Last Friday, March 20th, we welcomed the first day of spring. That’s right it’s that time of year when the snow begins thawing, the weather gets warmer, and, unless you’re one of the common thousands who delight in seeing the beauty of flowers bloom and grow only to immediately suffer watery eyes, runny noses, and an uncontrollable urge to scratch, then its usually a very delightful time of year.
While the ushering in of spring typically signifies new beginnings and a reawakening in nature, we as people like to use spring as a chance to get refreshed as well. And for many of us whether were still in school, are working, or have a family to take care of, spring is a very busy time of year. Your kids are on vacation for Spring Break, youre traveling back home to visit family and friends, and youre wrapping up the tax season.
So for all you CPA exam candidates out there looking to take the exam in April or May or are simply continuing your CPA exam journey, weve put together some great studying for on-the-go tips that you can use to refresh your brain and body during this especially busy time of year. When it comes to effective retention and review of concepts, try out these great techniques to squeeze in some study time between point A and point B or when you have some leisure time during your hectic day.
Identify your schedule
This first tip is very simplistic and it may seem like an oversight at first, but you’d be surprised at how many things you’re doing in a given day when you don’t keep track of your tasks and responsibilities. Identifying your schedule means a few things:
1. What are your priorities for the day?
Make a list of what your top tasks are. Yes, taking the kids to school and going to work are a given, but aside from these major daily routines, make a list of what youre going to do today and then checkmark the items that absolutely need to get done. This way, your priorities are better set and you are more likely to accomplish things in a timely manner when you have a clear cut task list keeping you on track.
2. When do you have down time?
Once your priorities are set, identify the areas when you have some down time. Common ones would be during your commute to school or lunch/regular breaks. But here are some other time slots that may not be so obvious:
Your gym session
While youre cooking
Running errands (picking up groceries, the kids)
Doing laundry
Walking the dog
You get the idea. Sometimes were so immersed in our everyday routines that we forget our brains may be able to squeeze in some extra studying time Identifying when you can review or learn a new concept is crucial to studying on-the-go, especially if you want to ensure that youre doing as much as possible to learn the material.
3. Determine what you’re trying to accomplish in terms of study material
Equally important to figuring out your priorities and when to study on-the-go is having a goal for what you want to accomplish. And may we add, that it has to be a realistic one. Take into consideration the type of learner you are and how long it usually takes you to get through a concept with a full grasp. Then take a look at your
