Preparing for the UPSC exam can be a tough race against time. And if you are a working professional who is managing your job along with the preparation, coping with the syllabus can be extremely difficult.

Your day starts with the pressure of your work. You may have to manage project deadlines, you have to attend office meetings, you may have to deal with clients at work, and spend a lot of time at your workplace.  In fact, by the time you reach home from work, you already feel exhausted and have no energy to study anymore.

But does that mean you give up on your dreams?

NO!

We will discuss the important ways in which you can crack this exam through the following methods:

1. Personalized timetable
2. Personalized study plan
3. Tracking your progress
4. Investing in topics with good ROI
5. Focusing on smart study

We spoke with over 3,000+ working professionals who are also preparing for the IAS exam and the most difficult obstacle faced by almost every aspirant was – Managing the time for preparation.

So, how can you manage your time better?

Personalized timetable – Each aspirant has a different schedule. Some of you study before starting the day’s work, some of you return home after work and then study. The important thing to realize is that there is NO Perfect strategy. You need a plan that suits YOUR needs!

You can start by dividing your day into different time slots and start by prioritising what you are weak at. You can shut the social media without completely shutting your social life. Figure out the best timetable that gives you the maximum free time to study and stick to it.

Personalised study plan – Each aspirant learns at a different pace. Not only your timetable, but it is also important to organise your syllabus in order to cope with it. You can break the syllabus into smaller chunks, you can study concise material, and even find smart ways to save time.

For example, if you do not find enough time to make notes from the newspaper, you can always study from compiled newspaper notes. You can save time by focusing on reading coaching notes, studying concise current affairs, etc. Plan your syllabus to deal with the most important static topics and current affairs first, then move to other study materials.

Tracking your progress – Cracking UPSC is not about perfection, it is about consistently progressing. And TRACKING your progress. Since you are pressed for time, it is extremely important that you monitor your progress closely.

For example, when you give a mock test track the questions you got wrong, identify why you got those wrong, also look at the other options given in the question which you answered correctly. As you study, keep monitoring your progress. That’s the only way to make the best out of your limited time.

Make every moment count – You know that you are facing a time crunch which means that you have to work hard for only that amount of time. So, give your everything. Use every micro opportunity to study. Read Current Affairs snippets, practice quick online quizzes, etc. to make sure not a single moment is wasted. And even if the progress is slow, do not worry, keep progressing!

Utilize the Travelling time: Always carry some study material which can be handy i.e. Newspapers or a small notebook and use it in the interim period of travel whenever possible

Invest in only good Return on Investment (ROI) topics: If an aspirant has less time to prepare and revise, it is important to analyze the ROI that each topic under the syllabus will give you. Studying the syllabus is as important as preparing for the examination itself. Aspirants must have a clear understanding of the topics and the weightage that each portion is given. To do this, aspirants could compare the syllabus with the previous year’s question papers.

Focus on smart work: Aspirants, especially those who are preparing along with handling a full-time job, must be smart when it comes to preparing. “Do not fall into the trap of reading everything under the sun. You do not have the luxury of time, so be smart in choosing what you study. Focus on limited content from limited resources. Use the time you have to revise ‘n’ number of times, rather than picking up newer material.

And remember, When preparation gets tough, we’ll be there for you!

Do not get overwhelmed by the time crunch, do not feel scared. There is a way to manage time and we can help you achieve your dreams.

So far, more than 10,000 working professionals have benefited from the free 1-1 mentorship program of Civilsdaily. Please fill this registration form and our experienced Mentor will reach out to you and make a perfect personalized preparation schedule plan for you keeping in mind your serious time crunch.