Ever feel like you’re on a merry-go-round of work and studies with no time for you? Studying for the ACCA Qualification is no walk in the park and takes a lot of time and dedication. But between putting in a full day’s work, and then hunkering down to study in the evenings, you can be left feeling a bit isolated. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Try not to make the mistake of scheduling in every available spare minute for studying. Ultimately, it can be counter-productive because you’re so exhausted and mentally strained that you’re not using that study time effectively. Also, everybody needs a little time in their life for fun, friends and family. Sometimes it just takes a bit of planning and self-discipline to achieve it.
A good tip is to try to think carefully about how you use the short periods of time outside of your work. For example, if you’re using all of that time simply for idle chatter or surfing the internet, then you may start finding your longer gaps of time will all be needed for studying. Dedicating some of your studies to those short periods and staying focused during them can free up larger amounts of your weekends and evenings for more enjoyable activities.
If you’re a real social animal and fun for you begins and ends with spending time with others, then make sure that those people know when and where you’ll be available. If they know exactly when you’re studying or working and when you’re free, you can establish periods for some quality time together. It’s all about communication. After all, not everyone will automatically appreciate the demands of working while also studying for the ACCA Qualification.
This also means you need to learn to say ‘no’ sometimes to people and situations that will badly impact your work or studies. It’s all part of learning efficient time management. If you’re a social media fiend, try to ration yourself, as it can massively hoover up precious time.
You also need to maintain a flexible approach to scheduling your work, studies and social life. Be canny when it comes to using your annual leave, any flexible working hours available or even job-sharing opportunities to allow yourself greater time for studying. Although you need to make sure you’re scheduling your time efficiently, make sure you can adapt to embrace changing circumstances.
Above all, be realistic. Be aware that between your work, studying and home/social life you have many plates spinning, and you might not be able to do everything. Studying for the ACCA Qualification may require some sacrifices, but it’ll be worth it in the long run.