How I Balanced SQE Prep with a Full-Time Job

I prepared for the SQE while working full-time. Most days I finished work tired, and I did not have long evenings to study. I did not study more hours than anyone else. What helped was being more careful about how I used the hours I had.

Match the task to your energy

I did not try to do the same kind of studying every day. On weekends, when I could focus better, I learnt new topics and sat full practice exams. On weekday evenings, I did lighter review or a short set of questions. On days when I had no energy at all, I rested.

Keep sessions short but regular

Even twenty minutes was useful. A short session helped me reinforce what I had covered the day before. My progress did not come from one long weekend of studying. It came from many small sessions that kept the material fresh.

Track your progress

There were times I felt guilty that I was not studying enough. Keeping a Wrong Questions Bank helped with that. When I went back to a question I had got wrong and finally understood it, I could see that I was improving. That was more reassuring than counting hours.