With less time commuting to an office, and the restrictions cancelling most of our social activities and events, you would have thought I had much more time on my hands.
Late in 2019 I started an online Executive MBA with the Quantic School of Business and Technology. The course was something that would support my career ambitions, broadening my broader business acumen. When I signed up for the course, I had no idea what was coming in 2020, and had I known then, I’m not sure I would have been so keen to jump in feet first into such a heavy weight study schedule.
When I first began the MBA modules, I was completely motivated. Despite a busy work schedule and trying to juggle my son’s schooling commitments, travel for both work and social purposes and a busy activities calendar, I managed to fit the weekly study commitment into my schedule quite easily.
Now, after months of lockdown and now even with the loosened restrictions, my study mojo seems to have evaporated. It doesn’t make sense!
Work is still busy, and it eats up a lot of my week. But that was no different from before. The big difference now is that my social calendar is far less active. Also, any other activities that would normally fill my week, as well as any work travel and commuting commitments have significantly declined. So theoretically, I should have more time back and therefore more time back to commit to my study schedule. The problem is I seem to reach the end of each week without even having put an hour into my studies. I feel like I’m constantly in catch up mode and I’m chasing my tail to catch up on each module before the due date or scheduled exams.
The course itself is so easy to schedule into a weekly timetable. There are no set classes, and it’s accessible from a PC, iPad or even a smart phone. With each module it is easy to catch up when you have some spare time, or move ahead from the schedule, and the exams can be done in the comfort of your own home. It is the perfectly flexible study solution for anyone who has a busy lifestyle.
The problem is that none of this matters right now. I am continually finding different excuses not to study right now, and I feel like I’m falling behind as each week progresses.
I keep telling myself it is the sudden summery weather that is calling me away from my studies. Or that perhaps I feel a little lost and unsure of what we are really facing through this pandemic, and therefore my headspace cannot cope with much more right now. The truth is that this is all excuses. I’ve lost my motivation right now. I need to get it back.
Perhaps I just need to give myself a little space, and a little freedom?
I would love to hear from anyone else who is successfully (or even half-successfully) balancing studies, a hobby or perhaps learning something new right now amongst other daily commitments. How do you do it? What do you do to keep yourself from distraction? How do you keep your head above water and get a good night’s sleep?
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Embracing This Storm 
I am writing a book and have really really slowed through the past three months – for the same reasons I think?! My motivation has just skipped and My imagination seems to have run dry.
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I think most of us have experienced this, R. I also thought under lock-down, I’d get more “work” done but it simply hasn’t happened. My plans were to start a new novel but no, it just ‘ain’t happening. I don’t think most of us realise the underlying trauma of the lock-down on our psyche and our thinking processes. This is something totally foreign to us and we will take time to come to terms with it. I wonder, if once people genuinely start “working from home” as a permanent situation, if the mental processes will change and we will become just as dedicated and committed to our extra-curricular activities, as we were when we were flat-out busy. It’s an interesting conundrum, alright!
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Good perspective and perhaps you’re right! We will focus more on the work and perhaps the less social aspect of our workplace perhaps? Time will tell!!
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Reblogged this on Grant Leishman – Author.
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