Please share tips for time management

Raja4u · #1 Monday, May 31, 2010

Dear brother,
I know about your careerline and you have done wonderful job by clearing CSS written Examination, PCS Combined, served in ISI and State Bank. I know you had faced your time tough and difficult to manage, but, however you tried and managed it.
I wanna ask you about time management as i am facing time management problem in my CSS preparation due to Electricity problem, family problems and other disturbaces. Please suggest me some way out..

Raz · #2 Sunday, June 13, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raja4u

Dear brother,
I know about your careerline and you have done wonderful job by clearing CSS written Examination, PCS Combined, served in ISI and State Bank. I know you had faced your time tough and difficult to manage, but, however you tried and managed it.
I wanna ask you about time management as i am facing time management problem in my CSS preparation due to Electricity problem, family problems and other disturbaces. Please suggest me some way out..

Time Management and various Work pressures:

Proper time management is a major issue for the aspirants. I have passed from the same situation. I didn’t prepare for ISI exam except reading newspapers; it was during my university period when I managed to attempt ISI exam. I managed to attempt SBOTS exam at the time when I was serving in ISRA University as lecturer. It was a targeted strategy. I have shared the same tips with SBOTS aspirants. I managed to attempt PCS 2003 at the time when my Master’s final exam was in process, I had to attempt PCS paper on one day masters paper on the second and so on with a mixed schedule. I requested my Chairman to reschedule Comprehensive vio voce schedule as it was in clash with my last paper of PCS. With the consent of my professors and University batch mates our vio voce was postponed for few days.

More relevant question for your concern is to manage your time for CSS. Here is the whole story:

You can learn to manage your time from CE-2008 topper. She had to prepare for CSS along with her medical profession and domestic responsibilities in the capacity of mother of one newly born child. She managed it and succeeded to top this exam.

My nature of job was more challenging than that of her because I had to travel to various cities of Pakistan frequently. My laptop functioned as an online library for me. I managed to collect material in soft copy and kept on reading it during my travel period or while staying at any hotel/guest house etc. Books and material in hard copy were only helpful when I was at Karachi. Before starting preparation I worked out a master plan for all the papers. I jotted down crucial topics of all the papers and decided about the sources to utilize for their preparation. Even if I had to get help from any of my friends for any specific topic I wrote down his name and time period in the master schedule in order to keep my study schedule un-interrupted. I felt comfortable after covering these crucial topics of each subject and then utilized the spare time for additional topics if any. VU lectures helped me a lot for speedy, standard and relevant preparation. Besides; I utilized Dawn newspaper’s online edition (e-paper) for interconnected and logical review of various articles published from time to time. I have suggested some of the members to maintain a folder in soft copy or a register in hard copy for a pool of the essential topics. I went for soft copy material, kept on updating these topics while going through new articles and magazines in soft form. Finally, I rearranged most of the topics, inserted relevant concepts and gave them readable shape for the exam. That exercise helped me in Essay, CA, PA, sociology, Journalism, and Islamiat. Because these subjects demand input from media for currency and updation. Most powerful media at my disposal was Dawn and TV News channels. When I come online on the net, I have TV news channels on in front of me, I rarely go for any entertainment channel. I set news channels in a sequence in order to save switching time.
You have to be very careful while borrowing any idea or opinion from TV anchors/ news channels, because Factors of partiality, subjective journalism, yellow journalism and defective human perception are common. So filter these opinions by going through various sources, you have to refine these ideas by having cross study exercise. Discount some information for the decent and acceptable version. Due to scarcity of time I was not a regular reader of Dawn. I read DAWN in bulk i.e. whole sale reading……….finalized Dawn of even one month in a single day by going through essential articles and making precise points in soft copy. In this way I finalized around 8 months Dawn. Grand / consolidated reading do have pros and cons. Positive point is the inter-linked study and revision of major points at a time with proper sequence and order. Negative point is the time pressure and sometimes delayed information. But delayed information drawback is not a long term de-merit because nothing is delayed if it comes into your knowledge before the exam. It is obsolete / outdated if it comes into your knowledge after the exam. Consolidated reading has one major advantage i.e. it helps you discard some articles or opinions which you might have studied in great detail with great zeal in past had you ever touched newspaper earlier. After few days or months some topics, ideas, articles, opinions lose their importance and urgency from exam point of view. In this way you get to know after few days or months that we need not waste our time on those articles and it is better to skip these and utilize time on some other crucial topics. Take the example of NRO, NFC, Gilgit-Baltistan, Restoration of CJ, 18th amendment etc.
There was a time when it was in vogue to discuss either NRO should be approved or not, lot of articles were written on this issue,
NFC: articles on the disagreement of provinces on factors for distribution,
Gilgit-Baltistan: yes or no.
Restoration of CJ: should he be restored or not?
Then 18th amendment: Should be passed or not?

These were hot issues at that particular period of time but now these topics have got different directions e.g.

NRO: action against NRO supporters and action against those who got benefit from NRO? Now yes or no for NRO has lost its relevance so we need not read those articles which are solely on previous agenda.

NFC: factors have been decided, now this topic has taken direction towards its implementation and aftermaths?

Gilgit-Baltistan: Has been established, now its results are in the focus.

Restoration of CJ: he has been restored now it is the time to focus on his effectiveness and his performance as it was expected.

18th Amendment: It has been passed now criticism from judiciary point of view is in limelight.

These are some topics for illustration only, you will find many topics which lose their importance by the passage of time or take a different direction. So my consolidated reading helped me a lot while deciding either to read out or root out any article.

Another factor in my study plan: Not all the aspirants can afford it but few can take this risk. Sacrificing your sweet sleep. I didn’t avail leave from my office for the preparation that is why I had to arrange time for preparation from my sleep time. My routing rest was of 4 hours out of 24 hours. My office timing was from 9 Am to 5pm which normally went upto 6 or 7 pm. I had to study at night till 3 Or 4 AM. That is why my routine is still same. I won’t suggest you the same. You have asked me about my time management that is why I have explained it here. Due to professional life I had to take this pain. Even in my exam days, I had around 6 days gape in my last paper M. