Hello Ladies,
I'm a single mom trying to break into the IT field. I'm so happy to have found a forum that is geared to and for women in the IT field. I seem to have a problem staying focus and developing good study habits and I was wondering if any body out there had any good suggestion. I have all the books you can name, but I just can't seem to develop a study time. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Trying Hard

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Sorry, but I am a male, but maybe I can help. Try to make a schedule and stick to it. It does not have to be that long, as long as you keep it regularly . . . an hour a day maybe. Also, try to learn to take notes . . . sometimes writing things down helps you to remember key points. Hope this helps.

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Thanks for the suggestions. I don't mind at all receiving a reply from a male.

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Cool. I find that if you develop a regular routine you can cut up your study into manageable sized chunks so it doesnt seem like as much work and also by having a routine you get to sort of mentally 'prepare' yourself each day for the studying. Might want to set aside a time when the kids are in school or something . . . make sure you let everyone know that you shouldn't be distrubed then. Good luck.

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I always believe if you set your mind into something, you can achieve anything (well, most of them anyway

I'm trying (hoping) to study/get the CCNA, do you have any recommendation on the best book(s) out there? I've been hearing that the Mike Myers book is the best so far.

btw, for N+, I found that the David groth's book is the most suitable for the exam.

later..

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This is a professional Psy doctor suggestion way of studying,

Get a big table and open all the study material. No TV, NO radio, except Coffee.

Sit down (but not too comfort)
Study (everyday in the same time)

After while, you will get use to it.

__________________
IT POWER

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Dont take this the wrong way

How bad do you want it? This field is one of never ending study.As you progress you can expect to have to come up to speed on things very quickly(if your good).The good news is it does get easier when you implement the technologies you are studying.Try to incorporate hands on with the books.Dont overload.I break my reading into two hour chunks (if I can grab it).Then I set time for labs.

Good luck

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An instructor gave my class some study tips once that I found interesting and with a little practice, I found they actually help. Everyone learns a bit differently, but maybe some of these tips will help you.

When you study, do it with preferrably no interruptions and no noise (radio, television). Even though you don't "think" you are listening to a song or dialogue in the back ground, your brain is recording it along with what you read. So, the facts you need to remember later are recorded along with the "white noise" and are more difficult to recall. He also suggested that it worked well for him if he allocated study time at night before bed. The last thing on his mind being what he'd studied, not a television show. After some disciplined practice, our instructor said it worked so well for him that he could almost see the page number on which a test answer was in his book.

Routine and repetition are key factors (for me anyway) in quality study. I don't know the age of your child(ren), but if possible, after they're down for the night and before you turn in could be prime time. Turn off the television and crack the books for a couple of hours. Also, my books travel with me where ever I go (docs office, lobby while my car is being serviced, chauffering my daughter). Always have some relevent material with you and pick it up when you have idle time.

Do becareful of burn-out, though. Try to choose a day each week, or at least regularly, to be a "free" day.

TW2001 is right in that this is a never-ending field of study. I've often replied with an amused "Never" when asked when I will be finished with my studies.

I agree, if you want it bad enough, it's yours!

Good luck

__________________
Cris
A+, Network+

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I, too, travel with a book handy for those wait times.

Another thing I do is use a highlighter. I typically read through the material once and highlight the important info in orange or yellow. Then, I read back through the highlights and rehighlight the info I'm struggling to remember or understand in blue or green. Then after I've read a couple texts, I take as many practice exams as I can get my hands on, and the weekend before the exam, I take a couple hours each day to review my blue/green highlights and cram sheets.

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I am a guy, and I seem to have the same problem as "Trying Hard". I can't make a right time to study. For example, one day I read 100 pages, and then I take the rest of the week off. So, I need to develop a good studying schedule.

Regards,
XF

__________________
Knowledge is POWER, Learning is the KEY!

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