Social Work Continuing Education Online: Managing Your Schedule

Instead of the traditional classroom, social work continuing education online offers participants all types of benefits. Even though there are potentially no set times to attend class, it is still important to set up a schedule and manage your time wisely. A little bit of planning before you get started can really help you out in the long run.

Set Aside Time for Classes, Conferences, and Educational Work

To be successful with social work continuing education online, you need to have enough time to participate in the classes, do the assigned reading, or listen to the audio presentations. Some tasks will take longer than others but don't just assume that you will squeeze them into your schedule somehow. Separate time for earning CE credits needs to be established. It may be an hour at the end of the day or over your lunch break. Don't fall into the trap of assuming that extra time will simply show up. You need to make the necessary arrangements.

Plan for Schedule Complications

Once you plan for special time to participate in social work continuing education, take into consideration any complications that could arise in your schedule. If you tend to get together at work for last minute meetings or you know you have several situations that could take up an extended amount of time, you do not want to be stuck with even more work that needs to be completed by the deadline.

Attempt to schedule your social work continuing education during a time when you know you will be able to give it the attention and focus that it needs. It is better to wait a little longer to start the process and be successful than it is to get started and come up short on the deadlines.

Finish On or Before the Due Date

Some classes have deadlines that need to be met. Sometimes an employer may require that you maintain a certain level of CE credits. Because of this, you never want to wait until the last minute. Plan ahead and get started as soon as possible. With all of the opportunities to take online classes, listen to podcasts, or read ebooks, getting those credits can be convenient. However, if you are under the gun and need to get several things done all at the same time, you could be setting yourself up for unnecessary stress and anxiety.

Participating in social work continuing education is much easier than most people realize. Today's technology has made it possible to earn credits in your office, at home, or even while on vacation. Set aside some time to learn and never wait till the last minute. In this case, procrastination can make things much more difficult than it needs to be.