It all depends on your work/life schedule, but for me, I have been successful at meeting my learning goals when I do two things:

- Set aside a discrete amount of time for coursework, and stick to it as much as possible

- Do SOMETHING in the course at least once per week, even if it's just watching one video

For the last course (or Udacity Nanodegree in my case) that I completed, I set up this schedule to fit my work/life (I have an infant):

- Watch course videos/do in-class exercises for 2 hrs on 1-2 days after work or during lunch break each week. My goal was to complete all the course videos that went with a project, so that I would be able to do 1 project per weekend. For longer/more complex topics, I would have to stretch this to one project per 2 weeks.

- Complete 1 project every weekend while my baby napped (total 3hrs per weekend day). I usually was able to complete the project during this allotted time, but sometimes had to work at night after putting baby down.

With the above schedule, I was able to complete my program within 3 months, which was slightly ahead of the program's recommended schedule.

You may need to adjust the schedule as you go (life happens) but the main thing is to KEEP GOING, and do your best to visit the classroom and do something - anything - at least once per week.

I currently have the same issue as my priorities are currently different. Back in 2011, I took all three MOOCs offered (pre-Coursera and pre-Udacity), completing all assignments. Then in 2013, when I had more free time available, I took seven more courses.

It was mostly by working till late at night.

It helped to start on new lectures and assignments early in the week given unpredictability of time slots available for studying. Once in a while, I was late in submitting assignments, losing a few points but managing to get A grades still.

Watching the videos at double speed was a boon. I could not have completed the courses without that. Only when I was unable to follow would I rewind and watch the segments at 1x or 1.25x speeds. The technology for speeding up sound along with the video had just come, I felt so lucky for this. Only two courses where I was not able to speed through were those which were completely outside of my domain (Economics and Human Physiology).

I never went through the optional book recommendations, if any. When the subject matter was not explained well enough in the lectures, forums typically supplied the answers within 24 hours of the lecture.

In one of the courses (Compilers), I stopped doing the assignments in the middle as they were requiring a lot of time while not adding a matching value.

It's really tough for me to set aside time for a MOOC, even if if it's absolutely critical-path subject material. So, the one or two I actually spend time with each year teaches something that is of a true investment.

If you are already time-strapped, don't stress yourself over things you don't have the time for, but make time if it will benefit you.