11 Oct Study 3 Times Faster
A question I get about once a week from my students is “How can I finish the PMP® exam preparation faster”? What they are actually trying to ask is, how can I improve my preparation speed.
My students who are usually in their forties or forties have lost the habit of sitting at a place and reading or studying for longer durations. When it is more than 10 years since you studied last, the sheer amount of the material to be read and understood can be disheartening to many.
If you find your spirits dampened by the amount of time you are going to take, do not worry. Take heart! It is not as difficult as it looks. I have observed that many of you simply postpone the idea to start reading after taking one look at the number of pages you need to read!
“I think I’ll need to read for 3 to 4 hours every day for 3 months or more!” is always the first reaction. “No, you do not need to plan 3 to 4 hours every day” is my answer to their question which pleasantly surprises them.
Let me draw your attention to the idea that Managing Projects cannot be done only in theory. Project Management is a subject that needs to be understood with practical application. Following tips will help you get ready for the PMP® Exam 3 times faster.
Tip 1: Plan Your Next Day’s Study Without Fail
Every evening, before you go to sleep, plan when you will study. You do not need 3 hours at a stretch. In fact, I would say, do not plan to study for more than 25 minutes at a stretch. Anything more than 5 minutes and up to 25 minutes is good. Plan how many slots you will get the next day.
TIP 2: Be Specific And Note It Down
Remember, you have to read EPMA Notes and the PMBOK® Guide. It is a good idea to listen to the recording. The most important part to remember is, making your own examples when you are reading/listening to the audio.
Write down those examples in your plan which chapter you will read.
The best way to plan your study schedules is to piggyback them with another task that you will routinely do. For example, “I will read Chapter #3 from EPMA notes and write down examples for 15 minutes immediately after I finish my breakfast” Or “I will listen to the Session No 3 recording for 10 minutes after I finish brushing my teeth”
Do not plan to study for more than 25 minutes at a go. If you have more time, you can plan for two back-to-back slots. Be as specific as you can about the task that you will finish before you start studying. Make a note of what exactly you want to study. This will get you on the right track the evening before. It will help you be ready for the topic and think about some examples
When I say make a note, I really mean it. Use a journal/ notebook/ diary or a spreadsheet. Use whatever, but be consistent with it. Use the SAME notebook/journal/ spreadsheet every time.
Plan your place and keep the material ready in anticipation.
Tip 3: Set An Alarm For Your Study Time
Now, the next day! Just before your study slot, set a timer for whatever time you want to study. Be sure that it is not more than 25 minutes. Study with full focus. The idea is to study with a focus on the topics. The focus should not be the number of pages covered, but the quality of the matter you read or listen to.
So, study with full focus for that time and as soon as the timer goes off, stop whatever you are doing. Take a break if you have planned back-to-back sessions. The break should be some physical activity. Even if you are not planning back-to-back sessions, get up when the alarm goes, pack your material and do some physical activity. It could be 5 push-ups or a few squats or a combination of the two! In fact, anything that makes you move briskly.
It is now proven scientifically that your brain needs physical activity for being healthy. When you are studying or have a stress period, ensure that it gets what it needs to be healthy. In other words, every half an hour or so, stop whatever you are doing and do some brisk physical activity, for 3 to 5 minutes
In fact, this top is useful for everyone, whatever they are doing. It does not have to be the PMP® exam preparation!
Tip 4: Use Visual Notes
Whenever you are reading or listening to the audio, keep the EPMA notes handy. Write short points/stories/examples in bright vivid colors in the margin. When you are reading about let us say, a tool, if you write how you have used it or how using it could have helped you, you are not likely to forget what you read, writing it down will establish a permanent connection with that topic in your mind. This connection will mean that you do not have to study that topic again. Saves you a lot of time
Tip 5: Prepare As If You Have To Teach It
Do not study like a student. Study like a teacher. With the idea that you are going to explain the topic to your friends or colleagues and they will ask you 100s of questions! If you can get a study buddy, nothing better! You actually can teach your study buddy. Teaching is the best way to learn. It will almost guarantee that you do not have to study that topic for your exam again.
Let your study buddy teach you a few topics, saving you time to read!
Tip 6: Log It!
Every time you finish studying for the slot, log it immediately. Log the following things in your journal/notebook or spreadsheet that you used for planning your studies.
- Date
- Time in minutes
- Topic
- Quality of focus (Rate on the scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best)
Use these 6 tips to shorten your study time by a minimum of 3 times.
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