Segment your time into tactical learning (in your case Java), strategic learning (for you, Haskell), and brain-recovery time (cheap fiction, meditation, whatever)

Trying to learn different languages at the same time, unless you are a Jedi, is going to be tough. But you could probably find some good functional programming with Java type books that would dovetail nicely into your Java work.

I actually split into three pieces, tactical, strategic, and Out-there learning. I find good ideas come from weird places, so my Out-there time includes philosophy, religion, history, and social sciences.

My Out-there stuff is done during morning workouts. Tactical stuff is done during work or in the evenings. Strategic and fun stuff during weekly airline flights.

You are what you read (and watch), so the most critical thing you can do in your life is actively manage what you consume, even if it means learning how to enjoy and digest what others would consider boring stuff.

Great idea! Quick question - It seems you find a way of doing all three during the day, is that correct? Also, and this may sound like a silly question, how do you divvy up the hours, how do you know how much time you can/should allot to each category?

I see from your profile that you are interested in all sorts of things (to mention a few Technology, Philosophy, Startups, Movies [I like these too]). Are these all in the Out-there learning category?

I don't divvy up the time. I just try to find time for each category.

It's a mistake to think of yourself as some kind of content consumption machine -- leads to splitting up your hours into 3-minute increments. Some folks love that kind of anal-retentive life. I find it gets in the way of being a human.

So I have these major kinds of reading goals that I think about when having some extra time. It's a general guideline. Kind of like using a compass instead of a stopwatch (apologies to S. Covey for the ripoff)

Most of these are in the Out-there category, but not all. I've found, for instance, that lots of philosophical concepts dovetail with software construction -- philosophy of language, of knowledge, of abstractions and generalizations, etc. No matter the topic, I've found there is usually some tangential relationship to strategic learning goals.

One of my current Out-there books is "Dummies guide to Songwriting" I've always been curious as to how a few guys can get together and make some wonderfully creative musical material. Who knows? There could be a lot of material in there applicable to my next startup effort.

I set aside an hour a day (on average) to "do stuff" that is of direct relevance to a project I want to complete. If I'm learning a new language, I have a small project to perform a small but non-trivial task. Then I make sure I spend about an hour a day on that.

Same goes for my reading. I allow 30 minutes a day specifically for reading about new stuff. That's usually last thing at night, plus a 5 minute mental review as I have my shower in the morning.

It's the consistency that counts. Small amounts of time consistently invested grow over time.

I should try that. I tend to be single-minded, so if I have to review a book thats all I do, and hence loose traction on anything else that I have on the plate (this usually does not include non-tech reads/learning, but I have found that when learning a new language/technology/framework I need more focus). But I think keeping a small achievable task everyday should keep me from losing ground when learning something new.

Thanks everyone.

I completed my BS degree several years ago. I carried a full-time school load and worked full-time. I got 90% of my school work done on the weekends. During the week I was too tired from work to do much more than the absolute minimum required of me for school. Not having a wife and kids helped too--no distractions at home.

Different people have different ways of coping. I am a morning person, so it's not difficult for me to get an extra hour in the day by getting up an hour early, but some people can't function like that. If you live in an "active" house, you may find it easier to set your alarm for an hour or two after everyone else is asleep, and get up and get some studying in (if your biological clock will let you). I find that four hours sleep is all I require for the short-term, so I could get up and get a little more work done and then get back to sleep. I sometimes do that when I have insomnia anyway--why toss and turn for an hour or two if I can get up and read for a while?

First thing to do is a little self-analysis? Are you the kind of person who can get a little bit of work done in various bits and pieces of available time, or do you need a sizeable chunk of time to set aside? Are you better in morning, afternoon, evening, or late night? Do you need as distraction-free a place as possible, or can you put up with household noise while studying? I bought a nature sounds CD set a while back, and putting one of those on while wearing headphones helps me to concentrate. Another thought would be a white noise generator (or pink, brown, etc. type of noise) to help block out distracting noises.

I've found that especially when learning something technical (programming language, data networking, etc.) the more different ways that I can approach the subject, the better. Reading is a passive activity and only activates certain parts of the brain. Writing is an active activity and activates different parts of the brain. I'll read a little bit of material, then re-write it in my own words to "burn" it into as many different neural pathways as possible. I also create mind-maps, limericks, stories, etc. to create as much mental diversity as possible for remembering the material. It helps.

Thanks grouchyOldGuy.

You bring up a few good points. I have noticed that since I had to break away from a task for a few weeks at a stretch (like my Haskell learning) coming back to it means spending a few more days revising what I had learned! I like your suggestion of writing things down to leverage other parts of your brain. I do some mind-mapping, but probably not enough.

About me, I live by myself, so if I don't want to be disturbed, I put the phone off, and I am in complete solitude. I do have a full time job, which does take up a (fixed) number of hours everyday.

Thanks for the advice.