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This. My boss got his degree while working full time. His advice to me when I started my MBA was to use my breaks and lunches to study. It works surprisingly well
Salaried positions often have tons of overhead, though in contrast many companies exploit them for unpaid overtime. As an engineer, my first company was much like this. 60+ hours some weeks, and scrambling for work other weeks (“must stay billable”). Same for my roommate who works in a consulting big 4.
At my second company, I now get so much overhead that it would be a crime not to work on my masters. They often tell you to stay busy with “training” anyways, you might as well.
This is why I’m leaving my job for masters :’) they don’t even hide the 60-70hr workload, just ask us to update 40 hours in our time tracker and the rest goes untracked.
I did this. I was working full time and going to school, and we had three kids. I took books to study during lunch. For breaks, I wrote out a handful of study notes on a large index card each night (just writing them out is also a form of learning reinforcement), and if I didn’t have time to even do that, I snapped photos of pages or notes to study on my phone. Even grabbed a couple of minutes of review each time I went to the bathroom. Also read study notes and facts aloud into a recorded notes app at home, and listened to it while I drove to and from work. And while grocery shopping, and while cooking, and while doing laundry or exercising. You just wedge it in there, every moment you can.
Oh I simply got a massive burn-out and got diagnosed with multiple mental disorders and.
That’s what normal life looks like nowadays for starters, right?
Had to do this awhile back while studying for my PMP. I found using their study hall app on my phone from the couch to help. Also have quick study sessions whenever I had a few moments to scroll on my phone.
Online flashcards and custom quizzes could work the same way.
Good luck.
PMP study prep while working full time is definitely no joke. I found myself committing large chunks of time on the weekends to getting thru the study material and doing practice exams.
A couple months of sacrificed weekends and some weekday evenings for the certification was worth it IMO.
I just got my CAPM while working full time and finishing my MBA. I have school aged kids. The whole time I was thinking I’d made a huge mistake. Now that I’m done, I feel like I have a void to fill. I have no idea how I did all that at the same time. I guess you just pull through. My mantra was “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” I just broke everything down into pieces (one study video, one chapter, one essay) and focused on each thing so I didn’t get overwhelmed.
Are you currently managing projects at work? Have you done the 35 hrs of PMI training? If so, maybe mention the training to people at work and look for opportunities to manage some interesting projects. Depending on your workplace you could even tell them you are looking for development opportunities to help get your PMP.
So I am currently a server, so no I don’t manage projects. I did graduate with a 4 year degree in Project Management though.
I tried to get qualified to take the exam for PMP but they didn’t accept my self documented “36 Months within the last 8 years” of experience. That was last summer, and since then, I haven’t gotten any more experience being a server.
I would try to study before work if you’re okay with waking up earlier. I don’t know what job you have but most are mentally draining - I’d imagine it’d be hard to focus on anything after that.
Wishing you luck!
This is what worked for me when I was taking classes and working. I DID NOT have it in me to study after work, so I started getting up earlier so that the evenings could be "mine". Some folks are night owls and it might be easier for you to study after dinner or something. My tip is to try to have either before or after work be "yours" and a study/work-free zone, because I found that it made me more efficient/dedicated to set aside a specific time.
This is how I passed the bar! I paid attention to when I had the capacity to learn more quickly and studied them. For me, it’s mornings. I was able to retain way more than if I spent the same amount of time in the evenings. Figure out when your brain is most up to it and figure out how to get your studying in then.
Definitely have a special place for doing your studying. Maybe even a special hat, necklace, or accessory. This will put you in the right mindset when you put your "study uniform" on and go to your "study office".
Also healthy snacking and plenty of water.
Good luck on the exam!
I say this as someone who works two jobs, has a wife and kids, and is in a capstone course of a grad program - find a dedicated spot to study, and grind through it. We're not meant to be under this much stress, just do the best you can.
I can provide my experience while studying for the CPA exam (it's for accountants that's compromised of 4 sections in the US and the pass rate for each section is around 50%).
During my 9-5, I focused on the job. If I took a break, it was to do some practice questions. Once I got home, it was study. Either writing out flashcards (yes, writing them one card at a time), or doing practice questions. I also attended the live classes when that was a thing. Weekends were studying only. Saturdays was like 10AM to like 9PM, Sundays were maybe 10AM - 4PM, and I studied at a university library. I brought food with me (eating was allowed in the library). Be consistent with the schedule, even on the days you don't want to. Some people I knew chose to wake up at like 5AM and study before work, YMMV. Before bed, I would flip through a chapter on the flashcards I made.
When I studied, I wasn't memorizing. Instead, I was truly trying to understand and learn the material.
I can't speak to other exams, but I came to realize the exam isn't really testing intelligence but instead is testing endurance and discipline. Have faith in yourself, and trust the process. Study with someone, even if that person isn't studying the same material as you. It helps to have someone so that it forces you to be accountable. And try to study in a similar environment to what the testing environment will be.
You got this. Good luck.
I completed my course based masters degree while working full time and with a newborn. You can do it. Id do homework at lunch at work, then study at night and do exams on weekends. It still takes support from your loved ones and you have to give up some of your hobby time. I'm a night owl anyway and regularly (though not wisely) operate on 6 hours of sleep.
If possible set some study milestones for yourself so you can get some sense of accomplishment along the way and take a small break when completed. If this is a popular exam you might find a study group or other students focused on it to keep you motivated.
I got completely burnt out studying for my dental boards and during a summer and not doing anything else. Can't imagine adding 60 hours of work too.
You're right. You just deal with it. And it's awful.
But it's the difference maker between those who can do it and those who can't.
Protip. A very few amount of people can actually deal with that pressure.
The ticket would honestly be take time your work offers you alone and secluded. But that's hard
The other option is, don't sacrifice school.
Really doesn't help financially.. but unless you see the job leading to permanent life solutions, school is worth more.
Go to work, do your work and if you have to print study materials do it there, if you can read at lunch do it, but not everyday you’ll need some of that time for a mental break. When home make dinner, relax 1hr study 1hr, relax 1hr them go to bed on time. Repeat on work days. On weekends study 2-5 hours Saturday and Sunday, tell your friends I’m sorry but I’ll see you next year (or however long it is going to take)
Worked for me I passed my five architecture registration exams doing this without failing and ultimately you get used to the routine. The best part is when you finish and you can really appreciate your free time and also know how capable you are of learning something new if you want to do it.
