I had to catch up I was working on a project today. This forum has been rock'n with suggestions while I was gone.
Becks – I can't tell you to quit or stay, but if you work five hours a day on the weekends lets say then you might have to study for two hours before and two hours (or three or more) after. I commute into the city. I lose four hours a day almost in travel (so I work/travel 60 hours a week). Studying on the trains is easier if I do practice questions with symphony music on my head phones (no words to the music to distract you) or I do read, but sometimes its hard with all the people to concentrate. When I drive to the store and stuff every other Saturday (I cut my trips there down to every two weeks instead of one week) I listen to lectures in my car (Wiley has some fairly inexpensive cd's and I have bought Gleim in the past to put in my headphones if I want to take a walk and listen – someone else that has used something like that might make a suggestion to you also). Use your drive time to absorb some of the information you need to know. Me personally, I don't gain that much from listening unless I am taking notes, but I don't feel as guilty leaving the house if I am absorbing something about whatever section I am working on. So (back to my plan) in the evening during the week I come home and open a book after I get settled. I commit to how far I want to get and if I can do more that is great, but I stop studying between 8-9:00 pm (I get up at 4:00 am – I can't get up any earlier to get an hour in before work so I do it when I get home). If I am wiped out I will stop at 7:00 pm. I try to do what I can on the train (I only count half an hour each way in study time by the time I get settled). I don't count my listening to lecture time in my weekly hours because it is not effective study time for me, but I am learning while I am doing something. On the weekend after my shopping trip or on the Saturday I don't go. I get my household stuff done after a few hours of studying, and then I go back to it. If you can't give up the job then try to squeeze somehow a few hours in on Saturday / Sunday before and / or after your job. My Sunday beside some laundry duties at about 7:00 pm I spend studying. I do take breaks. I do pop in here in the evenings if I need to look away for a few minutes from a book, but I commit to at least 20 hours a week (10 during the week and 10 on the weekends). You have to find time for it and it might mean giving up something.
I don't have kids (and God Bless Lee_IN for doing this with 6 kids -holy smokes), but I have a husband who is sick of me studying, but also supports me & wants it done and the dog + cat. It still takes time to take care of them and they all need that time. I try to schedule my time catching up with friends / family while I am doing my household stuff. If you want to see someone – grab dinner with them, but come home & pick up your book or commit to that as being your evening off. I do try to take Friday nights off and late Saturday / Sunday nights for my husband unless I am close to an exam. Then I don't do anything – nothing, but study.
You have to find what works for you and keeps your balance in your life, but gets the job done to pass this thing. I have been burned by this exam eight times and one pending one on the way (if they would release my darn score) and it sucks. I thought each time that I did enough and I have yet to do enough to pass. I do know since I am not able to study all day as some are I have to spend more time each exam. I read a lot of the passing peoples posts after score realase and some are studying 12 -16 hours a day – every day and doing 3000 questions. I can't do that amount in the same time they do because I have to work, I don't have an option to quit, but now I know I have to allow myself enough time to get through the material and practice it until I turn blue before I sit – it does not work if you do not know the material – trust me!
Study hard and stay strong & you can do this. I know I will someday!
IL - 11/24 AUD
Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
.