Getting your CDL A can be one of the most fruitful decisions of your life. With just a few months of taking training courses, you can easily leave behind entry-level job positions or unfulfilling jobs to start a high-paying career with tons to offer.
Unfortunately, for most people, it seems nearly impossible to study hard and pass the CDL A course while maintaining the full-time job needed to pay the bills. We understand that leaving their regular jobs to pursue CDL A courses full-time is simply not an option for many.
Luckily, you don’t have to do any of that. With a few adjustments and good decisions, you can easily balance your CDL A training and full time job.
Let’s take a look at a few strategies you need to leverage to get it done and start a better life.
1. Choose a Course Time that Works with Your Job
Most CDL A schools offer different class times, so you can choose a course that fits with your job schedule. There’s not just one period they’re open, and then they’re closed the rest of the time.
Look at your full-time job schedule, and choose a time for your courses that will align with that schedule well.
Of course, this is a lot easier if your job has a stable schedule. If you work swing shifts or don’t work specific days each week, it’s a little harder to do this. Don’t worry. Some other strategies will help in those situations. Also read: 8 Tips for Choosing the Right CDL A Training Program in Orlando, FL
2. Consider an Online or Hybrid Course
If you absolutely cannot lock down a stable schedule to revolve your training course around, a great option is to check for online class options. Some schools offer both in-person and online training, and some even take a hybrid approach where you do different things in person and other aspects of the course online.
This requires you to have a little more discipline since you will be at home or otherwise in a personal environment while you do your training, but it’s typically far more flexible in terms of scheduling, and travel time is cut out of the equation entirely.
3. Prioritize Your CDL A Training
This sounds like a crazy move since you’re likely depending on your job to pay your bills and sustain you until you have a job with your CDL A. However, it’s necessary.
Once you start your training, it needs to be a priority. You don’t need to quit your job, but adopting a sterner approach to turning down overtime requests, not skipping training to go in for work on your day off because someone else called out, or otherwise hindering your education to go above and beyond is necessary.
The goal of going for your CDL A is to ultimately leave the job you‘re at for something far more fruitful. Sacrificing your ability to do that because the job lacks boundaries or won’t stick to an agreed-upon schedule is a sure way to stay stuck in that full-time job.
4. Leave Your Work at Work
This is a good practice in general, but when you’re trying to balance your CDL A training with a full-time job, it’s even more important.
One of the things that makes that balancing act so difficult for many is that their job stresses them out, and when they get off work to handle their education, they get overwhelmed.
It is crucial to decide that whatever happens at work stays at work. When you leave, you’re done with it for the day. Just doing this can alleviate a lot of stress, and you can focus more effectively on the training that will get you out of that job in the future.
5. Create a New Routine
Everyone has a routine when they’re working a full-time job. You get up in the morning, you get ready for work, you go in for your shift, and under normal circumstances, you probably have a rigid post-work routine for timing dinner, family time, and relaxation.
Unfortunately, you have to squeeze the CDL A training in somewhere. So, that routine is going to have to shift, and you’ll likely need to sacrifice some time from your post-work activities to handle your training.
If you do create a new routine that accommodates your training, the added workload will become second nature fairly quickly. Just remember that with good preparation, CDL A training can be over in as little as two months. So, it’s not a permanent situation.
6. Consider Prolonging Training for a Lighter Stress Load
If you go over your schedule, and there’s not much you can do to make room for your training, consider taking a CDL A course that is designed to spread out sessions over a longer period of time.
It’s a lot easier to add your training into your routine when it’s a couple of days per week instead of essentially a second job.
This isn’t always an option, and it does mean that you’ll be in the program longer, but it can keep you from getting overwhelmed.
7. Minimize Time Spent on Daily Necessities
Simple changes to your schedule that save time can help you balance your routine more effectively. Especially if you don’t have a family to tend to, as well.
Meal prep, spending less time on hobbies temporarily, and similar small changes can create a sizable gap in your schedule that leaves room for studying or getting to a training facility.
8. Stay Focused and Take Care of Your Health
This is going to be stressful no matter how many strategies you implement. You’re working forty or more hours per week and trying to pursue training for a high-skill job. There’s no getting around it.
One of the best things you can do is focus on maintaining your health. Get a good night’s sleep every night, eat healthy foods, and avoid bad habits like drinking.
This will help you stay focused and motivated, and it will keep you from feeling physically burnt out within a matter of weeks. Remember, it’s only between 2 and 8 months for most people. You don’t have to last forever before your schedule is a bit more manageable.
Go to a School That Cares
Finding a school that understands the challenges of balancing a full-time job with CDL A training is essential for your success. But don’t worry about juggling it all—we’ve got you covered. At East USA Trucking we provide a full range of CDL A courses, including CDL entry level driver training, CDL A test course, CDL A practice course, CDL A refresher course, CDL restriction removal course, and CDL exam prep course. With these extensive course options, you’ll receive the top-quality training and preparation necessary to confidently achieve your CDL A certification. Contact us today and take the next step toward your career in the trucking industry!