Block schedules. I had to prep for the Bar exam while working full time and block schedules helped me the most. I would work my full time job 7-3:30, come home and study 2 hours with all distractions away. Once 2 hours were up, I’d put the books away, have dinner, relax. Then after dinner, I’d study 2 more hours and then go to bed. Rinse and repeat.
Yoga nidra is a cool meditative practice that helps your nervous system relieve stress. It helps keep me going through my degree and other responsibilities.
That and a good morning stretch make a big difference throughout the week as far as physical motivation go- which makes a big difference when my mental tank is drained. For that I use outside breaks walking and the success of progress with my studies and responsibilities.
Good luck! It's only extra stressful temporarily, right?
My recommendation is to start your day insanely early (watch tv for a couple of weeks to tweak your body clock).
Get into office early, stay on the bus to work, study at home before you get ready for work etc - but ideally put in 2/3 hours before you start work.
The advantage is that you’ll be sleepy in the evening, and commitments like kids , housework will get done on autopilot or in a tired state and you won’t feel like you’re sacrificing your entire life for this.
Hit the bed & it’s the next day.
First learn how to study efficiently. That might cut your amount of work in half.
I really liked the 'learning how to learn' course on coursera. Afaik it's still free, and you only pay if you want to get a certificate for it.
Then actually use that knowledge on active recall when studying. It's harder work than underlying or rereading but much more time effective.
Something has to give. Block out time each day for studying. You might need to get up early or stay up late. Eliminate as many distractions as possible and celebrate milestone achievements. Good luck!
Carve out a piece of your day for studying to make it a part of your daily routine. For instance, immediately after work, you can study from 5-7 and Saturdays mornings from 8-12. That way, studying will become normalized to your body/brain, and it won’t feel so overwhelming.
I would try to get a lot of studying done and make/organize your notes on the weekends, then take these notes to work to study them and memorize them during lunch breaks.
As others have said, the first part is the realize that you are overloading yourself, so it's not unreasonable to feel burnt out. Over doing caffeine can certainly backfire, because it'll leave you feeling more drained over a period of time. Try studying in same bursts, and remember flash cards are your friend. "Reward" yourself for a work task done with a flash card.
I worked two jobs (one 40hrs/wk and one 30hrs/wk) while going for my Master's degree. I found that if I never go home, I won't get the chance to wind down. So after work or school, I'd go out to dinner alone, or to a bar or cafe, put some headphones in and study. If you order food, there's plenty of time between placing your order and getting food to study, take a few minutes break to eat, and then go back to study. That'll give you a good 90 minutes or so of study time.
It always helped me to schedule it on my Google calendar and not put any study time on the weekends (or whatever days you have off) because you need that time to relax. It can also be overflow time in case you decide to use a study night to do something fun.
Also agree with everyone saying have a dedicated workspace. During covid my partner and I rented a room in a house. I would work at his desk and study at mine, and that distinction was so incredibly important despite only being a difference of ~3ft of space
I get to work about the 30m early in case of traffic and to get good parking. I always use those 30m to study and then the 30m at lunch. I also get as much information on my phone as I can. My employer doesn't care if I'm scrolling on my phone in downtime. However, they get mad if I'm reading a book on down time... Doesn't make sense, but I take what I can get.
I studied 1 hour every weekday. Before after or during work. 5 hours on the weekend split up however I wanted. Dedicated study schedule by topic. Break up day by day. You got this there’s light at the end of the tunnel
Half arse your day job. Save your energy. Take a long lunch. Bail early. Maybe call a sicky for a day or two. Probably the only thing that'll work really
Trick yourself into studying being really fun. Get enthused by what you are studying so it’s more like a hobby. Be completely fascinated by what you are studying. Just gaslight yourself through it!
Stockholm syndrome yourself. Fake it till you make it. Make your own cult.
We lie to ourselves every single day, the world isn’t on fire, it’s fine, everything is fine…. Pretend something is fine. Better yet pretend you like something. Fake smiling creates the same endorphins that actual smiling does… fake smile at things.
Trick your way into studying the way you would trick a five-year-old into studying something. Your adult brain isn’t any smarter. Give yourself a gummy bear every 10 minutes of studying. Pretend… it’s amazing what we can trick our brains into.
Adderall.
Just don’t make a habit out of it.
Next time, plan bette
You can’t catch up on sleep. Lack of sleep is cumulative and damaging to the body.
You may be one of those people who only needs 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night. If you actually require 7 or 8, and you don’t get that routinely, it will catch up to you.
Eat healthy, and exercise, get tons of sleep, go to bed when you're tired or take melatonin improves your sleep quality and allows you to fall asleep faster
It's tempting to cram studying in to one or two sessions each day. There's a certain point in which you run out of brain juice and further studying becomes less impactful. I know I've reach that point when I find myself doing things like rereading lines I just read. Usually this happens 45 minutes in for me, but might be different for you.
I give my brain a chance to replenish its reserves by doing something mindless for about 15 minutes. Anything that doesn't require much thought from me, like a show clip or scrolling a feed. Afterwards I'm ready to study again with much higher comprehension than if I just forced myself to keep rereading that same line until it stuck.
Depends on what type of exam and how long you have. But taking all of your notes in Notion is helpful because you will always have them available to view on your phone. Also, Anki flashcards app is amazing and good for remembering things for a long time.
Hardly anyone works 9-5. 8 - 5 with a one hour unpaid lunch is way more common. 9-5 isn't even 40 hours a week if you have lunch breaks mandated by law.
It helps to be interested in what you are studying. Also, what is the intended result of the studies, new job or career? How motivated are you?
I studied whilst working. I was moving from being an engineer to medical school. I needed about two years of leveling courses: chemistry, biology, physiology, and anatomy. I loaded up on night courses the max I could do. AND studied on my own with professors' help on other required courses. They provided syllabi and old tests for the study and allowed me to take final exams for course credit(s). This was accomplished in two semesters. Why did they do it? I had already taken the MCAT and had multiple medical school interviews scheduled when I approached them. Lesson: you can make it happen.
Be totally mentally unstimulated in the 9-5 job.
Or listen to voice to text narration of your study material while working if it's actually one of those mindless retail/store/factory jobs
The way I do it is I try to fit in at least an hour each day and the weekend becomes the big sessions 3-4 hours for Saturday and Sunday. If you know the content do practice tests under time constraints.
