[kappa1032]

So I just got my most recent eval from work…it was Ok but my boss made it a point that my performance was slipping – I know for sure this is attributed to how much studying I’ve been doing and I pretty much lost all my focus at work…sigh. I don’t want to respond to it saying that the CPA is the cause but for the most part, it’s true!

I really hope the test I took recently will be my last…I don’t think my livelihood can take another shot.

End of rant..

FAR - 81
REG - 74, 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88

Finally.

“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying”
― John C. Maxwell

[Mamabear]

You are not alone. My boss and I have had several conversations about how distracted I have been at work because of the lack of sleep and the stress of studying. There are days that I will be working on something and just start staring into space because I am so tired. I've made mistakes that I have never made before. I feel awful because I've always been known for my good work performance, but she understands and she feels partially responsible since she asked me to get my CPA so now I just have to make up for my bad work performance along with everything else that I let slip while I was studying. You will be done very soon kappa! Just hold on and try to maintain a good front at work and get this done. The old you will be back soon.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[mla1169]

Sorry but I think you're looking to place blame for your performance. Studying is demanding but if it's truly affecting your day job you're doing something wrong. There's no reason studying should impede anything but your extracurriculars activities.

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[kappa1032]

I totally agree – there shouldn't be any excuse for my performance, and when I talked to my boss today, I told him there were no excuses. We're on the same page now and he pretty much told me that it's good that we're having that conversation because it's much better than the issue not being talked.

FAR - 81
REG - 74, 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88

Finally.

“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying”
― John C. Maxwell

[Mamabear]

It's great that you guys are on the same page, but I have to ask if you really felt that way or if you were just trying to smooth over the review. I think that it depends on the person as to whether or not studying affects other areas of your life. I'm not saying it's a good reason for bad work performance, but mistakes do happen more often when people are exhausted or if they have things going on outside of work that they can't handle as well as they normally would. You and I may have the same exact situation occur and we could handle it completely different. I had an employee take a 5 week short term disability because of a situation that occurred after hours that I wouldn't bat an eye at, let alone miss work for. Everyone is different and everyone handles stress differently. I'm sure you knew your work performance wasn't up to par, but it wasn't something you felt you needed to truly face until your boss made it a point to mention it during your review.

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[kappa1032]

Thanks for the encouragement Mamabear! To be honest, I have a few other things in my personal life that have made it really tough to focus on my job (wife got severely ill and is now bedbound and only leaves the house for dr. appts – have to WFH a couple days a week to take care of her and take her to appts). So studying for the test was just the straw that broke my back professionally.

I'm hoping to be done with BEC and be able to have some free time to refocus and do my job correctly. I did agree with my boss in that sacrifices were made on my department's side to allow for me to have extra time to study, so I needed to keep my end of the bargain and do my job to the best of my ability.

FAR - 81
REG - 74, 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88

Finally.

“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying”
― John C. Maxwell

[Anonymous]

For what its worth, studying may not be an excuse, but I am absolutely far more tired and there are consequences that come with that. Including in my job.

[kappa1032]

@BeautifulNim – ohh yeah for sure! There is a direct correlation between fatigue and success on the exam – because science.

FAR - 81
REG - 74, 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88

Finally.

“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying”
― John C. Maxwell

[Anonymous]

Thanks. 🙂 I didn't know what to say about if studying is impacting my job I am doing something wrong…I hate to say it, but there is no way this is not impacting my job. I wish that wasn't the case, but I am simply pooped. But perhaps the impact isn't outward or impacting my performance, maybe it is more just how I feel. I will have to think about that.

[golfball7773]

I have also noticed a opposite correlation between the amount of sex I get from wife and how much studying I do – which also leads to less sleep

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - 86
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 71, 73

BEC - 74, 86

REG - 77*

FAR - 57

*expired

(I have been trying to become a CPA since 2013). only one test down.......

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[howmany74s]

Listen guys, this exam will be over at some point in your life. Nothing is constant. Please concentrate on feeling grateful that you have a job that pays your bills and helps you put food on your table, and you doing your job effectively helps your boss to pay his/her bills and so on. This is a cycle we're all in, and as you can see from many posts on this forum, you will be done with this exam at some point and move on. Now get back to work! 🙂

[mla1169]

Oh, well that your wife has had medical issues is a completely different story, it is absolutely too much to balance a job and the stress at home with the CPA. Hope all is well soon with her!

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[kappa1032]

@golfball lollll. I hear doing dishes is an aphrodisiac in these parts…

FAR - 81
REG - 74, 87
AUD - 88
BEC - 88

Finally.

“The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying”
― John C. Maxwell

[Mamabear]

And laundry too! 😉

CPA Exam - Finally DONE (November 2014)
BEC (08/10/13) 80
AUD (08/24/13) 65 (11/13/13) 85
FAR (04/12/14) 81
REG (07/19/14) 69 (11/29/14) 87!!

[golfball7773]

I do both!!! I take all our clothes to the laundry mat every Saturday and it is just me. I am also the one that does the dishes most of the time

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - 86
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 71, 73

BEC - 74, 86

REG - 77*

FAR - 57

*expired

(I have been trying to become a CPA since 2013). only one test down.......

FAR: 63, 55, 62
REG: 65, 77*
AUD: Fail, 64, 71
BEC: 72, 74, 81

*expired

[Anonymous]

Thank god I got a supportive boss, who not only pushed me to get the exams done but also allowed me to even study sometime at work. I was among the top rating staffs for the past 3 years in my company but will probably doing OK this year. But eventually I won't have the exam burden and will pick up my performance again. Still a good employee in my boss' eye. So nothing to complain.

As a father-to-be, I figured I need to get the whole thing done before the baby comes out. The stress of a new born baby + CPA exam will essentially “kill” everybody.

[Author]

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