When you’re in Cyber security you’re on a continuous learning track, one has to update skills on a daily. Its fun, but a never-ending journey as it seems. Standardized process for learning will help a lot to satisfy learning requirements. Don’t want to be a zombie also.
Effective time management
On average month, I read 3 to 4 books, keep track of new CVE, new threats in the wild and threats to the industry I am working on. Office projects, Personal Project, and most important of them all time with family.
Pen and paper, please!
- Create a Schedule
Example Weekdays: — 8 Hours of office work, 4 Hours of Family Time, 4 Hour Studies/research and 8 hours of sleep.
- Write down everything you do in a single day. Make it as minute and descriptive as possible.
- Identify which current habit can or should be broken.
- Chain the multiple minute habit to one manageable process.
Example of chained habit: — Wake up by 5am every day | drink water from kitchen | Brush for 2 minute | make coffee in kitchen | Power on the PC in home office.
It takes time to form a habit if can’t dedicate full time to a desired habit in a single day, do a small version of habit. If you’re doing yoga for 30 minutes but day requires you to do something else don’t skip it, do it for 2 minutes instead.
A major part of successful habit formation is “support” from others. Letting others know about your schedule. Let your employer know about your work schedule and in case of emergency the procedure to reach you.
Habit tracking app; or you can make your personal tracking sheet(for me this takes more time I should). If paying for the app, make a rule only one-time payment. Don’t go with subscription model. Keep yourself in check with historical data. Some app even give monthly/weekly reports. I prefer use open-source app, they are available on Play Store for free.
If Reading books is in your schedule, measure your speed of reading with comprehension. If Its below average try to improve it, There are a lot of scientific proven methods. Research on “comprehension while reading”. Lot of fake methods also out there don’t fall for it. Main point is “comprehension” of the content with speed.
Big exemption to all above; Things which requires Deep Learning. Where all energy and mind is concentrated on a single learning goal. Which is once every year! This is the time for me to become a zombie, For deep learning, support from others is the key(Just leave you be). I agree that’s a luxury most don’t have.
Everyone habit is unique, method of learning is also unique. Find yours and improve on it.