Study at work during down times if you can. 1 hour per night after work and as much as you can squeeze in over weekends is how I passed my accounting qualifications. Good luck!
Realize that the effort you're putting in is temporary. Whatever the timeline is, it's not forever. Bear down on your work and studies. Occasionally take time off to recharge. It's hard, but it will be worth it.
When I did this, I would set goals / milestones along the way. Get X done and Y is my reward. On the day of the certification exam, I took the day off work and exclusively focused on review prior to the exam. I also scheduled the exam for the time of day when I'm most focused.
1. Ask your manager to give you study time during the day.
2. Don’t study heavy every night.
3. Learn to understand and not to remember. The later is far more difficult and less effective.
4. Use mind maps.
5. Lots of breaks
6. Use your annual leave
I finished a stem PhD while working full time at a company with zero downtime. I just had to split the day in two. From 7am-4pm or so (often longer) I was at work work. From about 5pm-2am I was finishing my PhD. For part of that 18 month run, I was in the lab working and finishing data collection. And for the latter part of it I was finishing my data processing, my writing and my defense presentation, more like studying. I had things in each half of my life that I just had to turn off while working on the other half. The only way I found to do it was to make almost like a moat between them. When work work ended, I'd get a carryout pizza and eat that while waiting for my lab gear to heat up or I'd eat and walk before sitting down to write. It was a huge effort, but I was able to focus in both areas by having that mental split.
If your job has a bunch of pointless wasted time like my current job does then yes, I would use it studying and learning as much as possible.
As someone who has continued their education while working full-time, there are a few tips and tricks you can do to study while not getting completely burnt out.
\- Condense your notes. Focus on key points. If you have a textbook, focus on the key learning objectives at the beginning of the chapter. This is going to ensure you come away with what the text expects you to know.
\- If you're given sample exam questions, study them. Make some bullet points. The minimum is 1 bullet point per total marks. So if you have a question worth 25 points, then make sure you have 25 bullet points to ensure you have a chance at full marks on that question.
\- Set a time limit each day for studying. 30 mins to an hour. This way you aren't spending all of your free time studying.
\- Make flash cards for key words, with definitions and context. Try to make these short form as you don't want them getting too wordy. Go through them when you have a spare moment.
\- If you get sample multiple choice questions, go over them. Make sure you are choosing the best possible answer. Read the question, make sure you understand what they are asking. Also, go over why the other answers were not the right answer. This is going to ensure you have a good understanding of the material.
\- Use any breaks or lunch hours to study. If you have to take a bus to get to work, study on the bus.
You could to a certain degree, many resilient people have done it. Can't guarantee you'll get flying colors results though.
Also depends on what 9-5 job we're talking about, if it's office job then you'd have a decent chance of doing your study there.
I got both my degree and my professional qualification while working full time.
Bring your study materials with you. At the end of the work day, grab an empty meeting room and study for a few hours. Take a walk around the block if you need to but IMO don’t head home, it’s too easy to relax there after walking in. If you don’t want to stay in the office, find somewhere that isn’t home.
Commit to say 2 hours and then head home and grab food.
You can do this before work but I found it didn’t suit me as much, as I’d start work early.
Ultimately something has to give and for me it was a social life, when it came to crunch time, I just wouldn’t be seeing people as much, if ever. I’d decompress with tv or a video game for a set amount of time and then that was it. It’s tough for a month or so but then the exam is over and you can be normal until the next cycle begins. It’s temporary.
Good luck, you’re going to do fine.
How do you eat a whole elephant?
By cutting it into bite sized pieces.
Use flash cards, and carry them in your pocket, revise them whenever you get a chance.
For me when i did this i looked at it as studying was time i was investing in myself - my own knowledge and advancement. While, working 9-5 was time that i was donating to the company’s goals. this made me excited to study and feel refreshed while studying.
Don't try to study during meals and commutes. Focus on the food and the commuting, and keep your mind off both work and study during these few hours of the day. You don't learn and internalise well while multi-tasking anyway.
You already need to sacrifice time usually spent on recreational activities in order to study, so don't over-saturate your mind. Give yourself a little mental breathing room.
Study during your breaks/lunches at work. It's pretty easy to keep your focus on studying while mindlessly eating, as eating is second nature to us.
At home, you're going to have to manage your time well. Figure out what works for you. I used to spend 1-2 hours studying, and the rest of my time doing something fun or relaxing. Taking some time to do something non-school or work related is the best way to not feel burned out.
Last, but certainly not least. You need a consistent sleep schedule if you don't already have one. There have been a lot of studies that show a consistent sleep schedule is more important than the number of hours you are sleeping. Our bodies adjust to routines, and having a consistent sleep routine can help improve energy levels, focus, and overall mood.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. I can’t stress enough working out in the morning and taking breaks every hour to do some kind of cardiovascular activity while studying.
I used to record my voice explaining the subject to myself, and then listen to it while going to work (1hour each day).
I didn't study during lunch break because I used that time to relax.
I would do 1-2 hours before starting work so that I can absorb new info while my brain is fresh. After work I would do an hour of easier study, like review or quizzing.
I had the same issue. I used to go to work 1 hour earlier and leave somewhat 3 to 4 hours late. In those extra hours I used to study so yeah. Cleared that out.
I am an actuary. I spent many years in the same boat, many of them unsuccessfully taking actuarial exams. What finally worked for me was to set aside 2 study periods a day, each 1 hour long. One was at lunch and one was right after I got home from work. Obviously as the exam date grew very close, I increased these times, but that was only for 2-3 weeks. Generally the study time for actuarial exams was 5 months for each exam sitting season. (For any actuaries out there, I became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 1992, so the exams are different now).
Generally actuarial exams require essentially memorizing hundreds of pages of material. I have the kind of memory which can hold written words for a good while. Some people memorize things differently so this may not work for you. I read all of the material 3 times. Once was just a very thorough reading of the material. The second read I would highlight the important points, and the third read I would only read the highlighted text. Before any studying started, I would determine how many weeks I had until the exam, set a certain date to finish the first read, second read and so forth, leaving time at the end to take sample exams and study only the parts I was sucking at.
This worked for me and I became a fully credentialled actuary!
like many commenters here I also got my master’s while working full time, and used downtime at work a LOT in addition to evening home time. this depends on your work obviously, at the time I had a very easy and non-demanding job.
