calendar, let your coworkers and family know, and stick to it. This time should be dedicated and sacred. Organize study periods with time to review concepts you learned earlier, hands-on practice opportunities, and chances to read or review online lectures.

6. Take a break

Athletes know the value of resting. Weightlifters often rest between sets, and sprinters pause between runs to catch their breath. Taking a break within a study session lets you relax and allows your mind to solidify what you've learned. Establish a realistic schedule, such as a 15-minute break for every 60 minutes of study time. Do something completely different, such as a walk or meditation.

Time-blocking techniques can help you organize your schedule and rest periods. Consider using something such as the Pomodoro Technique.

7. Know your place

Speaking of habits, the mind also associates specific locations with activities. Plan to study, learn and complete labs in a consistent place dedicated to the task. Walking into a dedicated area will help you mentally prepare. Avoid studying where you do your online gaming or other fun activities.

8. Find the time

Tech instructors might struggle to cover all the information in class. This means the pace of training can be fast, especially if you're new to a given field. Plan to spend two hours studying topics that were covered in one hour. For example, if a teacher spends one hour in class discussing how to set up a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server, participants should plan an additional two hours outside of class reading, researching, repeating labs, etc.

This estimate sets expectations -- a 35-hour technical training course probably requires an additional 70 hours of outside study time to prepare for the related certification exam. That number varies depending on your existing experience.

9. Use the real world

Nothing beats real-world experience, but it's not always easy to get. Luckily, many IT professionals share their experiences, providing a rich source of material on why certain technologies matter or how specific services impact day-to-day operations. Look for white papers explaining how an organization deployed cloud services or ask your company's IT department about a technology. They can explain the design and rationale in a familiar environment you use daily.

10. Experience is essential

Hands-on experience is critical. Luckily, it's never been cheaper or easier to get this experience. Training vendors often provide lab environments consisting of online virtual machines, containers and networks. Cloud service providers also offer learning environments to practice implementing their services. If you're learning a new programming language, look for sites such as freeCodeCamp that let you enter code for evaluation.

Wrap up

Updating your skills for new positions or technical certifications often requires tremendous effort. Don't underestimate the difficulties of this goal for adult learners to navigate with other family and career obstacles. Use these tips to increase efficiency and keep the learning process focused on the end goal. Be especially careful to develop a good study location and schedule, gain real-world experience and don't overwhelm yourself with too many resources.

Damon Garn owns Cogspinner Coaction and provides freelance IT writing and editing services. He has written multiple CompTIA study guides, including the Linux+, Cloud Essentials+ and Server+ guides, and contributes extensively to TechTarget Editorial and CompTIA Blogs.