Obtaining an MBA can expand your earning potential and career opportunities exponentially.

Unfortunately, not all aspiring MBA recipients have the bandwidth to juggle jobs, family obligations and other everyday responsibilities with taking part in the MBA programs offered by traditional colleges and universities. Luckily for interested parties held back by schedule constraints, it’s now possible to earn an accredited MBA from the comfort of home – and on your time.

However, while online MBA programs are typically easier on one’s schedule, they still require a fair amount of commitment. Students interested in earning an online MBA in a timely and efficient manner can benefit from the following pointers.

Be Consistent

If you’re accustomed to learning in structured environments, taking part in an online degree program may require a bit of adjustment. Since these programs generally lack the rigid schedules of traditional schools, self-motivation is crucial to student success. While becoming a self-motivator may seem like a daunting prospect, it’s by no means impossible – provided you practice consistency. This means devoting a set amount of time to your academic pursuits each day and committing to this schedule. Whether it’s early in the morning or after you’ve come down from the day, make a point of meticulously adhering to your self-imposed study time. For many students, this will initially prove difficult, but after a few weeks, being a self-starter will start feeling natural. Just remember: proper planning is key.

Don’t Allow Coursework to Pile Up

Allowing coursework and important end-of-term projects to pile up is one of the worst things any student can do to themselves. Although it’s considerably less stressful than going the traditional route, earning an MBA online still requires students to keep up with coursework and follow a syllabus. Even if due dates aren’t as set in stone as they are at brick-and-mortar schools, you’re expected to complete coursework within a reasonable timeframe. As such, consistently putting it on the backburner and allowing it to accumulate will only hurt your MBA prospects. Additionally, it will throw your daily study schedule into disarray, thereby making effective time management an impossibility. To ensure this doesn’t come to pass, you’ll need to regard your syllabus as a sacred text and treat the due dates listed therein as sacrosanct.

Eliminate Digital Distractions

As much as people hate to admit it, many of us are slaves to our devices. The average American seldom goes more than five minutes without looking at their phone, with the time span between phone-checks getting progressively shorter each year. Furthermore, when we’re not looking at our phones, we’re often working at computers or relaxing with our favorite tablet. Unsurprisingly, this plethora of digital distractions can make concentrating on one’s studies incredibly difficult.
With this in mind, make an effort to eliminate as many distractions as you can during your designated study hours. This can mean shutting off your phone, placing strict limits on personal web browsing and turning off any nearby televisions. For dedicated techno-junkies, this can be a difficult adjustment to make, but the increased productivity will prove well worth your efforts.

Accept Help When It’s Offered

Many people have trouble accepting help from others. Since we live in a culture that celebrates self-reliance and regards workaholism as an enviable trait, it isn’t difficult to see why. However, the busier someone is, the more help they’re likely to need – and this is particularly true in the case of returning students. Going to back to school as an adult can be incredibly taxing, especially for students with families and full-time jobs. In many instances, accepting help is the only way for students to succeed, so if a friend or family member offers to assist with childcare, food preparation or financial matters, there is absolutely no shame in taking them up on their generosity. Not only will this approach save you time, it can also diminish your stress levels considerably.

There are many good reasons for adult learners to pursue MBAs. In addition to heightened earning power and broadened career paths, earning an MBA can dramatically improve one’s quality of life. Furthermore, with online degrees becoming an increasingly popular option for both new and returning students, accredited MBA programs have become more accessible than ever. To get the most out of these programs, students need to consistently apply themselves and practice proper time management.