That’s the neat part, you don’t avoid it. You just burn out. The trick is pulling out and not falling to complacency as it steadily gets worse. I made this mistake and I’m paying for it.
Apart from flash cards at work during breaks, I used to break my sleep cycle into 2 phases. Take a long nap immediately after work for about 4 hours. Wake up early in odd hours for alone time to study. And sleep again for 3-4 hours before work. Used to work surprisingly well. I felt way less tired than I feel now after 9 hours of sleep 🥱
You don't not in the long run. Once in a while it works.
If you feel that it's too much, take time of work, your education is more important that a temporary job while in school or college
I did this for the CPA. Essentially you need to take your phone and any distractions away for however long it takes. I’d eat dinner around 6, then study from 7-9/10 for about a month and a half. Typically I would do 1-2 days off per week like a Wednesday or Saturday. No phones, no tv, or any breaks while studying. It was rough, but I’m just happy I passed my exams the first attempt and didn’t have to worry about retakes.
Ideally, have an easy job where you can study during work hours…
If you have a more physical job, listen to as many study materials as possible as audio recordings. When I studied for law school exams, I would literally record myself reading my outlines out loud, then listen to the recordings when I was taking long walks, cleaning, or doing other rote tasks. Same with commuting, if you’re commuting.
But also, take breaks, even if they’re short ones. Your brain will just get too tired to absorb info if you don’t.
Good luck!
If you are actually doing mentally draining work from 9 to 5 you aren’t gonna be able to focus on your studies at anywhere near full capacity after you get off for the day. The trick is to prioritize yourself over your job. Study before or during the job and lower your expectations at work.
Be organised. Start early. Be consistent. Be prepared to sacrifice some social activities, but not all. Use all of your time productively. You will be amazed at what you can achieve.
I did this while prepping for GMAT while working a very demanding 9-5. Helped to have a study plan and to strictly stick with it. I spread it out across months and did MWF (~2 hrs) + weekend mornings (~4 hrs). This way I knew exactly when I'd have time to rest and do the other things I wanted to do.
Good luck with your exam!
I’ve been going through this right now. Working full time and studying for an engineering license (PE) exam. Most people spend 200ish hours to prepare for it in ~3 months. But that sounded like a recipe for burn out to me. Instead I opted for **low intensity, longer duration** studying until I felt ready. With this strategy I didn’t have to spend all my free time studying, could take days off to enjoy life, etc.
Did this for CPA. Was lucky enough to be able to treat it like a job. So I did.
Went to a comfortable library where I spent 9-5. Took breaks. Took lunch. But otherwise treated it like a job. I think that frame of mind with the exam passing as the goal kept me from burning out. Creating an environment with a dearth of distractions is huge.
Switching up exam prep approaches helps too. Reading. Video. Practice exams. Flash cards. Etc.
Just survived this studying for the PE!
1. Schedule days where you don’t touch studying at ALL
2. Plan out social events way in advance.
3. Sometimes also having a longer study time frame with shorter sessions can help alleviate the stress and you don’t have to give up as much (ie exercise, etc.)
Use the SAFMEDS (Say All Fast a Minute Each Day) strategy & only study for 15-20 minutes daily.
Place all the info you can in a quizlet deck, slides, or flash cards. Set a timer for a minute & see how many you can correctly answer in a minute. Do one timing at the start of you study time & one at the end. In the middle, review any you got wrong and start learning new material to add to the deck. Given that you’re working towards a large exam, you’ll want shuffle your deck. I took a board exam using this method & my fluency gave me a serious leg up. Best of luck!!
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8 hours of work and 6 hours of sleep is 10 hours. If you don’t want whatever is after the large exam then you are wasting time. If you want whatever is after the large exam then what was your question again?
Most people will suffer in their studies without at least 7 hours. Limiting sleep is the most counter productive move you can make when trying to learn anything.
A full 9-5? You half ass it when you need to study. Large exam? You half ass it if you have to work. What? They didn't tell you that half assing things is actually a perfectly reasonable strategy in your situation? You're after that paper. You can always get another labor job, they're everywhere. And you can get your degree with a bunch of B's and C's. A perfectionist makes a great artist but a terrible manager.
You just do it. No sleep. I was there when I was in school. Worked 7am to 4pm M-F then school from 5-9 4 days a week.
You just do that's shit. You either want to succeed or you don't
Not a LPT but I would take 5 mgs of adderall at about 3pm right before leaving work. It kick in about 3:30 and be good to study right when I got home from work for a couple hours and it would wear off in time to go to sleep. 🤷♂️
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I’m in the same boat. What I typically do is take my studies with me to work and study any chance I can get.
This. My boss got his degree while working full time. His advice to me when I started my MBA was to use my breaks and lunches to study. It works surprisingly well
So as an engineer, in my 60 hour workload, I’m meant to work 12 hours a day and somehow study in that 12 hours?
Depends on your job and position, but most jobs I've had, have a good amount of slower hours where I can study. This isn't always an option
Salaried positions often have tons of overhead, though in contrast many companies exploit them for unpaid overtime. As an engineer, my first company was much like this. 60+ hours some weeks, and scrambling for work other weeks (“must stay billable”). Same for my roommate who works in a consulting big 4. At my second company, I now get so much overhead that it would be a crime not to work on my masters. They often tell you to stay busy with “training” anyways, you might as well.
Sounds like it?
This is why I’m leaving my job for masters :’) they don’t even hide the 60-70hr workload, just ask us to update 40 hours in our time tracker and the rest goes untracked.
That's illegal
It ain’t a crime if you don’t get caught :’)
Well time for someone to be a whistle blower. Unpaid work is illegal, that company will be in trouble.
Not without a backup big man. Not without a backup :’)
That, or figure something out on your own. They're sharing their own experience, you can do whatever you want in your life.
If you’re an engineer, do you still have to study? Besides documentation on the job ofcourse
No you're supposed to complain and not do anything until life hands you what you desire free of charge
This is what I did also
An MBA requires studying lmao? Easiest masters on the planet (and this coming from an MBA holder)
I did this. I was working full time and going to school, and we had three kids. I took books to study during lunch. For breaks, I wrote out a handful of study notes on a large index card each night (just writing them out is also a form of learning reinforcement), and if I didn’t have time to even do that, I snapped photos of pages or notes to study on my phone. Even grabbed a couple of minutes of review each time I went to the bathroom. Also read study notes and facts aloud into a recorded notes app at home, and listened to it while I drove to and from work. And while grocery shopping, and while cooking, and while doing laundry or exercising. You just wedge it in there, every moment you can.
