Feeling behind is now the default state for most engineers. Instead of chasing more time, this talk shows how to build a sustainable learning system that fits real life. You’ll learn how to choose what to learn, how to use small practice loops, and how to use AI as a learning accelerator instead of a crutch.

New tools, frameworks, and now AI arrive faster than anyone can realistically keep up with. The usual advice is to “make time to learn”, but for people with full-time jobs and real responsibilities, that advice often leads to frustration and guilt.

This talk proposes a different approach: treat learning as a system instead of a project. I’ll share how I failed with courses, long reading lists, and ambitious plans, and how those failures led me to design a sustainable way to grow over time.

We’ll explore how to filter what is worth learning, how to rely on short deliberate practice sessions instead of large commitments, and how to turn daily work into a learning loop. We’ll also look at how AI can act as a tutor, explainer, and sparring partner when used intentionally. Attendees will leave with a simple operating model for professional growth that adapts over time and turns learning from stress into confidence.