Most exam candidates fail not because they lack intelligence, but because they lack consistency. They study intensely for two weeks, burn out, then avoid their books for three weeks. This cycle repeats until exam day arrives and they’re underprepared. I discovered a simple technique that transformed my study discipline—not through willpower, but by removing the …
Seven ways to maintain CFA motivation to study: (1) Exercise 2+ hours/week (even just walking) to restore focus. (2) Study when job hunting feels overwhelming—it boosts confidence. (3) Schedule social time to prevent burnout. (4) Read market news for interview prep and study breaks. (5) Prepare for interviews early to reduce last-minute stress. (6) Take …
Juggling work, life and studying for exams is pretty tough, especially if you have a young family. It can feel near impossible to make time to look after yourself when you’re trying to ‘do it all’, which can lead to exam burn out. Despite sleeping enough and eating right, I remember finding the constant routine …
Exercise makes you smarter, calmer, and better at retaining information—exactly what you need for CFA exam preparation. But most candidates skip it because they think they don’t have time. The research is clear: even 20 minutes of walking before a study session improves performance. Candidates who exercise regularly score higher on practice exams, recover from …
In general, the right type of study music does help improve study focus. While there are many genres of study music out there, there’s another often overlooked, but scientifically proven tool that can help boost your study focus and creativity – ambient sounds. In this article, we will take a look at the latest research …
Most finance exam candidates are studying and working full time. Luckier ones have employers’ support in the form of study leave and exam fees. What about the rest? How does one cope with having a demanding job, a family and studying for the exams at the same time? How to manage study with full time job successfully whilst …
Sleep is so crucial to our overall wellbeing, yet most of us don’t get enough of it. When balancing exam preparation with a full-time job, it’s tempting to cut on sleep hours in a bid to “do more”. But this is counterproductive in the long term. With so much conflicting information out there on sleep, here’s …
When preparing for my CFA exams years ago, I often wondered if there are brain foods for studying that improved my concentration. This resulted in some experiments and changes in my food intake. And my, what a difference it makes – it’s as if the heavy cloud clogging my brain lifted instantly! My concentration improved …
Whether you’re preparing for professional exams, or are a college student studying for your finals, you might be experiencing some anxiety or nervousness about the test. Exam anxiety is common, and something that almost everyone experiences to some degree. Left unchecked, anxiety about upcoming exams has the potential to become a little overwhelming. It can …
In between juggling work, life and studying for finance exams, there’s hardly much time to sleep nor eating well. There’s never enough time, isn’t it? We’ve discussed various ways to organize ourselves for more productive study sessions. However, the largest area of improvement in terms of time management would come from learning how to read faster, since a significant amount of our …