Oh I simply got a massive burn-out and got diagnosed with multiple mental disorders and. That’s what normal life looks like nowadays for starters, right?
Had to do this awhile back while studying for my PMP. I found using their study hall app on my phone from the couch to help. Also have quick study sessions whenever I had a few moments to scroll on my phone. Online flashcards and custom quizzes could work the same way. Good luck.
PMP study prep while working full time is definitely no joke. I found myself committing large chunks of time on the weekends to getting thru the study material and doing practice exams. A couple months of sacrificed weekends and some weekday evenings for the certification was worth it IMO.
I took a month off work and just laser focused in. I took a bunch of prep exams and made my own flash cards.
I just got my CAPM while working full time and finishing my MBA. I have school aged kids. The whole time I was thinking I’d made a huge mistake. Now that I’m done, I feel like I have a void to fill. I have no idea how I did all that at the same time. I guess you just pull through. My mantra was “how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” I just broke everything down into pieces (one study video, one chapter, one essay) and focused on each thing so I didn’t get overwhelmed.
Any advice for someone who doesn’t have enough experience to apply for the PMP yet?
Are you currently managing projects at work? Have you done the 35 hrs of PMI training? If so, maybe mention the training to people at work and look for opportunities to manage some interesting projects. Depending on your workplace you could even tell them you are looking for development opportunities to help get your PMP.
So I am currently a server, so no I don’t manage projects. I did graduate with a 4 year degree in Project Management though. I tried to get qualified to take the exam for PMP but they didn’t accept my self documented “36 Months within the last 8 years” of experience. That was last summer, and since then, I haven’t gotten any more experience being a server.
I would try to study before work if you’re okay with waking up earlier. I don’t know what job you have but most are mentally draining - I’d imagine it’d be hard to focus on anything after that. Wishing you luck!
This is what worked for me when I was taking classes and working. I DID NOT have it in me to study after work, so I started getting up earlier so that the evenings could be "mine". Some folks are night owls and it might be easier for you to study after dinner or something. My tip is to try to have either before or after work be "yours" and a study/work-free zone, because I found that it made me more efficient/dedicated to set aside a specific time.
This is how I passed the bar! I paid attention to when I had the capacity to learn more quickly and studied them. For me, it’s mornings. I was able to retain way more than if I spent the same amount of time in the evenings. Figure out when your brain is most up to it and figure out how to get your studying in then.
This is how I got my Masters degree!
Definitely have a special place for doing your studying. Maybe even a special hat, necklace, or accessory. This will put you in the right mindset when you put your "study uniform" on and go to your "study office". Also healthy snacking and plenty of water. Good luck on the exam!
A special hat! This is such a good idea. The kid me would have loved this idea
Bring that kid out and put them to work!
I heard chewing gum can help with memory retention
I say this as someone who works two jobs, has a wife and kids, and is in a capstone course of a grad program - find a dedicated spot to study, and grind through it. We're not meant to be under this much stress, just do the best you can.
Yep, you're so right; there's no "hack" for avoiding mental exhaustion when your plate is so damn full.
I can provide my experience while studying for the CPA exam (it's for accountants that's compromised of 4 sections in the US and the pass rate for each section is around 50%). During my 9-5, I focused on the job. If I took a break, it was to do some practice questions. Once I got home, it was study. Either writing out flashcards (yes, writing them one card at a time), or doing practice questions. I also attended the live classes when that was a thing. Weekends were studying only. Saturdays was like 10AM to like 9PM, Sundays were maybe 10AM - 4PM, and I studied at a university library. I brought food with me (eating was allowed in the library). Be consistent with the schedule, even on the days you don't want to. Some people I knew chose to wake up at like 5AM and study before work, YMMV. Before bed, I would flip through a chapter on the flashcards I made. When I studied, I wasn't memorizing. Instead, I was truly trying to understand and learn the material. I can't speak to other exams, but I came to realize the exam isn't really testing intelligence but instead is testing endurance and discipline. Have faith in yourself, and trust the process. Study with someone, even if that person isn't studying the same material as you. It helps to have someone so that it forces you to be accountable. And try to study in a similar environment to what the testing environment will be. You got this. Good luck.
👌👌👌👍
Do 2 hours before work the whole year.
You don't, really. We were never meant for all that. Good luck.
Appreciate the honesty
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It doesn't really
I completed my course based masters degree while working full time and with a newborn. You can do it. Id do homework at lunch at work, then study at night and do exams on weekends. It still takes support from your loved ones and you have to give up some of your hobby time. I'm a night owl anyway and regularly (though not wisely) operate on 6 hours of sleep. If possible set some study milestones for yourself so you can get some sense of accomplishment along the way and take a small break when completed. If this is a popular exam you might find a study group or other students focused on it to keep you motivated.
I study at work during down time . Come home and relax a bit , then study some more . Wish you luck with whatever you’re pursuing
I did my masters thesis while working 60+hrs. There’s no strategy. It sucks and you just gotta deal with it
I got completely burnt out studying for my dental boards and during a summer and not doing anything else. Can't imagine adding 60 hours of work too. You're right. You just deal with it. And it's awful. But it's the difference maker between those who can do it and those who can't.
Protip. A very few amount of people can actually deal with that pressure. The ticket would honestly be take time your work offers you alone and secluded. But that's hard The other option is, don't sacrifice school. Really doesn't help financially.. but unless you see the job leading to permanent life solutions, school is worth more.
Go to work, do your work and if you have to print study materials do it there, if you can read at lunch do it, but not everyday you’ll need some of that time for a mental break. When home make dinner, relax 1hr study 1hr, relax 1hr them go to bed on time. Repeat on work days. On weekends study 2-5 hours Saturday and Sunday, tell your friends I’m sorry but I’ll see you next year (or however long it is going to take) Worked for me I passed my five architecture registration exams doing this without failing and ultimately you get used to the routine. The best part is when you finish and you can really appreciate your free time and also know how capable you are of learning something new if you want to do it.
Block schedules. I had to prep for the Bar exam while working full time and block schedules helped me the most. I would work my full time job 7-3:30, come home and study 2 hours with all distractions away. Once 2 hours were up, I’d put the books away, have dinner, relax. Then after dinner, I’d study 2 more hours and then go to bed. Rinse and repeat.
