When is the Right Time to do a Master’s Degree?

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Deciding when to do a master’s degree can be a challenging and personal choice, as it depends on various factors such as your goals, interests, finances, work and family commitments and the challenges of life in general.

A master’s degree is an advanced academic qualification that can help your career growth and increase your knowledge. It is a difficult decision, especially if you have been away from a school learning environment for a long time.

Do you do it right after getting your bachelor’s degree, or do you do it after working for a few years?

Option 1: Doing it Right After Your Bachelor’s Degree

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Continuing your education right after completing your bachelor’s degree, without taking a break or working in between, can have some advantages, such as:

  • Maintaining academic momentum and motivation and avoiding losing touch with your subject or skills.
  • Increase your chances of getting a better job or salary sooner, as you will have a higher level of qualification and specialisation than most of your peers.

However, there are also some drawbacks to this option, such as:

  • Not having enough work experience or practical knowledge to apply what is learnt from experience to the master’s degree.
  • Not knowing if what you are studying will be valid or even something you want to do for the rest of your professional life.
  • Competition from those with a master’s degree and work experience, especially in fields where experience is valued more than education.

Option 2: Doing it After Working for a Few Years

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Working for a few years after completing your bachelor’s degree and then going back to school for a master’s degree can have benefits, such as:

  • Gain practical knowledge that can help apply what is learned practically to the master’s degree.
  • Having time to determine your interests and where you want to take your professional career. You can have a clearer idea of your career goals and interests and a stronger motivation to pursue further education.
  • Having time to plan your finances by saving money for your education, getting better terms on your education loans or getting your company to sponsor your education.

Some of the challenges to this option could be:

  • Losing academic momentum and motivation.
  • The longer you take to start your master’s degree, the more commitments you might have that can be stressful and demanding.
  • Might have to sacrifice career opportunities or growth.

Option 3: Doing it Later in Your Career

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Deciding to do a master’s degree after working for many years or reaching a senior or managerial position can have some advantages, such as:

  • Leveraging your extensive work experience and practical knowledge to enrich your master’s degree learning and outcomes.
  • Updating your skills and knowledge to stay relevant and competitive in the changing job market.
  • You can pursue your personal or professional interests and fulfil your lifelong learning aspirations.

However, there are also some disadvantages to this option, such as:

  • Additional financial commitments that can have an impact on your lifestyle.
  • Most people who chose this option will continue to work and will learn in parallel to their job commitments. If you cannot balance your personal and professional commitments, learning can be an added challenge to your time management.
  • The challenge of returning to school after a long time and figuring out how to learn effectively all over again.

So, when is the Right Time?

There is no definitive answer to this question. It depends on the individual’s situation and preferences. However, here are some tips that may help you make a decision:

  • Assess your current and future goals, interests, and needs and how a master’s degree can help you achieve them.
  • Understand the requirements, costs, benefits, and challenges of doing the master’s degree at this point.
  • Seek advice from your mentors, peers, professors, or family.
  • Adapt to changing circumstances and be open to opportunities.

If you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree and are ready to challenge yourself, look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything you are interested in doing.

You can also Chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and details on discounts we might be offering at this time.

FIVE Study Break Tips that can help you Learn Better

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Taking a break during an intense study session can be as important as effective time management. While most of us might have planned out what to study, when to study and how to study, we tend to overlook taking breaks and giving the mind time to rest, absorb and recuperate.

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Then there are people like me whose breaks and excuses to procrastinate can be never-ending. I recall when studying, I used to “take breaks,” and when it came time to restart, I would look at the time and think – “It is 10:20. That is such an odd time to start; I will start at 10:30.” And then I would realise I missed the planned start time again and it was 10:40 now. It was nonsensical reasoning, but it was what it was.

However, suppose you take breaks the right way. In that case, there are many benefits to be had, such as boosting energy levels, increasing focus and memory to help you become more productive, lowering stress and renewing motivational levels, and just taking a step back to see the bigger picture and where you currently stand.

