If you have decided to prepare for your PMP Examination then it is definitely a good decision and you will be proud of the journey you went through and the day you receive your PMP credentials.
Of course, studying for your PMP exam or any examination is stressful, you definitely need space and peace of mind and a friendly environment to focus and study hard.
You cant afford to have a lot of interruptions while preparing as it will lengthen your study time and you must restart every time you encounter one.
Well, I had a lot of incidents while I was preparing for my examination. Some examples are funny like dogs barking, Neighbours having fun or partying, loud music, TV is on. These are some of the uncontrollable external factors and you cannot do much about it.
But there are few you can do control.
like waking up early and setting up a routine reading time.
This will also help you to focus and get used to the routine which is very important while you are preparing for such a difficult examination.
While I was preparing for my exam I was a dedicated full time Operations Manager having quite an hectic day almost everyday which used to put a lot of pressure on my preparation. However, I decided that these external factors should never stop my preparation and I wont complain instead find ways to focus on my studies.
Hence, I created a routine by getting up early around 4AM everyday and study till 7AM and head to work. Come back around 8 or 9PM depending upon on my work schedule and study until 11 or 12 PM and continue the routine. OfCourse dedicate the weekends for review and mock tests.
It was quite stressful in the beginning but I got used to it and I was able to enjoy the efforts I was putting to prepare for the exam and the improvements I was making
If you are full time employee and planning to write the PMP exam please do read this blog Working full Time and preparing for the PMP exam
It does remind of my preparation to the marathon in 2017. Well it is definitely not easy but if you practice and create a routine, common no one can stop you including yourself!
I have put together few places based on my experience, hope it might help.
Please do note everyone’s style of studying and preparations for examinations are different so find what works for you. I am not a bookworm nor I like to read a lot so I had to make myself comfortable for long reading hours and practice it.
Here are 5 different places where you can actually study for your PMP Exam
Home sweet home
No matter where you spend most of your time, home can never be replaced. Yes your home is one of the best primary place for you to prepare and study. However, it depends where and your condition of living. Not everyone have a specific spaces and the environment wont allow them to do so. If you have a dedicated space to study then its great, use it to your maximum.
If you don’t and you encounter a lot of interruption’s like TV/Radio, Cooker & Mixer noise, or loud music from your Neighbours. Finding the best timing is important to study, probably early morning could be the best time when everyone are asleep and the neighborhood is quiet or finding the next best spot is vital.
Arrange a dedicate space for you to keep all your books, study materials, it will make it easy to reach them immediately when you need them. Avoid reading from couch or on the bed as you might feel sleepy and do stay away from the TV. How to Stay Awake While Studying
Coffee shops
These days Coffee shops provide great environment to prepare and definitely a great place to study. OfCourse you do get good coffee, comfortable environment. I used to go to Starbucks (both quiet & noisy ones) and spend good amount of time rehearsing the books. The main reason it is good to study outside is it might be a bit noisy and you should definitely get adjusted to this type of environment as you don’t know how your real examination hall is going to be.
When I took the PMP exam it was a written examination, and conducted in an old school where over 50 individuals taking the exam in one classroom. I could hear the paper flipping and noises like coughing etc. are very common. You need to focus and if you get disturbed there is a chance that you might get annoyed and waste a lot of time (PMP Exam is now online)
Library
Libraries are quite a great place and I have spent a huge amount of time preparing in the libraries. Also the atmosphere lets you focus and study. Again it depends upon the library and the atmosphere you are in.
Do some research about the location and read feedback about the library before heading there.
There were days I couldn’t focus studying at home, so I wanted to go to the library and study. But do avoid going to libraries during the weekends or public holidays or during the summer holidays it might be quite noisy. Also depends upon the area you go.
Park
The day before I took my PMP exam I grabbed my workbooks and went to the nearby park and sat there to brush up what I had studied for the past few months. I had never done this before but I felt pretty happy being there by myself and not much interruptions.
Office
Well Office is definitely a great place to study, of course make use of the libraries if you do have. Some companies will have amazing libraries or good space for the employees to study. Do make use of these spaces if you have one.
More importantly the knowledge base, your learning & development team may have the required documents or knowledge you may use. so connect with your learning & development teams for support.
Conclusion
If you have decided to take your PMP exam you also need to spend good amount of time preparing for it. While we always have dedicated spaces for specific activities it is important to find out the best places which suits you during the initial days which will allow you to focus and maximize your learning.
Wish you all the very best with your PMP journey and please do leave your comments where do you spend most of your time preparing for the examination?