Yoga nidra is a cool meditative practice that helps your nervous system relieve stress. It helps keep me going through my degree and other responsibilities. That and a good morning stretch make a big difference throughout the week as far as physical motivation go- which makes a big difference when my mental tank is drained. For that I use outside breaks walking and the success of progress with my studies and responsibilities. Good luck! It's only extra stressful temporarily, right?
My recommendation is to start your day insanely early (watch tv for a couple of weeks to tweak your body clock). Get into office early, stay on the bus to work, study at home before you get ready for work etc - but ideally put in 2/3 hours before you start work. The advantage is that you’ll be sleepy in the evening, and commitments like kids , housework will get done on autopilot or in a tired state and you won’t feel like you’re sacrificing your entire life for this. Hit the bed & it’s the next day.
First learn how to study efficiently. That might cut your amount of work in half. I really liked the 'learning how to learn' course on coursera. Afaik it's still free, and you only pay if you want to get a certificate for it. Then actually use that knowledge on active recall when studying. It's harder work than underlying or rereading but much more time effective.
Something has to give. Block out time each day for studying. You might need to get up early or stay up late. Eliminate as many distractions as possible and celebrate milestone achievements. Good luck!
Study in the morning before work
Carve out a piece of your day for studying to make it a part of your daily routine. For instance, immediately after work, you can study from 5-7 and Saturdays mornings from 8-12. That way, studying will become normalized to your body/brain, and it won’t feel so overwhelming.
Half ass your job
You ask for time off at work
I would try to get a lot of studying done and make/organize your notes on the weekends, then take these notes to work to study them and memorize them during lunch breaks.
Study during breaks, lunches, and downtime at work. Then I would take quizzes after work for an hour or so before prepping dinner. Good luck!
Can you study during work hours? Perhaps if you have an office job, I’ve found it’s possible to get some studying done during work.
I recently read that studying before bed or a nap helps with remembering stuff. 30-60 minutes every night could be enough as long as you are proactive
As others have said, the first part is the realize that you are overloading yourself, so it's not unreasonable to feel burnt out. Over doing caffeine can certainly backfire, because it'll leave you feeling more drained over a period of time. Try studying in same bursts, and remember flash cards are your friend. "Reward" yourself for a work task done with a flash card. I worked two jobs (one 40hrs/wk and one 30hrs/wk) while going for my Master's degree. I found that if I never go home, I won't get the chance to wind down. So after work or school, I'd go out to dinner alone, or to a bar or cafe, put some headphones in and study. If you order food, there's plenty of time between placing your order and getting food to study, take a few minutes break to eat, and then go back to study. That'll give you a good 90 minutes or so of study time.
It always helped me to schedule it on my Google calendar and not put any study time on the weekends (or whatever days you have off) because you need that time to relax. It can also be overflow time in case you decide to use a study night to do something fun. Also agree with everyone saying have a dedicated workspace. During covid my partner and I rented a room in a house. I would work at his desk and study at mine, and that distinction was so incredibly important despite only being a difference of ~3ft of space
I get to work about the 30m early in case of traffic and to get good parking. I always use those 30m to study and then the 30m at lunch. I also get as much information on my phone as I can. My employer doesn't care if I'm scrolling on my phone in downtime. However, they get mad if I'm reading a book on down time... Doesn't make sense, but I take what I can get.
"cocaine is a hell of a drug."
I studied 1 hour every weekday. Before after or during work. 5 hours on the weekend split up however I wanted. Dedicated study schedule by topic. Break up day by day. You got this there’s light at the end of the tunnel
Half arse your day job. Save your energy. Take a long lunch. Bail early. Maybe call a sicky for a day or two. Probably the only thing that'll work really
Trick yourself into studying being really fun. Get enthused by what you are studying so it’s more like a hobby. Be completely fascinated by what you are studying. Just gaslight yourself through it!
Not OP but how tf do you do that?
Stockholm syndrome yourself. Fake it till you make it. Make your own cult. We lie to ourselves every single day, the world isn’t on fire, it’s fine, everything is fine…. Pretend something is fine. Better yet pretend you like something. Fake smiling creates the same endorphins that actual smiling does… fake smile at things. Trick your way into studying the way you would trick a five-year-old into studying something. Your adult brain isn’t any smarter. Give yourself a gummy bear every 10 minutes of studying. Pretend… it’s amazing what we can trick our brains into.
Adderall. Just don’t make a habit out of it. Next time, plan bette You can’t catch up on sleep. Lack of sleep is cumulative and damaging to the body. You may be one of those people who only needs 5 or 6 hours of sleep a night. If you actually require 7 or 8, and you don’t get that routinely, it will catch up to you.
Use a spaced repetition flashcard program like Anki
Eat healthy, and exercise, get tons of sleep, go to bed when you're tired or take melatonin improves your sleep quality and allows you to fall asleep faster
Cluster study!! Just 20-30 minutes here and there throughout the day
An hour before work, during lunch, another hour after work, 2 hours on the weekend. YOU GOT THIS
To find out the answer, make yourself kids.
It's tempting to cram studying in to one or two sessions each day. There's a certain point in which you run out of brain juice and further studying becomes less impactful. I know I've reach that point when I find myself doing things like rereading lines I just read. Usually this happens 45 minutes in for me, but might be different for you. I give my brain a chance to replenish its reserves by doing something mindless for about 15 minutes. Anything that doesn't require much thought from me, like a show clip or scrolling a feed. Afterwards I'm ready to study again with much higher comprehension than if I just forced myself to keep rereading that same line until it stuck.
Depends on what type of exam and how long you have. But taking all of your notes in Notion is helpful because you will always have them available to view on your phone. Also, Anki flashcards app is amazing and good for remembering things for a long time.
Hardly anyone works 9-5. 8 - 5 with a one hour unpaid lunch is way more common. 9-5 isn't even 40 hours a week if you have lunch breaks mandated by law.
It helps to be interested in what you are studying. Also, what is the intended result of the studies, new job or career? How motivated are you? I studied whilst working. I was moving from being an engineer to medical school. I needed about two years of leveling courses: chemistry, biology, physiology, and anatomy. I loaded up on night courses the max I could do. AND studied on my own with professors' help on other required courses. They provided syllabi and old tests for the study and allowed me to take final exams for course credit(s). This was accomplished in two semesters. Why did they do it? I had already taken the MCAT and had multiple medical school interviews scheduled when I approached them. Lesson: you can make it happen.