But to truly benefit from a break, the first step is to stop taking unproductive breaks. Avoid enhancers and relaxers such as caffeine and nicotine (I know, it is easier said than done), and don’t go online to shop and social media – it can get stressful and depressing.

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A few other things should be avoided, but let us focus on breaks that can positively impact your frame of mind and help you to learn better.

The following FIVE tips should hopefully help you plan breaks to help you learn better.

(1) Power Nap/Meditate: I understand that not all of us can clear our minds and meditate for a few minutes, nor can we fall asleep at the drop of a hat. But taking time to nap/meditate can be a great way to clear your mind, recharge and refocus. But ensure that you have your alarm close at hand and do not lose track of time.

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(2) Schedule: Plan your breaks into your study schedule. Schedule a fifteen to twenty-minute break for every ninety minutes of study. Remember, your brain can focus for a maximum of ninety minutes before needing a break, so schedule your study plan accordingly. Make sure you stick to your schedule, especially when it comes to your breaks, as, like me, it can be very tempting to keep extending your break time with frivolous excuses.

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(3) Exercise: It cannot be disputed; exercising is undoubtedly beneficial. Whether it is your cardiovascular health, bone health, or even decreasing the risk of diabetes, the benefits of exercising are many, the most effective way to restore mind and body. A quick exercise session will oxygenate your brain and get your blood flowing. For the long-term benefits of exercising for a student, please read our blog on – Can exercise make you a better student?

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(4) Have something to eat: Please do not eat while you are studying. The time to eat is during your scheduled breaks. But be mindful of what you eat, eat healthy – fruits, nuts, lean proteins, etc. Avoid junk foods and sugary drinks. The food you eat affects your brain, and it can make you a better student.

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(5) Unproductive breaks: Avoid them at all costs. Social media, video games, online shopping, and watching TV, to name a few, can be very distracting, time-consuming and stressful to the mind. You only have fifteen minutes and need to use this time to relax and refresh your mind.

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Hopefully, these break tips will help you learn productively and become a better student. We would like to hear from you – Please comment below on how you plan your study breaks and how the breaks benefit you learning productively.

If you haven’t started a study programme but are considering getting your master’s degree, now would be an excellent time to take the plunge. Look at our programme list and see if we have anything that could help.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on all the programmes we offer, the application process, and the discounts we might offer.

Six tips for dealing with academic failures

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Failure is a part of life, and there is no way around it – everybody will fail. As long as you learn from your failures, failures can be good. Unfortunately, not everyone can get over failures.

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In my youth, I would have fallen under the category of not dealing with failures well. In high school, I remember being terrified about exams and assignments. I remember breaking out into a cold sweat before exams, and if I failed, the anxiety and shame of “what would happen next” would almost cripple me. I did not deal with it well. I just stopped caring about exams, results or assignments. As a result, I did not perform well for a while and fulfilled what I had feared would happen.

With age and hindsight comes wisdom (I hope). For me, wisdom came from one of my professors. He was counselling a classmate who was handling failure poorly. He asked this student first not to panic and think – what is the worst thing that could happen to me of this failure? This question profoundly affected me, and to this day, every time something goes wrong, I ask myself – what is the worst thing that could happen? At least until now, the answer has been “nothing I can’t handle”.

How you deal with failure is important, and the following are six simple tips that have worked for me.

1. Calm down and think. Now, you might think that is easier said than done – I JUST FAILED IN MY EXAM?ASSIGNMENT! This is where my old professor’s advice works for me. So, ask yourself – what is the worst that could happen, and can I deal with it? More often than not, the answer will be YES. Things are now always as bad as you imagined.

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2. Analyse the failure. Why did you fail? What did you do wrong? What did you do right? What can you do to change? What can you keep on and improve on?

3. Understand the process. Figure out what happens next. This is usually easily accessible information available to students and can be found in the student handbook or the college website. Ask your professors or student support team if you need help or more information. Find out the deadlines if you need to resit, reapply or resubmit.

