Lost your study groove? Georgina Roberts explains how you can get it back.
It’s been a while since you saw an exam paper and maybe you’re now not quite so sure that accounting and finance is your calling.
Perhaps you’ve been snowed under at work; have taken parental leave; dealt with numerous family issues; experienced poor health; or just been totally wiped out with study fatigue. These are just a handful of the many valid reasons we hear from students who’ve decided to get off the hamster-wheel of their accounting exams.
The quickest you can complete all the exams (13, for ACCA – at present) is three to four years, and don’t forget the three years of your PER (Practical Experience Requirement) to evidence as well. It’s a long haul even if you power on through.
So if you’re one of the estimated 60% who take a study break you’re in good company.
But how do you go from zero studying to doing enough to get you back into it and passing the next exam on your list?
We recently hosted a webinar with ACCA on this emotive subject, and here we’ve curated some practical ideas to get you motivated and, hopefully, excited about studying again.
Why did you pause your studies and what solutions can you find?
Family
If you paused studying due to family responsibilities and the feeling that no one was getting the best version of you (let alone yourself), then you need to set some boundaries.
Start by scheduling in small blocks of study, say, in the early morning before the house wakes, or after the children’s bedtime. Discuss your study goals with a family so they’re aware that this study time is important to you and gain their support. Use short, focused study sessions – consistency is more important than duration.
Burnout
Coming back stronger, rested and having a strategy will help. Set yourself realistic goals for each study session to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Take it topic by topic from the syllabus and build up. Prioritise self-care at home and in the workplace. If a task can be delegated then why wouldn’t you? If you need to leave the office at 5pm three nights a week so you can get home, relax and still have time to study, then make your mentor or line manager aware of this and your reasons why.
Work
Plan study time around work shifts or busy periods – use a calendar so you can visualise your commitments. Your lunch break is valuable time. You can listen to a study podcast while you walk, read a technical article, take an online class of 20 minutes or watch some video tutorials while you eat. Ask your employer or mentor about support for studying – perhaps they can arrange some flexi-time around exam periods, or professional development time set aside so you can take a study day.
Confidence
Boost your confidence by finding a study provider that takes the stress out of learning on your behalf. By that we mean a provider that simplifies, structures and offers guided tuition. Self-studying can seem daunting in your own time, but from aCOWtancy’s 12 years’ experience of teaching ACCA online we know that students who feel supported in their studies feel naturally more confident. Celebrate the small wins – complete one class a day or master one calculation.
Once you regain your drive, remember you’re doing this for a reason. Remind yourself consistently about WHY you want to get back into studying – a better job, a pay rise, running your own business, fulfilling a career ambition or just finishing the journey. It may take you longer than you once thought but it’s do-able.
Our star student
Chanel, from South Africa, took just six ACCA exams in five years. Then had a four-year study break. Discovering aCOWtancy.com, she got stuck into our online classroom and completed (and passed) 11 exams in two years!
For two of these exams she was South Africa’s ACCA Prize Winner, as seen above, receiving her certificates with Helen Brand, CEO ACCA.
Our experience as an established Gold Approved ACCA learning provider demonstrates clearly that getting back into the study groove can be done with a little effort and a lot of determination. As Chanel said: “If a cow can get me through ACCA, trust me, it can get you through it too.”
You don’t have to be a prize winner, just getting started again quietly, slowly and steadily is a winning strategy.
- Georgina Roberts, aCOWtancy.com