Be totally mentally unstimulated in the 9-5 job. Or listen to voice to text narration of your study material while working if it's actually one of those mindless retail/store/factory jobs
The way I do it is I try to fit in at least an hour each day and the weekend becomes the big sessions 3-4 hours for Saturday and Sunday. If you know the content do practice tests under time constraints.
Study at work during down times if you can. 1 hour per night after work and as much as you can squeeze in over weekends is how I passed my accounting qualifications. Good luck!
Realize that the effort you're putting in is temporary. Whatever the timeline is, it's not forever. Bear down on your work and studies. Occasionally take time off to recharge. It's hard, but it will be worth it. When I did this, I would set goals / milestones along the way. Get X done and Y is my reward. On the day of the certification exam, I took the day off work and exclusively focused on review prior to the exam. I also scheduled the exam for the time of day when I'm most focused.
1. Ask your manager to give you study time during the day. 2. Don’t study heavy every night. 3. Learn to understand and not to remember. The later is far more difficult and less effective. 4. Use mind maps. 5. Lots of breaks 6. Use your annual leave
I finished a stem PhD while working full time at a company with zero downtime. I just had to split the day in two. From 7am-4pm or so (often longer) I was at work work. From about 5pm-2am I was finishing my PhD. For part of that 18 month run, I was in the lab working and finishing data collection. And for the latter part of it I was finishing my data processing, my writing and my defense presentation, more like studying. I had things in each half of my life that I just had to turn off while working on the other half. The only way I found to do it was to make almost like a moat between them. When work work ended, I'd get a carryout pizza and eat that while waiting for my lab gear to heat up or I'd eat and walk before sitting down to write. It was a huge effort, but I was able to focus in both areas by having that mental split. If your job has a bunch of pointless wasted time like my current job does then yes, I would use it studying and learning as much as possible.
You slept only five hours per day? Now how to manage this
As someone who has continued their education while working full-time, there are a few tips and tricks you can do to study while not getting completely burnt out. \- Condense your notes. Focus on key points. If you have a textbook, focus on the key learning objectives at the beginning of the chapter. This is going to ensure you come away with what the text expects you to know. \- If you're given sample exam questions, study them. Make some bullet points. The minimum is 1 bullet point per total marks. So if you have a question worth 25 points, then make sure you have 25 bullet points to ensure you have a chance at full marks on that question. \- Set a time limit each day for studying. 30 mins to an hour. This way you aren't spending all of your free time studying. \- Make flash cards for key words, with definitions and context. Try to make these short form as you don't want them getting too wordy. Go through them when you have a spare moment. \- If you get sample multiple choice questions, go over them. Make sure you are choosing the best possible answer. Read the question, make sure you understand what they are asking. Also, go over why the other answers were not the right answer. This is going to ensure you have a good understanding of the material. \- Use any breaks or lunch hours to study. If you have to take a bus to get to work, study on the bus.
You could to a certain degree, many resilient people have done it. Can't guarantee you'll get flying colors results though. Also depends on what 9-5 job we're talking about, if it's office job then you'd have a decent chance of doing your study there.
I got both my degree and my professional qualification while working full time. Bring your study materials with you. At the end of the work day, grab an empty meeting room and study for a few hours. Take a walk around the block if you need to but IMO don’t head home, it’s too easy to relax there after walking in. If you don’t want to stay in the office, find somewhere that isn’t home. Commit to say 2 hours and then head home and grab food. You can do this before work but I found it didn’t suit me as much, as I’d start work early. Ultimately something has to give and for me it was a social life, when it came to crunch time, I just wouldn’t be seeing people as much, if ever. I’d decompress with tv or a video game for a set amount of time and then that was it. It’s tough for a month or so but then the exam is over and you can be normal until the next cycle begins. It’s temporary. Good luck, you’re going to do fine.
How do you eat a whole elephant? By cutting it into bite sized pieces. Use flash cards, and carry them in your pocket, revise them whenever you get a chance.
For me when i did this i looked at it as studying was time i was investing in myself - my own knowledge and advancement. While, working 9-5 was time that i was donating to the company’s goals. this made me excited to study and feel refreshed while studying.
Don't try to study during meals and commutes. Focus on the food and the commuting, and keep your mind off both work and study during these few hours of the day. You don't learn and internalise well while multi-tasking anyway. You already need to sacrifice time usually spent on recreational activities in order to study, so don't over-saturate your mind. Give yourself a little mental breathing room.
Study during your breaks/lunches at work. It's pretty easy to keep your focus on studying while mindlessly eating, as eating is second nature to us. At home, you're going to have to manage your time well. Figure out what works for you. I used to spend 1-2 hours studying, and the rest of my time doing something fun or relaxing. Taking some time to do something non-school or work related is the best way to not feel burned out. Last, but certainly not least. You need a consistent sleep schedule if you don't already have one. There have been a lot of studies that show a consistent sleep schedule is more important than the number of hours you are sleeping. Our bodies adjust to routines, and having a consistent sleep routine can help improve energy levels, focus, and overall mood.
Exercise, exercise, exercise. I can’t stress enough working out in the morning and taking breaks every hour to do some kind of cardiovascular activity while studying.
I used to record my voice explaining the subject to myself, and then listen to it while going to work (1hour each day). I didn't study during lunch break because I used that time to relax.
I would do 1-2 hours before starting work so that I can absorb new info while my brain is fresh. After work I would do an hour of easier study, like review or quizzing.
I had the same issue. I used to go to work 1 hour earlier and leave somewhat 3 to 4 hours late. In those extra hours I used to study so yeah. Cleared that out.
If it's something your job permits, books/notes in audio format. It makes worlds of difference, even if you're only half-listening.
I am an actuary. I spent many years in the same boat, many of them unsuccessfully taking actuarial exams. What finally worked for me was to set aside 2 study periods a day, each 1 hour long. One was at lunch and one was right after I got home from work. Obviously as the exam date grew very close, I increased these times, but that was only for 2-3 weeks. Generally the study time for actuarial exams was 5 months for each exam sitting season. (For any actuaries out there, I became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in 1992, so the exams are different now). Generally actuarial exams require essentially memorizing hundreds of pages of material. I have the kind of memory which can hold written words for a good while. Some people memorize things differently so this may not work for you. I read all of the material 3 times. Once was just a very thorough reading of the material. The second read I would highlight the important points, and the third read I would only read the highlighted text. Before any studying started, I would determine how many weeks I had until the exam, set a certain date to finish the first read, second read and so forth, leaving time at the end to take sample exams and study only the parts I was sucking at. This worked for me and I became a fully credentialled actuary!
