Home-study courses in massage therapy provide a variety of alternatives and benefits compared to traditional classrooms; however, it can have it’s pitfalls if you’re not careful. How do you make the most of your masage home-study experience?
There are a few things to avoid when taking a home-study course that might distract you from your ultimate goal. And if you eliminate those distractions, it will help you with your long-term educational pursuits.
The following is a list of five tips you can use to make your massage home-study experience more fulfilling.
1. Create a study space
Find a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed during your course time. That place might be at a desk or spare room, which allows you to escape the confines of your everyday life. Make sure this place is comfortable, so you can focus solely on your massage home-study classes. Within this zone, you should be able to keep your notebooks and other study materials–and when you’re in this zone, you should always be in a study mode.
2. Manage your time wisely
Set a schedule to pace yourself in your home-study course. To create the schedule, evaluate the length of time you anticipate it will take to complete your chosen course, and take into account your life and demanding work schedule. During your study time, make sure you won’t be disturbed. To help your loved ones, it also is a good idea to tell them what you are doing, so they don’t feel you’re neglecting them.
3. Participate in every aspect
Don’t shortchange yourself; if you’re taking a course that allows for direct interaction with course instructors or other students through e-mail or online chats, take advantage of these opportunities. In these forums, you can ask questions and gain a better understanding of the material you are studying. Plus, you might pick up added information that isn’t included in the given coursework.
4. Complete the course you have chosen
Make sure you finish the course. If you’re not, why make the purchase? The only person you are going to hurt is yourself. Also, take your time. Refrain from hitting the fast-forward button on the DVD player, or avoiding chapters in coursework you find mundane or think you already know. You just might learn something new or become more skilled at something you have already learned.
5. Reward yourself
Give yourself something extra to work toward. By setting incremental goals throughout your home-study process, you can feel better about your accomplishments by rewarding yourself with a little treat. There’s no need to get extravagant, but a little something to reward yourself for doing a good job makes the process better for you and your learning.
As always, make sure to check with your national and state licensing bodies to make sure the courses you select are acceptable for massage continuing education credits.