The holidays are right around the corner and as with most holidays, there are more family gatherings, social outings, and celebrations with friends during this time. But what if you are trying to study for the CPA Exam and sit for a final section before the new year?
Below are ways you can study for the CPA Exam while you’re navigating the holidays, too.
- Prioritize your studies. While spending time with friends and family is important, you need to keep your CPA Exam goals in mind. Before you skip a study session, try to remember your priorities of passing the CPA Exam sooner than later. There is no better time to get your studies out of the way than during the holidays off from work and school. Take this time to prioritize your career and future goals.
- Keep your study schedule updated. Creating a study schedule for your CPA Exam is a great way to stay on track with completing CPA Exam tasks throughout the day, week, and month. Hopefully, you have already created a study schedule, but have you updated it often? Try to ensure your study schedule is reasonable and encompasses both work, school, and/or life. Be sure to add breaks and self-care into the schedule and those special holiday moments spent with family so that you can stay on track to pass the CPA Exam.
- Connect with a study partner. Having to study during the holidays isn’t necessarily the most inspiring activity, especially when you’re studying alone. Consider connecting with another CPA candidate either virtually or in-person to have some study sessions together. Doing so will keep you focused over the holidays and you won’t feel so left out of all the activities.
- Study early in the morning. You might not be a morning person, but studying early in the morning while it’s quiet is a great way to knock out your study sessions for the day. Think about going to be earlier so you can get up earlier and start your day refreshed and ready to learn. Studying early in the morning also prevents you from putting off studying later in the day when friends and family are visiting or when you have a fun holiday activity to do.
- Shut down your devices while you study. As most of us know, it can be very distracting to open a device and start scrolling through various social media platforms. You might just think you’re taking a couple of minutes to relax, but once you start scrolling, you might find that you’ve lost an hour or two of precious study time. Do yourself a favor and shut off your devices while you study – unless you’re using a CPA review mobile app. The fewer distractions you have, the better, and you’ll have a much more productive study session.
- Use on-the-go CPA Exam study materials. If you’re studying with the right CPA Exam review provider, you should have a mobile app that allows you to study on the go. This makes studying for the CPA Exam extremely convenient, especially during the holidays. Find a CPA Review course that has an app that seamlessly syncs with the desktop version of your course, allowing you to easily continue your studies from one device to the next.
- Study smarter, not harder. Time is precious during the holidays. Don’t waste your time with ineffective study methods. Find the study tactics that work best for you and study smarter, not longer. Don’t waste time studying the material you don’t need to know for the exam. Ensure that your CPA Review course has robust performance and tracking reports for your CPA Exam studies.
- Ask your family and friends for support. There is nothing wrong with asking your family and friends for some extra support and understanding about your CPA Exam studies during the holidays. After reviewing your study schedule and prioritizing your time, if you find that you don’t have enough time to leave the house to attend a holiday party, then explain the importance of your studies to everyone. Those who want you to succeed will understand how important passing the CPA Exam is for you and will be supportive of your studies.
- Practice Self-Care. Yes, it is incredibly important that you study, but you also have to balance out your study hours with self-care. Try to get enough sleep at night. Take study breaks and include them in your study schedule. Enjoy some free time with family during the holidays to refresh and recharge. Incorporating self-care into your daily routine and study schedule will help you stay positive while studying for the exam.
- Don’t get left behind. Use the holiday time to work towards your CPA goals. There is no time like the present to prioritize your career and complete your CPA goals. Try to harness the positive benefits of competition with your colleagues to obtain the CPA credential by taking proactive steps to pass at least one section of the CPA Exam before the end of the year. Once the holidays are over, you’ll be glad you used your time wisely to get closer to your end goals.
Bonus Tip: Envision yourself as a CPA! This one’s extra special–keep in mind the whole reason you’re taking on the study obligations, long hours, etc–you’re on the road to a successful future as a Certified Public Accountant!
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of SUCCESS. Set your 2022 CPA Exam goals and take your career to the next level. Take a free trial today!