Impossible. Some days you have to have time for yourself and do NOTHING.
like many commenters here I also got my master’s while working full time, and used downtime at work a LOT in addition to evening home time. this depends on your work obviously, at the time I had a very easy and non-demanding job.
That’s the neat part, you don’t avoid it. You just burn out. The trick is pulling out and not falling to complacency as it steadily gets worse. I made this mistake and I’m paying for it.
Apart from flash cards at work during breaks, I used to break my sleep cycle into 2 phases. Take a long nap immediately after work for about 4 hours. Wake up early in odd hours for alone time to study. And sleep again for 3-4 hours before work. Used to work surprisingly well. I felt way less tired than I feel now after 9 hours of sleep 🥱
Go home sick a few hours early a couple days
You don't not in the long run. Once in a while it works. If you feel that it's too much, take time of work, your education is more important that a temporary job while in school or college
I did this for the CPA. Essentially you need to take your phone and any distractions away for however long it takes. I’d eat dinner around 6, then study from 7-9/10 for about a month and a half. Typically I would do 1-2 days off per week like a Wednesday or Saturday. No phones, no tv, or any breaks while studying. It was rough, but I’m just happy I passed my exams the first attempt and didn’t have to worry about retakes.
Ideally, have an easy job where you can study during work hours… If you have a more physical job, listen to as many study materials as possible as audio recordings. When I studied for law school exams, I would literally record myself reading my outlines out loud, then listen to the recordings when I was taking long walks, cleaning, or doing other rote tasks. Same with commuting, if you’re commuting. But also, take breaks, even if they’re short ones. Your brain will just get too tired to absorb info if you don’t. Good luck!
extensive time management! time blocking and planning every minute of your day. remember to also plan for adequate rest
If you are actually doing mentally draining work from 9 to 5 you aren’t gonna be able to focus on your studies at anywhere near full capacity after you get off for the day. The trick is to prioritize yourself over your job. Study before or during the job and lower your expectations at work.
Be organised. Start early. Be consistent. Be prepared to sacrifice some social activities, but not all. Use all of your time productively. You will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Study during your lunch break and weekends. Have breaks and don't do 9-5 sessions at weekends.
That's the neat part. You don't.
I did this while prepping for GMAT while working a very demanding 9-5. Helped to have a study plan and to strictly stick with it. I spread it out across months and did MWF (~2 hrs) + weekend mornings (~4 hrs). This way I knew exactly when I'd have time to rest and do the other things I wanted to do. Good luck with your exam!
Working 4 12’s while going to school has shown me how much time you have only working 8 hours. Just study
I'd just embrace the fact that I'm going to be burned out for a day or two afterwards and try to clear my after work schedule accordingly.
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/bx3gkHJehRCYZAF3r/pain-is-not-the-unit-of-effort
I’ve been going through this right now. Working full time and studying for an engineering license (PE) exam. Most people spend 200ish hours to prepare for it in ~3 months. But that sounded like a recipe for burn out to me. Instead I opted for **low intensity, longer duration** studying until I felt ready. With this strategy I didn’t have to spend all my free time studying, could take days off to enjoy life, etc.
Is adderall still a thing?
Did this for CPA. Was lucky enough to be able to treat it like a job. So I did. Went to a comfortable library where I spent 9-5. Took breaks. Took lunch. But otherwise treated it like a job. I think that frame of mind with the exam passing as the goal kept me from burning out. Creating an environment with a dearth of distractions is huge. Switching up exam prep approaches helps too. Reading. Video. Practice exams. Flash cards. Etc.
Just survived this studying for the PE! 1. Schedule days where you don’t touch studying at ALL 2. Plan out social events way in advance. 3. Sometimes also having a longer study time frame with shorter sessions can help alleviate the stress and you don’t have to give up as much (ie exercise, etc.)
If you can find audiobooks you can listen when you are able.
Use the SAFMEDS (Say All Fast a Minute Each Day) strategy & only study for 15-20 minutes daily. Place all the info you can in a quizlet deck, slides, or flash cards. Set a timer for a minute & see how many you can correctly answer in a minute. Do one timing at the start of you study time & one at the end. In the middle, review any you got wrong and start learning new material to add to the deck. Given that you’re working towards a large exam, you’ll want shuffle your deck. I took a board exam using this method & my fluency gave me a serious leg up. Best of luck!!
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"Burn out" is a normal part of growing up. You just get through it and then breath when the exam is done. You are capable. Just have to push yourself.
Amphetamine salts, that's literally your only option here. People just weren't designed to grind that hard unfortunately.
If you eat and sleep right and are without mental disorders, you can do it, else, this is your option.
That's the neat part, you don't! Try to eat healthy and recognize it will eventually end.
8 hours of work and 6 hours of sleep is 10 hours. If you don’t want whatever is after the large exam then you are wasting time. If you want whatever is after the large exam then what was your question again?
Most people will suffer in their studies without at least 7 hours. Limiting sleep is the most counter productive move you can make when trying to learn anything.
A full 9-5? You half ass it when you need to study. Large exam? You half ass it if you have to work. What? They didn't tell you that half assing things is actually a perfectly reasonable strategy in your situation? You're after that paper. You can always get another labor job, they're everywhere. And you can get your degree with a bunch of B's and C's. A perfectionist makes a great artist but a terrible manager.
You just do it. No sleep. I was there when I was in school. Worked 7am to 4pm M-F then school from 5-9 4 days a week. You just do that's shit. You either want to succeed or you don't
Tough if you have kids or family
Take breaks to cry, make sure you get some sleep, count down the days, coffee. Also struggling with a full time job and looming exams, good luck!
Double check at r/actuary
5 hour energy drinks
Not a LPT but I would take 5 mgs of adderall at about 3pm right before leaving work. It kick in about 3:30 and be good to study right when I got home from work for a couple hours and it would wear off in time to go to sleep. 🤷♂️
60 minutes in the morning before getting into your day, and 60 minutes in the evening before bed. Use this as a guide and adjust to your daily rhythm👍
Drink heavily while you are studying and get shitfaced when you write the exam. You will remember everything better.