Considering the average working parent's schedule, most don't have time to pursue an additional degree or attend lengthy onsite trainings while parenting and working full time.
However, keeping skills current is essential to gainful employment through the automation age. Let's have a look at six alternate ways working parents can upskill without drowning in additional commitments.
1. Read a book on your phone.
In my home office, I have a stack of business books I've been meaning to (at least) skim, but the idea of sitting down with 250 pages overwhelms me.
Instead, working parents should consider downloading a relevant professional development book onto their smartphones, and stealing a few minutes to read while waiting in line at the grocery store or sitting in the doctor's waiting room.
You'd be surprised how the time adds up! Employing this strategy, I went from reading a book a quarter to a book a month.
2. Listen to podcasts on your commute.
On a related point, commuting by car, train or foot involves at least an hour a day for most working parents. You can stay entertained and learning about your field by searching podcast directories, such as Apple's Podcast app, Google Play Music and Spotify, and choosing one that appeals to your sensibilities and development goals.
Usually spanning 30 to 60 minutes, podcast episodes are the perfect size to consume while making your way to and from work.
3. Take an online course during lunch or after bedtime.
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are free, short or long-form courses provided by established universities like Stanford and Yale, as well as specialized sites like Coursera, EdX and Udemy. These offerings include a mix of learning modalities including filmed lectures, readings, quizzes and online community interaction.
The good news is working parents can sign in whenever they have time. You might also consider standalone webinars from third-party associations or companies in your space. For example, I regularly attend webinars sponsored by the American Management Association and the Human Capital Institute. If I can't make the live events, I'll listen to the recordings after my kids are in bed.
For more where this came from, head over to the AMEX Business site.
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