4. Speak with your professor. Don’t be scared of your professors. They are teachers and are there to help. If it is an assignment, ask them where you lost marks and how you could improve to meet expectations. If you lost grades because you did not understand something or misunderstood the subject, ask for guidance and clarification.

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5. Prioritised study. I have written many times about the importance of scheduling. And after a failure, you have the opportunity to finetune your schedule to focus on your weaknesses. Schedule more time to improve the areas you are weak, or you could go the other way and focus on strengthening your strengths. Prioritise and schedule when, how and what you are focused on learning.

6. Support. People find strength in many places and people. It is not only important for your support system to rejoice with you in your success. My support system (your parents, spouse, children, friends, teachers, peers, etc.) provides me strength when I fail in the form of advice, help, or just being a shoulder to cry on. When they help me overcome my failure, they share in my success, which makes them happy and improves relationships. I know this is how I feel when the roles are reversed.

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I hope these simple tips help you overcome any academic failure you might face.

If you are looking to join a 100% online master’s degree programme, then consider joining our globally recognised master’s degree programmes. Look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything you are interested in doing.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme right for you, the application process, and details on discounts we might offer.

3 simple ways to keep motivated through the day

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It might just be me, but I don’t think that I have personally ever seen anyone (and I am talking about working adults only here) go through a whole workday with a positive, motivated attitude.

Well, that might not be entirely accurate. I remember my first job out of college was fun. Most of the workforce was also fresh out of college, many of whom were from my college and my friends. It was all fun, and we used to get paid for it. But time and responsibility have weight and can slow you down.

There is no avoiding responsibility; it is an integral part of life and growth. And responsibility is not a bad thing; a lot of us get motivated because of the responsibility we have.

However, several things could happen during your day that could bring down your enthusiasm and energy during the day, such as getting late for a meeting because you were stuck in traffic, getting yelled at by your manager, having a disagreement with your spouse, having to discipline your child, having the water stop halfway through a shower. The list can be endless!

So, what can you do to remain as motivated as you can during the day? Here are three simple tips you could use that might help you stay motivated right through the day.

Sleep

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How often have you stayed up through the night and started your day crankily and performing far less than your usual efficiency? Getting optimal rest at night is vital to having an efficient day. I know I am a lot more motivated to get to work when I have slept well and am definitely a lot more pleasant to be around.

We have covered the importance of a good night’s rest in several of our blogs and have a few that we have gone into more detail on, such as 7 ways to better understand your Sleep Cycle and Are you an early riser or a night owl? Which sleep pattern is best when studying for the online master’s degree?

Reactivate your senses

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As human beings, we can react positively or negatively to what we see, hear and smell—sight, sound, and scent.

How often have you gotten distracted by something playing on the television only to realise that you delayed what you were supposed to do?

How often has your efficiency improved when working to the beat of a song? I remember driving home from my grandparent’s place (about 600 kilometres) and listening to an album with a collection of songs from different artists. I was so caught up in the music that I think it was the fastest (DO NOT SPEED, PLEASE), smoothest and most enjoyable drive I have ever had.

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And finally, how often has something you smelled in the air taken you to your childhood and calmed you right down? The smell of cookies always takes me back to Christmas mornings as a child and fills me with happiness. It reminds me of waking up and seeing the Christmas tree.

So, when you wake up in the morning, don’t go straight to your phone. You never know what you will see there; you have no control over it. It might be a message that is just going to get you all wound up. Let the first thing you see be something that inspires you or something you love or, if you are religious, something motivational from a sacred text. And your day is already off to a bright start.

And stay away from cute cat videos on YouTube; you will never get anything done.

I have already said what music can do for you, but it also can cut down on the static noise around you that can distract and disturb you. It will help you focus your attention on what you are doing. Not everything will help you focus; some might even distract you. So, find what works for you.

Last but not least, the sense of smell. I keep a scented candle with a scent that I have come to associate with peace of mind in my room. It is not always lit, but I light it up when I feel stressed, and I know it helps me calm down quicker.

