Juggling Work and Studies: Tips for Working Professionals

UPSC-CSE is not only one of the toughest exams of the world, but one of the longest as well. An exam that is a year long, needs a preparation of at least 2 years to clear it. Hence, UPSC aspirants who are working professionals find difficulty in managing their time and completing the vast syllabus.

As a working professional, pursuing higher education or a professional course can be a daunting task. Balancing work and studies requires discipline, time management, and a clear understanding of your goals.

You have to cultivate the discipline to study everyday, whether it’s a good or a bad day at work. You either run the day or the day runs you.

Some Toppers Examples

• Srishti Jayant Deshmukh (AIR 5, 2018) and Roman Saini (AIR 18, 2013) found time to take breaks in between their college studies (engineering and medical respectively) and UPSC preparation! While Srishti took a 5 minute break after every 30 minutes, Roman took a 10 minute break after every 1 hour. Every topper has their own time-management technique.

Juggling UPSC preparation with a full-time job can seem impossible, but with dedication and smart planning, cracking the Prelims is achievable.

Understanding the Challenges

• Working professionals face unique challenges when pursuing higher education. The most significant challenge is managing time, as work and study commitments can be demanding.

Other challenges include:

• Maintaining motivation and focus
• Managing work-life balance
• Dealing with stress and pressure
• Balancing financial responsibilities with educational expenses
• Setting Goals and Priorities

To succeed in juggling work and studies, it's essential to set clear goals and priorities. Identify your reasons for pursuing higher education and what you want to achieve. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for both your work and studies. Prioritize your tasks and focus on the most critical ones first.

Time Management Strategies

Effective time management is crucial for balancing work and studies.

• Create a schedule: Plan out your day, week, and month in advance.
• Allocate time for studies: Set aside dedicated time for studying, and stick to it.
• Use your commute: Utilize your daily commute to study or listen to lectures.
• Take breaks: Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout.
• Learn to say no: Be mindful of your workload and avoid taking on too much.

Divide your study schedule into slots.

Toppers like Shahenshah IPS, Saurabh Bhuwania IAS and Pujya Priyadarshini IAS have always divided their time into before-work and after-work study slots. If you are an early riser, you can spare about 2-3 hours in the morning instead of six hours entirely after an exhausting day at work. Many toppers have also suggested reading up on current affairs while travelling to save time.

Know your syllabus well

• Mark the topics you feel comfortable with and those you aren’t familiar with. Break down the syllabus into small parts and prioritize them in order. Gather the relevant study material for the syllabus and start studying them in order.
• Figure out where you need guidance – Is it with the subject matter? Do you need help with organizing your syllabus? Or you just aren’t sure how to begin?

Get the help of a personalised mentor in lieu of a coaching institute

• Many working professionals enrol for coaching institutes only to miss several classes. They don’t seem to find a coaching centre aligned to their free timings.
• A personalised mentor can fill this void. To make your preparation more solid, you can opt for a mentor who has attended the UPSC interview.
• In a mentorship setup, the aspirant gets guidance, motivation and is supervised to complete the target modules of the day.
• The mentor works according to the availability of the aspirant and designs a workable strategy they can follow. They will help you to identify the relevant topics which require more revision than others.
• At times, we need someone who encourages us to continue our preparation just when we think of giving up.

Follow popular time management techniques:

• We always grapple with how to organize our time effectively. Most of the UPSC aspirants follow the Pomodoro technique to utilise their study hours effectively.
• Developed by consultant Francesco Cirillo, the Pomodoro Technique is a time management tool that breaks work into 25-minute sessions to help you stay focused and get more work done.
• All you have to do is set up a timer, complete a task in twenty five minutes and then treat yourself to a five minute break. Once you have completed 4 tasks this way, you can take a 15-minute long break.

Managing Work-Life Balance

Maintaining a work-life balance is essential for your overall well-being.

• Communicate with your employer: Inform your employer about your study schedule and needs.
• Set boundaries: Establish clear boundaries between your work and personal life.
• Take time off: Plan your vacations and time off in advance to ensure a break from work and studies.
• Outsource and delegate: If possible, outsource or delegate tasks to free up time for studies.

