How to Build Your Skillset Without Wrecking Your Schedule

If you’re like many in the workforce these days, you might be looking for an answer to a difficult question:

“How can I get training when I don’t have the time?”

It’s no secret that more and more workers feel they’re being asked to step up their productivity in less and less available time. That pressure is so great, according to recent research by FlexJobs, that nearly a quarter of the 3,000 American workers surveyed didn’t take a single vacation day over the past year.

When people feel so overloaded that they pass up paid time off – time that they’re entitled to – their career development is more likely to stall than to progress.

It’s not just about landing that coveted promotion, either. A 2024 survey by Strategic Education Inc. found that 50 percent of U.S. workers are concerned that they don’t have the skills they need to advance in their current positions.

So when training becomes not a need, or even a want, but a “nice to have” – sacrificing development for pressing duties puts you on the fast track to burning out of a stalled career.

Making sure that doesn’t happen will take effort. It will require a plan. And it demands that you make learning and upskilling a priority.

How can you do that? Here are three ways to move forward with your development – while still keeping up with your current obligations.

Turn regular meetings with your manager into ad hoc training sessions.

When you feel swamped, what’s your first inclination when having that weekly meeting? Most likely, you want to highlight what’s working, get your next assignments and get back to the grind. You want to look like you’re on top of things, even when you feel steamrollered by your schedule.

And, in the process, you’re blowing a chance to learn skills you really need right now.

Honesty and vulnerability are uncomfortable. Same with asking for help. No sugarcoating that. But if you can be open about areas where you’re struggling, you can create win-win moments with one simple sentence:

“Can you show me how I could be doing this better?”

Any good manager wants you to have the needed skills. Let them show you what works for them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if something isn’t immediately clear.

Not only do you gain a chance to learn needed skills, but asking for help – and then acting on it – also boosts your relationship with your manager. 

First, there’s the so-called “Ben Franklin effect” – the psychological truth that we’re more likely to like people who ask us for favors. 

Next, asking your manager to help you get better shows that your performance matters to you. That performance reflects on your manager, so saying “I want to improve” also sends the message that you want them to look good.

Finally, in the same vein, asking for short training sessions from your manager shows them that you’re open to honest feedback on your performance. 

Managers don’t always like to give feedback if they’re afraid it will be taken as an attack. But when you actively solicit the chance to improve, this opens the door to greater trust and honesty.

Look for training that you can break down into chunks.

Can’t take an hour in the middle of the day for a scheduled learning opportunity, much less a day off for in-person training?

You don’t have to.

Microlearning – longer training material broken into chunks, some of them under 10 minutes – offers a chance to work new knowledge into even the busiest schedule. 

You don’t have to dedicate a specific time each day. But when you’ve finished one task, you can get in a quick microlearning session before moving on to the next thing on your plate.

Or, if you get done a bit early and you have some downtime at the end of your day, a microlearning session can be a great way to finish the shift – with time afterward to reflect on and internalize what you’ve just learned.

For longer training material, look for on-demand options. You might not have the bandwidth to take a scheduled hour of training – but small time savings here and there can add up to a free hour to train on your schedule. 

Whichever option you choose, make sure to work with your manager. If you’re proactive about your development, they’re more likely to work with you to make it happen. 

Don’t try to multitask during mandatory training sessions.

When you feel like you’re juggling multiple tasks, it can be tempting to try to knock one of them out – or at least make some progress – during that Teams meeting to show you how to use the latest program, or when you click that link IT sent you for security training.

How hard can it be, right? Pay attention to the training when you need to, cut back to your other task when things get boring. 

However, you’re only hurting yourself when you do this.

Multitasking doesn’t work. It makes us distracted and prone to errors. That’s because when we try to multitask, our brains are constantly switching back and forth between the two. Learning doesn’t stick. We mess up routine duties.

Mandatory training isn’t always exciting. Bottom line, though: You’re getting paid to upskill. Focus on that opportunity. 

Force yourself to focus, if you need to. Take notes. Ask questions in live settings. 

Then give your brain time for a short reset between training and returning to your “regular” work. Get up and walk around for a minute or two. Get a drink. Stretch. Let your brain file away the new knowledge without distraction.

Fitting learning into a crammed schedule isn’t always easy. But it can be done, and it’s the best way to stay competitive in a tight employment market.

Need training that fits into YOUR timetable? Sign up TODAY for SkillPath Unlimited: Your All-in-One Training Solution!