Be in the present

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When we are working or studying, many of us are thinking of the next thing we must do. We are very seldom focused on what we are doing, resulting in not doing justice to what we must get done right now. And when we don’t do things right, we get demotivated. And then the downward spiral of your day begins. Hopefully, by activating your senses, you will be better able to focus on what you are doing, thereby finishing your tasks efficiently and staying motivated throughout the day.

We understand that the challenges of doing a master’s degree online, along with working and managing your family, can get stressful, and there might be times when you feel demotivated. Hopefully, these three tips will help you stay motivated a little longer.

What other thing did you do to stay motivated right through your day? Let us know in the comments. We would appreciate it.

If this blog has motivated you to challenge yourself and do a master’s degree, then have a look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything you are interested in doing.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and details on discounts we might be offering at this time.

5 ways to develop Self-Discipline!

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Over the years, I have developed a lot of bad habits. It is not difficult to develop bad habits, and I have collected them since my university days.

I have worked hard to get rid of some of these habits and have failed more often than not, and it has been my experience that the single biggest reason for my failures has been the lack of self-discipline.

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So, I figured the first thing I had to do was work on my self-discipline. Of course, developing self-discipline will benefit all aspects of your life, not just helping in kicking your bad habits. I imagined my self-discipline to be that aspect of my willpower that blocked temptation from removing logic from my mind.

My thinking was simple. Why am I tempted to do something that is not beneficial to me? The answer – is because I enjoyed doing it. I had experienced that thing that tempted me many times before, and I wanted to experience it again. I needed a shield that blocked the temptation with logic and reason.

The following are five tips that I followed to help me develop my self-discipline. Hopefully, it will help you get started as well. 

1. Give yourself a purpose

Figure out why you are doing what you are doing! Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash.

The worst habit I developed during my university days was smoking cigarettes. Over the years, I tried several times to kick this habit, and I succeeded many times. Try as I might, I just could not kick the habit.

When my wife and I decided to have our first child, I decided to quit smoking, not for my health but the health of my child. And that was the purpose I needed to quit smoking finally. Every time I felt the need to smoke, I thought about my purpose and stopped myself.

Find your purpose, and it will give you the reason and strength to persevere.

2. Information to drive the purpose

Following up on the previous point, once you have your purpose, it might not be enough. For the mind to accept the purpose, there have to be reasons. So do your research on what you intend to achieve and back up your purpose with facts. For example, when I decided to quit smoking cigarettes, the purpose or reason for me to quit smoking was my child, but I also backed it up with facts on the benefits of quitting smoking cigarettes. On how smoking had a detrimental effect on not only my health but also the health of my family.

3. Make it a habit

Once you have achieved the self-discipline required to achieve your goal, you must constantly work on maintaining this self-discipline. It is very easy to lose focus once you have achieved your goals, and then you will lose all the hard work and effort you put into developing the self-discipline required to achieve your goals. And then you will have to start all over again to achieve the same goal. So, once you have reached your goal, maintain the self-discipline required. Develop it into a habit.

4. Teamwork

Teamwork works. Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash.

My wife and a group of her friends wake up very early in the morning and go for a long fast walk. They all do this six days a week (weather and health permitting). She can do this because of the strength, motivation, and competition she can get from her friends. They wear smartwatches that track the group activity and can push each other to achieve their goals. When she started, she was alone and did not have the drive to get up every day in the wee hours of the morning to go for a walk, and she used to give up constantly. But now, because of this group, it is possible.

So, don’t live on an island with a population of one, and take the support from friends, colleagues and mentors when possible.

5. Reward yourself

It is essential to acknowledge your victories, even if no one else does. So, celebrate it, pat yourself on the back and maybe even reward yourself when you achieve a milestone in developing your self-discipline.

Hopefully, these five tips will help you develop your self-discipline and achieve your goals. If you have any other tips that might help our readers improve their self-discipline, please share them here.   

If you have been thinking about doing a master’s degree, and are ready to challenge yourself, look at our list of programmes and see if we have anything you are interested in doing.

You can also chat LIVE on WhatsApp with one of our Education Advisors for more information on the programme that is right for you, the application process, and details on discounts we might be offering at this time.