[Nahla2016]

I am wondering if someone can give me tips for keeping up with studying while having kids and work. It is crazy with their activities and keeping up cleaning and work and studying. My work starts at 7 am so I wake up at 6am so no way I can wake up two hours earlier to study. Also, I have noticed that I am very easily distracted. I come back from work and I am done with the day.

Nahla

[KJ]

My situation is same as yours, kids, wife, full-time work, same work schedule as yours, getting up early, can't study early in the morning (not a morning person). I have to take my first FAR exam on Saturday. I had attended 2 weddings for my 1st cousins within last 2 months (not to mention had to attend, family commitment, no excuse, so if I fail will blame it on them, lol probably not).

I used to come home at around 5ish, play with my kids (my son was telling me today we miss playing with you before going to bed, trust me broke my heart but I felt bad and said sorry-I guess more of a motivation to pass CPA). I used to eat around 6ish and go to studying at around 7ish and probably study until midnight and some days later than that.

Trust me its not easy (as you will know soon if not sooner with family/kids/work) but I am more of a night person than morning. I was so exhausted sometimes that I could not function at work. I started to sleep early (3 days in a week) to catch up on sleep. Most of the pounding studying during weekends.

Sticking to schedule is not going to be easy specially for us with kids and family. I get distracted easily too but need to find that balance I guess. I will know soon find out after my first exam how everything pan out (the way I studied).

Need to have productive session and try to learn by understanding the concepts (which I did not earlier when I started studying) since FAR covers so much material and now I feel that could have done better on that. When you doing MCQ make sure you read why the answer is correct and if not why it is wrong. I started doing that recently and some of the concepts make more sense (like I said wish had done earlier in my preparation). I wish you luck and don't give up, we all can do it!!

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler" - Albert Einstein

FAR - August 2016
AUD - September 2016
REG - October 2016
BEC - November 2016

Remember: "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler." - Albert Einstein

[perezc3910]

Keeping up with a schedule is difficult even for me and I don't have kids. I just work 60 hours weeks sometimes and I get home so exhausted that even when I want to sit and study, it's so hard to concentrate. Even though I have already invested so much money into my Becker review course, it is simply not enough. I am so thankful for NINJA products. I bought the audio a week into studying and I listen to it on my drive to/from work, while cooking and cleaning, and any other chance I get. I used to beat myself up when I didn't keep up with my study schedule but I just can't control my work load. You just have to find ways to squeeze in studying into your daily life. I think it's more important to stick with a study time goal than a study schedule. Just my 2 cents

BEC-July 2016
REG-August 2016
FAR-October 2016
AUD-Nov/Dec 2016

[RE2PECT]

I'm in the same situation, having a wife and 4 month old at home. Thankfully my wife is really supportive and doesn't argue with me about studying, but I try and do it at times when she doesn't need me as much. I wake up early as well and can't study in the morning, and want to spend time with my son when I get home, so I usually don't sit down to study till around 9 during the week. On the weekends I wake up early and get most of my studying done in the morning and try and get in a couple more hours at night before I go to bed. One thing I do that helps me stay focused and motivated is log my study hours on a spreadsheet. When you see the hours progressing it makes me stay motivated and want to keep up the pace and not start slacking.

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Roger & Ninja

FAR: 75
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, 73, 82
REG: 68, 82

FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, retake 8/29
REG:

[perezc3910]

Re2pect, how long did it take you to study for FAR? I just got my NTS for Reg and Far and I want to schedule them but i'm not sure if two months is enough for each.

BEC-July 2016
REG-August 2016
FAR-October 2016
AUD-Nov/Dec 2016

[RE2PECT]

perezc3910- I studied about 200 hours in just over 2 months. I just finished school so the material was still fresh, but have no accounting experience. Taking a Gov/NFP course my last semester really helped because my exam was heavy on that topic.

"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Roger & Ninja

FAR: 75
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, 73, 82
REG: 68, 82

FAR: 75 Roger & Ninja (notes/flashcards/audio/MCQ)
AUD: 73, 81
BEC: 71, retake 8/29
REG:

[mtaylo24]

Yeah, time management is my downfall. I also can't get it going in the morning. After work at 5, I drive to pick my 4yr old up from daycare. He did T-ball this spring, so they have games like 6:15-8:00. Non T-ball days, I can get things started around 7:00. My wife is a RN, works 7-7:30 3 days a week (sometimes more) no matter what, so she isn't home until 8. I'm usually just spacing out while studying unless I have a 5 hour energy. I also find that chewing gum sometimes helps while studying.

