Hello ,
I am now preparing for the CFA exams while juggling a full-time job. I am curious to hear from those who have successfully managed to balance their CFA studies with work commitments.
What strategies did you find most effective for ensuring consistent study habits and maximizing study time? Any specific tips on time management or maintaining motivation throughout the study process would be greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to your insights and experiences!
Best regards, 
nolanmaris
Great question. I managed work and children in passing the last two levels of the CFA (level I I completed earlier when single). I’m sure many other have as well, but it sure forced me to be super mindful of plotting time management
Time management and discipline is key.
estimate the amount of hours you need to study and pass. put in some buffer in case it does not go as well as planned, and also because life happens and you won’t be able to get it done 100% every day.
schedule a week break (vacaction) or light week somewhere in your schedule.
If it’s 15 hour per week, plot out the exact times each day you will be studying and then execute. This gives the other people in your life clarity about when you are available.
Personally I did 2 hours per night 5 nights a week, and one half day on weekends.
If you run into subjects you just don’t get, don’t spend forever on them. It’s fine to let a few things go. You don’t need 100 to pass. Your finite study time is better spent on the 95% of things you are likely to grasp.
periodically (every few week) take an untimed practice test once you’ve finished a first reading, and meticuously track your progress on each of the 9 or so disciplines. this is the motivator . . .is the studying working? am I improving?
take the week off before the exam. being rested is critical. Also one week will give you large blocks of time to tackle the thorny bits you just could not grasp two hours each night after a full day’s work.
Good luck!