The Training Imperative
It is very common for new firearms owners to take the required class(es) to carry their firearm and then pursue no further training afterward; assuming that the basic training they received from friends and family will be enough to carry them through operating the firearm when needed or a defensive encounter. While we wish this were true, it simply is not. While someone arguably does not need to devote an unreasonable amount of time to training with their firearm, each person who carries a firearm should establish a satisfactory training cadence that aligns with their schedule and responsibilities as much as possible. Below are some training considerations for those who wish to be more proficient with their firearm, but understandably have obligations outside of the sport.
Routine Integration
Find natural areas in your daily, weekly, and monthly routines that accommodation some time at the shooting range. If you prep your range bag the night before, spending an hour or more at the range after work or on a weekend morning is more achievable than you might think. If you're having trouble finding time to practice your skills, simply work with your family to create a small window of time that you can devote to the range on a consistent basis; quarterly, monthly or more. While there are exceptions, one or two range sessions per year is generally not enough time to keep your skills trained to a level where they can be reliably called on when needed. Remember, even some training is better than no training at all.
Cost
As with most things in life, many will claim that the cost of training prevents them from keeping their skills honed. There are times over the years where firearms and ammunition do become more costly based on what is happening in the U.S. or around the world (COVID, recessions, etc.). That said, there are more times when the markets are stable and ammunition costs are NOT at a premium. Most shooters will slowly accumulate a stockpile of ammunition that can be used for practice. Remember that you don't need match-grade ammunition to do so. Simple target ammo can be used to practice your skills. You also don't need to spend thousands of dollars on niche training aids as a new shooter. Yes, there are several training aids that do work very well, but can be very costly. As a new shooter, practicing dry fire, dummy round reloads, holster dynamics, etc. are all possible without spending a single cent beyond your initial equipment that you purchased and very low-cost training aids that can be bought or made.
Expectation vs. Reality
Many new shooters will spend lots of time on social media watching gun ranges, professional competitive shooters, and other gun personalities talk about the level of training and proficiency a person should have. That expectation is often VERY high considering that some of these personalities are prior special forces, career police officers, or simply have the funds and time to raise their training to a very high level based on guns being their full-time occupation. New shooters should always remind themselves that they are not those people, they are not expected to be special forces, and they should not pretend to be either for the sake of feeling accomplished with a firearm. Simply establishing a consistent training routine with the help of an instructor will set you on the right path to hone the skills needed without the requirement to own a full arsenal, millions of rounds, and treat firearms as if they are the only activity in life worth being involved in.
Remember, life is absolutely worth protecting with a firearm, but it's also worth living without paranoia. All training regiments are different, and it's more important to find what works for you and your family; not what an internet personality told you to do to gain followers and sell products.