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Pursing a doctorate degree especially when you have been out of school for a long time, working full time and with children, can be a very daunting task.

Even the bravest of all of us can be rattled by the prospect and the amount of work involved. While most people start, after several years of contemplation, with the intention to finish, statistics show otherwise, many do not or are unable to finish. Confronted with the amount of coursework and research requirements, many working adults find it difficult to cope and finish on time.

I have some friends who had to quit almost at the end of the program for reasons such as limited financial resources, family issues, workload, but principally because of delays in the dissertation process by the faculty. This can easily lead to frustration bringing about discouragement and resulting in withdrawal from the program.

On a personal note, although I had always wanted to take on this project, it took several years after my MBA to decide on enrolling and starting the program, and I intend to persist until completion. This will be my fourth course in the program, but I will say that my experience with pursuing the MBA with children and a full-time job really taught me a good lesson in persistence. It was difficult at times, but I did it.

There is really no option for me on going back on this one too. It may get difficult sometimes, but with my many cheerleaders; my husband, children, parents (though my beloved Dad passed away a couple of years ago, he is still very much with us in spirit.

As an educator, he always encouraged me to get my doctorate degree), siblings and close friends, I am encouraged to persevere and look at the end goal. Doing so requires a lot of persistence, discipline, great time management, motivation, and above all trust in God.

The need to keep going even when things get difficult cannot be over emphasized and knowing that all things are possible when we put our trust in God.

Discipline is very essential to organize and prioritize to make the best out of every situation. Set your goals and work towards it and do not take anything for granted. Time management is key to also organizing your thoughts and actions, strategically allocating time to activities. It is always better to plan to avoid being overwhelmed when everything becomes due at the same time.

I have especially found the time management audit exercise to be very useful in chronicling my use of time and documenting important information to be referred to later in the program. Always remember the reason for pursuing this program, write out your motivations and ultimate goals and keep them where you can often look at them. These will act as catalysts whenever you feel overwhelmed and stressed out. I have two kids in college and one in high school, and the need to be a good role model to them is ever imperative.

I cannot tell them to work hard and never give up while I do otherwise. They will usually call me out anyway, so there is no room for not following through. For us all, it has become a challenge. And this challenge, I do not plan to lose. Also, be open to asking for help when needed. It goes a long way.

Choosing a dissertation topic early and continuously working on it helps to assuage the stress of the process towards the end.

Above all, faith in God is very important in this whole journey. We are lucky to be in a faith-based institution where everyone is praying and rooting for us to succeed. With prayers, I know that the God who started this thing in my life will take it to its completion. With him all things are possible, just trust, believe and obey.