To ask how you motivated yourself to study (after many years away from it)?

[CheshireDing]

I am working ft, 3 children and am studying for a completely new change of direction work-wise.

It's been a couple of decades since I last studied properly and am hoping the clever mumsnetters who work/study/have 5 degrees/7 horses/8 children/DH etc can give me some ideas please :)

You would think the idea of a new career would be motivation enough, but I am really struggling when it comes to getting down to actually reading the stuff in the evenings (the only time available).

I hadn't studied in 20 years either. I played to my strength , I get a 2nd wind at around 10pm on Fri & Sat & again on Sun afternoons so allocated that for study. I also cut it into chunks to feel less overwhelmed. It was easy as my course has modules so I'd give myself a time span for each module. They often give you a suggested schedule if it's online anyway. I actually enjoyed it once I'd got over the fear that I'd be useless! Good luck!

I may not be the clever mumsnetter your looking for but I do have DH, 2 degrees and a masters, (only just graduated ) currently working at home full time at 25 weeks pregnant 🤰
Not that my story has any relevance but I hope this gives enough proof that it was a difficult time for me but managed to pull through :)
While doing my masters I endured a couple of deaths in my family plus one angel baby. I didn’t get any support through the uni who told me I’d fail if I don’t take the year again because I couldn’t go to the classes.
I actually got the one of the highest marks and got a really good grade overall for my masters. It was tough, lonely and it sucked working and living cleaning everything in one room but I managed to pull through and get stuff done!

What really helped me was to structure every detail that I needed to get done.
I would watch YouTube lectures on how to structure an essay ( for example ) and create a templates and ideas that would populate the document so it felt like I wasn’t starting from scratch.
I’d watch ted Ed inspirational videos on the career or just anything that would give me a buzz, tutorials for relevant things... anything !
I’d also have to keep a clean smart workspace, have my favourite mug and dress up for the day.

If I went to my computer or to read, I would allow my self a time before to do something I enjoy (ie play a game).

I would get my partner to listen to me talk through the whole project or what I have learnt in the day and it would give me inspiration and motivation just talking about it to him.

I hope any of these helped, even a little, well done for starting a new adventure 😊🎉