Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP) exam can be such a herculean task and you could have study blocks. Imagine not being able to move past the first page of your study material for two whole hours and you have a one hundred and eighty-page book to grasp before the PMP exam.
It can get even worse, sometimes you doze off just as you are about to open your book while other times your mind wanders off to la-la land and before you know it your exam date is just one week away.
The sad part is, sometimes we intentionally jeopardize our study times by paying attention to irrelevant things (especially when the study material is boring). Things like watching our favorite series instead of studying or fiddling with our phones during a class.
Other times we unknowingly engage in activities that would impair us from assimilating easily when studying.
Let’s take a look at some of the causes of study blocks.
Unhealthy Diet
Your food and nutrition high school teacher did not lie. A well-fed body is a fertile ground to cultivate, learn and understand great concepts. The benefits gained from eating right cannot be overemphasized. Also, staying hydrated helps to detoxify the body and this has a positive effect on the brain.
So, the next time you’re thinking of going on a “junk food” spree.
Remember this post!
Stress
This is almost a cliché but remember that “clichés are clichés because there’s an element of truth in it”. A stressed brain cannot make room for new things. It’s important to ‘breathe easy’ at regular intervals, rest, get quality sleep and be intentional about reducing your stress levels.
It sure aids assimilation and improves productivity.
Fear
Now, this is one vital factor that hinders professionals from even attempting to take the PMP exam. Honestly, it might have been ages since you wrote an intense exam similar to the PMP exam and your fear is valid but there’s a methodology that helps to nip this in the bud.
I’ll show you shortly.
Here’s how to deal with study blocks
In addition to the solutions discussed above such as: eating healthy, staying hydrated, getting quality sleep, taking regular breaks, here are five (5) ways you can deal with study blocks
Commitment O’clock
Create a study timetable and stick with it. It’s a great commitment strategy because it provides you with a structure that helps you keep to your reading goal. Just remember to turn off all distractions during your study time!
Write along formula
Try the “write along formula” it always works! This is simply writing out salient points from your study text. The good thing is your notes end up being useful to you as it serves as a summary guide and you can pass it on to others or always refer to them whenever you need them, especially during revision. Who knows, it might become the next million-dollar non-fungible token (NFT)!
PMP Practice Questions
You should also familiarise yourself with PMP practice questions. Ensure you practice with as many questions as you can. It’ll help you kill fear, boost your confidence and get you ready for the exam day. It’s also a way to identify knowledge gaps.
The Sing along Trick
Remember your ‘sing along’ trick in nursery school, well it works here too! Find PMP-related videos, podcasts, or audiobooks and simply read along.
PMP Coaching Program
Registering for a PMP Coaching Program! This is one sure way to nip fear in the bud as you can easily ask your coach or study partners to shed more light on areas you had some challenges during your personal study.
So when next you read a concept, scenario or theory that seemed like a hard nut to crack, be sure to note those areas in your notepad and ask a PMP coach or study partners to put you through.
The trick to this is that once you have a PMP coach on your speed dial there’s absolutely nothing to be scared about and you’d have no need to waste your precious time surfing the web to find answers that might not be accurate.
Studying blocks are not such a big deal, in fact, they only thrive when you give them that power. Nip that study block in the bud today by utilizing some of these solutions to deal with them.
We would like to hear how you deal with study blocks?
Wondering how to pass the PMP Exam? Get my FREE PMP Exam Checklist. It contains the 6 powerful tips that I used to prepare, study and pass the PMP Exam with an above target in all domains at my first attempt. It has been updated to align with the new version of the PMP exam.
Wondering how to pass the new version of the PMP Exam? Join my PMP exam Group Coaching program. The program consists of everything you need to PASS the PMP exam.
If you have any questions or contributions, please do so by leaving a comment in the comment section below.
If this was useful, please share this article with your network and on social media using the share buttons below.