My quality study time is either a.) during the weekend or b.) at work. Lately I've been getting shut out from studying at work (budget/CAFR/Auditors on site/RFPs). Same with weekends (visitors/graduations)

CPA (2017)

REG:  75

BEC:  76

FAR:  77

AUD: 78

 

CMA (2019)

P1: 380

P2: 360

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[Missy]

Couple of things. I am a mom, full time job, kids with sports and scouts (also a scout leader) AND was taking classes for my masters. You are going to need to make the audio your best friend. Folding laundry? Listen to audio. Weeding the garden? Listen to audio. Walking the dog? You've got it. I fell asleep listening to audio praying some subliminal messages were getting through.

10pm-Midnight was studying. It only afforded me 6 hours sleep a night. It stunk, reminded me of having a newborn but I reminded myself that I survived that and would survive this too, which I did.

But remember studying 30 minutes 4 times a day can be as effective maybe even more so than one big 2-3 hour block at a time. If the kids are at cheer practice go pick them up 1/2 hour early sit in your car and study. If you're at a soccer game either listen to audio on an ipod or study your book (lets be honest the kids don't look to see if you're watching LOL).

Also get help wherever you can, get paper plates so no dishes, get a housekeeper once a week its not THAT expensive, enlist family and friends for a couple hours childcare on the weekend to squeeze in some more studying. There are sacrifices to be made all around but its exceptionally temporary and the more sacrifices you make the quicker its behind you.

Old timer,  A71'er since 2010.

Finance manager/HR manager

 

 

Licensed Massachusetts Non Reporting CPA since 2012
Finance/Admin/HR Manager

[Ag12thman]

Those are some outstanding points, mla11692.

FAR: July 2016

[CPYay]

I'm in a similar situation. I have two kids, my girlfriend has one and we all live together. We have kids in and out of the house weekly as they go between homes. I'm the only one who knows how to cook. I don't get home until 6ish and it's chaos until the kids go to bed 8:30. But then my girlfriend complains that she wants to spend time together, so I get the guilt trip before I can even read a sentence in the textbook.

What I proposed is a schedule. This way, you can ensure you're meeting the hours to study and allocating enough hours with the family and doing the things you need to do. Weekends are the workhorse since there are more hours available. You won't always be motivated, but you need to push through.

Maybe try the Pomodoro technique? Study in blocks with small breaks in between. Gives you a sense of achievement and may get the motivation ball rolling.

AUD - 92
BEC - 84
FAR - 89
REG - 84

Mailed application! Hoping to be licensed by year-end!

[Key522]

Time management is the hardest part about studying. I commend those with kids who study for this test. I decided to start going to Starbucks after work to study. It's like my part time job after work. No distraction and surrounded by others studying or working. Family always make you feel guilty about missing out on quality time but you have to say no sometimes. Always remember this is temporary and you will have plenty time after this test.

AUD - 85
BEC - 84
FAR - 77
REG - 80

BEC - Feb 2015 68 April 2015 84

FAR - July 2015 77

AUD - Oct 2015 74 Feb 2016 71 April 2016 85

REG - Jan 2016 67 July 2016 74 Oct 2016 80

 

BEC Feb 2015 68 - rematch Apr 2015 - 84
FAR July 2015 77
AUD Oct 2015 74 Feb 2016 71 April 2016 85
REG Jan 2016 67 July 2016

[MaLoTu]

It is mind over matter and it is hard. I too have kids and my husband works a lot, so once they get home from school all bets are off to me finishing anything else substantial! Yesterday they had a short day and I didn't get through my material. Of course they had homework and they were wild, I wanted to cry because they would not let me get back to what I needed to do.

i have to remind myself constantly of the consequences of not finishing what I want when I have the time. Then I have to just do it no matter what else seems more appealing. It is simple and it is hard.

Almost always from my phone... please excuse my typos!

All 4 passed - 2016

CA CPA

[Author]

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