Dealing with Stress and Pressure

Pursuing higher education while working can be stressful and pressure-filled.

• Practice self-care: Engage in activities that help you relax and reduce stress.
• Seek support: Talk to friends, family, or a counselor about your stress and pressure.
• Take breaks: Take regular breaks to recharge and avoid burnout.
• Stay positive: Focus on the positive outcomes of your hard work and stay motivated.

Don’t study while working

• One of the mistakes aspirants make is to squeeze in some study time while at work. You must always be focused on completing the tasks of the day while at the office. The sooner you complete work at the office, the more time you will have to study at home.

Exercise

• It’s important that your entire day must not be about just working and studying. Taking care of your health is necessary to ensure that you will be able to continue long-term UPSC preparation. A walk in the park after work would be an ideal way to navigate from work mode to study mode.

Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Divya Mittal has some useful tips

She proved her mettle by cracking some of the toughest examinations in the country like UPSC, JEE, and CAT, and is currently serving as the district magistrate of Mirzapur.

Here are ten elements, according to Mittal, that can help you build a good strategy:

1. Wake up early

The IAS officer’s first advice to working professionals is to wake up early; for instance, at 5 am. “You must dedicate 4-5 hours every day to studies and at least 12 hours on weekends,”

2. Utilise work breaks

She tells aspirants to finish reading newspapers and current affairs during office breaks. She adds, “Living near the workplace can save travel time. And by commuting via public transport, you can study while commuting as well. It’s a good time to listen to audio and watch videos.”

3. Limit sources

The IAS officer advises aspirants to focus on an in-depth study from limited sources instead of increasing the sources of study. “This is the most critical aspect, as you are short of time,”

4. Buy notes

“Making notes is crucial for preparation. But you can also get some notes online or at the market. This will help you save time, and allow you to use that time for high-impact study,”

5. Split leaves

The IAS officer advises working professionals to use leaves judiciously.

“Take leaves close to your exams and try to take a longer break after clearing prelims. Now, depending on the number of leaves you can take, split them in this manner — two weeks before prelims and one month before mains.”

6. Manage stress

Mittal shares that working professionals mostly endure job stress along with preparation. So her advice is to leave work problems at the office itself. “This will allow you to remain focused when you prepare for the exam,”

7. Avoid socialising

The IAS officer asks aspirants to remove distractions — hanging out with office colleagues after work, attending social events and movies — as time is critical for those in preparation.

8. Drown negativity

One of the many challenges for working professionals could be people doubting their abilities. “Keep going and prove them wrong. Cut off ties with such negative people, and talk to a mentor who can push you and motivate you,”

9. Avoid complacency

She shares that as working professionals already have a backup — their current job — they should not let complacency set in, at any time, adding “Sustained motivation is most critical in clearing the CSE.”

10. Maintain focus

The IAS officer says, “Once you get selected for any service, resign the same day. With the selection in place, you have the security of getting a private job at any time. This will help focus completely on the next attempt.”

“It must also be noted that work experience helps score well during the UPSC interview. It is not a negative aspect,” highlights Mittal. “It is definitely difficult, but if you have the commitment you can make it happen!”

Success in the UPSC examination demands substantial hard work, unwavering dedication, and proper guidance. Numerous aspirants grapple with striking a balance between preparing for the UPSC while managing demanding full-time jobs that require extended working hours and peak performance.

Working aspirants have known the world up close and have faced many socio-economic-political issues firsthand. Hence they have the caliber to be a civil servant. The only hurdles they face are time, syllabus and stress management. When they are unable to manage time, they get stressed out and when they are stressed, they mismanage the time even more. Hence, time and stress as dimensions are interconnected. It is not easy to break this vicious cycle without correct strategy and mentorship.

Juggling work and studies requires discipline, time management, and a clear understanding of your goals. By setting goals and priorities, managing your time effectively, staying motivated and focused, maintaining a work-life balance, and dealing with stress and pressure, you can successfully pursue higher education while working. Remember to stay positive, celebrate your achievements, and prioritize your well-being throughout your journey.