Do you ever have one of those weeks where you feel as though you have all the time in the world but yet nothing gets done? Well that was my past week. I was supposed to be at a client for the week but due to the client not being ready for my audit team our engagement had been pushed off till this upcoming week. In my mind I thought woo hoo some downtime to study at the office! However, it is funny how when this happens and you have some time to study it is a lot easier said than done.
I don’t know why, but you can ask some of my fellow co-workers who are also studying for the exam, sometimes it feels that surfing the internet during the day is more accepted than studying during downtime. I am sure the shareholders would beg to differ but ask a co-worker and they mostly will agree! Maybe it is the constant guilty feeling that one of your co-workers who is also studying for the exam is swamped with work when you aren’t? I have definitely formed a love hate relationship with trying to get in some study time at work. I have discovered that my most productive studying is done during my lunch break when I plug-in my head phones and drown out the sound of the printers going a mile a minute and tune in to Phil Yaeger from Yaeger CPA Review.
I managed to meet my goal of studying the full 20 hours this week with the help of Jeff’s NINJA study outline for REG on another71.com. I also managed to get through the Yaeger home study lectures for partnerships and corporations which was the other goal I made for myself this week. I have come realize that I am extremely goal oriented so making myself a goal each time when I write-up this blog to keep me true to myself totally makes all the difference in the world. Therefore my goal for this upcoming week is to get through the tax section of the home study and review Jeff’s NINJA notes that I have marked up crazily. Jeff’s NINJA notes are my life saver! I used to write my own notes but I have the habit of rewriting the ENTIRE book and that takes me a life time and then some so now I just add to his. What is each of your goals for this upcoming week of studying? I am curious to know!
I sort of feel behind in my study plan but I think it is because I have taken a different approach to my studying this time around that seems to be working in my favor. I used to watch all the lectures first and then do the questions. Now I watch the lectures for each module and then work the minimum required multiple choice questions. I know people feel differently about this but when I think back on my past studying habits I realized that I was just trying to rush through the lectures to actually get to the multiple choice questions. With that being said, I felt as though by the time I watched 30 hours’ worth of lectures my mind went blank of what I learnt in the beginning. Hopefully my “new” studying habit helps me retain the information and get that passing score on July 8th!
I recently saw a quote on infamous Facebook from the fan page of the movie Something Borrowed and I thought of myself and this whole CPA exam process when I read it so I will share it with all of you. “I am learning that perfection isn’t what matters. In fact, it’s the very thing that can destroy you if you let it”. I personally know that I feel as though perfection is 100% necessary when studying for these exams. Meaning that if I don’t score a 100% on a testlet of 20 questions I get nervous that I am going to fail. However, I just need to let it go and move onto the next one because the panic of not being “perfect” eventually will destroy my score if I let it.
Until next time,
Rebecca
Just curious, what is the office policy on studying during work hours? I identify with your statement about surfing the net being more acceptable than studying. It seems that many employers would rather see you doing nothing at all during downtime than busy with some non-work project. That guilty feeling you speak of can be very stressful and have a negative impact.
Goals are crucial! Particularly short range goals – daily or even hourly. They build momentum.
I am not positive what the office policy is on studying during work hours. I personally feel as though if I have made it clear to all those above me that I am looking for work to do and there is no work to be handed out then it would be smart to study. I am at least furthering my knowledge and striving towards the common goal that I myself and my firm have helped set for me. The more studying the better! Every minute counts when it comes to this exam.