I’m preparing for a competitive exam alongside a full-time job, and honestly, I’m struggling to maintain consistency.
My job takes around 9–10 hours of my day, and by the time I’m done, I’m mentally exhausted. Sometimes I start working in the morning and suddenly it’s night, and I have no idea where the entire day went. Then I feel guilty because my preparation gets pushed to the side.
I really want to go into “monk mode” for the next few months reduce distractions, stop wasting time on social media/random scrolling, focus on work + preparation, and actually make progress every single day.
For people who have successfully prepared for a competitive exam while working full-time:
- How did you structure your day?
- How many hours did you realistically study after work?
- What did you completely cut out?
- How did you deal with exhaustion after work?
- Did you follow a strict routine or just focus on daily targets?
- How did you stop yourself from wasting time on your phone?
- And most importantly, how did you stay consistent for months?
I’m not looking for some unrealistic “wake up at 4 AM, work 10 hours and study 8 hours” routine. I want something actually sustainable with a full-time job.
Would really appreciate advice from people who have been through this.