[Anonymous]

I’m into burn out at this point in my CPA exam testing. I’ve passed AUD, taken REG, and halfway through my BEC classes (2 weeks until test), then jump into FAR for an April test. My life balance is all out of whack. I am feeling the physical effect of the intense focus and work I’ve put in. It is similar to what I felt at the end of college ages ago. I hated it then and I still hate it now. I am always tired and cranky. I haven’t had any real time for myself in a couple of months. It is getting harder to put in the time I need to. I am down to 3 hours a night after work (been at a solid 4 for AUD and REG previously). While I am still doing good on my review materials (80% on my first pass through Becker MC questions) I am not feeling as confident with the questions. This past week I didn’t even fully read the material before going to the live classes. Previously I’ve not only read the book material but usually also did the MC questions at least once before class. I am still far enough out from finishing (67-70 days) that it isn’t ‘almost’ over but far enough in that I’m well into it. I know none of the material is hard or difficult but there is a metric ton of it (and I haven’t been in college in 10 years). The BEC material is just boring me to tears right now even as I struggle to remember all the finer points of it. I need to go back and fully read the strategic management stuff but I feel like an equivalent alternative would be to smash a brick into my head.

I know the answer is that I am really far along and it is ‘almost’ done. I know the answer is just to sit down and focus and do it. That doesn’t make me less tired, cranky, or feel better though. I’m hoping once I finish BEC and get into FAR (my last section hopefully)I’ll get my second wind to carry me through the end.

So, how have you all handled the burn out? At what point in the process did you feel it? Did you catch it in time or did your performance take a hit and trip you up? I know I’ll get through it, but hearing the shared misery of others going through it will probably help as well.

[Anonymous]

Alcohol, Dale, lots of alcohol 🙂

[Anonymous]

Me and Captain Morgan are just going to be roommates soon I think.

[Anonymous]

Dale, I feel the same way. I took AUD and BEC in November and passed them both. I am scheduled to take FAR on 2/24 and REG on 2/27. I have PROMISED my family that things will get back to normal in March.

You just have to remember why you are making this GREAT SACRIFICE, and it will ALL pay off when you have those three letters (CPA) behind your name.

“The key to achieving goals is what we are willing to sacrifice to obtain it.”…..Hang in there, it won't be long.

[Anonymous]

“This past week I didn't even fully read the material before going to the live classes”…really? lol… it appears to me like you are maybe trying to do too much. this material is not that hard to require so much preparation, go to class, take notes, go review at home and do MC questions until you get them all right. why do anything b4 class. I have taken 2 exams(FAR-passed in the 80's and BEC-waiting on results, feel like i passed) thus far and never felt burnt out though i work 12 hours days and study afterwards and on the weekends. for FAR i studied for 3 and a half weeks, work from 8am-8pm, study from 9pm-12am/1am M-F, saturday/sun wake 9am study till 11pm, repeat. All i do is sit thru the becker self study video lectures, taking the notes they show me to take, pause lectures to learn any concepts that are hard(this takes awhile lots of pausing and teaching myself stuff), then finish the lecture, then do the mc questions, redoing any i missed until i got 100% on the questions, then i dont look at that chapter until 1 day b4 the test when i start my review of all chapters. 1 day of review the day b4 the exam after going thru each chapter once and only once… and ive done fine. the reason is that I dont leave a chapter until I have mastered everthing so a lecture and MC questions could take me 12-15 hours, which is how i can only go thru a chapter once and need only minimal review the day b4 the test. . maybe you need a little more prep than me, but maybe not as much as you are doing now. also, i throw in little 15-30 minutes of free time thruout those long sat/sun of studying such as a tv show or video game to refresh my thoughts.

[Anonymous]

While I do study hard, I also have other interests besides the CPA exam. I love golfing, yard work, spending time with my wife and kids, sports etc. If I feel like I'm truly getting burned out, I take the day off studying and do something I enjoy. If I feel like I'm mentally tired, I take a 15 minute break and come back much more refreshed. Taking a day off due to being burned out doesn't happen very often (although I do take one day a week off to mentally refresh and spend time with my family) but when it does, it's very refreshing to have a day off studying. I always come back to my lectures, MCQ's or whatever feeling better and more focused.

Might not work for everyone, but it works for me.

[Anonymous]

I started to feel this way while studying for my 3rd exam, which was also BEC. I had already taken AUD and FAR but didn't know the results of them at the time. If you're feeling really burnt out then take a couple of days off. Don't look at your materials and don't think about them. While this may initially put you behind on your study schedule it helps considerably for your mental well-being and attitude going forward. You'll also come back refreshed and ready to continue where you left off, hopefully.

I'll add that studying for the last exam wasn't nearly as daunting as studying for the second to last. At that point you are on home stretch and the end seems much more in reach.

[Anonymous]

97 96 93 lol epic.

[Author]

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