5 Tips for Studying at Social Gatherings - CCNA CCNP Study

About this video

Timed to a Memorial Day long weekend, NetworkChuck gives five tips for fitting CCNA/CCNP study into family or holiday gatherings without letting a three-day weekend derail an exam schedule. First, set expectations: tell family beforehand that an important, career-relevant exam is coming, that keeping momentum and discipline matters, and that family time is still the priority, offering a concrete plan such as two focused Pomodoro sessions. Second, decide what to study before you go, matched to the setting — for example spaced-repetition flashcards on Anki (or Quizlet) in a noisy corner, chapters of a book, or videos on a phone — since arriving unprepared leads to studying nothing. Third, bring your tools, at minimum a phone and charger, and carry study materials inside with you rather than leaving them in the car, removing barriers. Fourth, set a reminder (he uses Todoist) for a likely lull such as after lunch, and reschedule it an hour later if the moment is busy. Fifth, keep it quick: limit the session to about an hour to an hour and a half, roughly two to three Pomodoro sessions of 25 minutes of focus with a short break, which is enough to cement a topic or clear daily flashcards without disappearing from the gathering. He closes by saying study should be treated like school with deadlines, while still taking a real break if one is genuinely needed.

Key takeaways

• Tell family in advance that you will study briefly: explain the exam’s importance and your momentum, while making clear family time is the priority.
• Decide what you will study before the gathering and match it to the setting — e.g. Anki/Quizlet flashcards, book chapters, or phone videos.
• Bring your tools (at least phone and charger) and carry them inside with you; leaving materials in the car becomes an excuse not to study.
• Set a timed reminder, such as in Todoist, for a likely lull in the gathering, and snooze it an hour if that moment turns out busy.
• Keep the session to about an hour to an hour and a half — two to three 25-minute Pomodoro sessions — enough to cement a topic without disappearing from family time.

Episode details: published May 29, 2017 · 10:36 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Business results and any income figures mentioned are NetworkChuck’s own claims, shared for education — they are not typical or guaranteed.

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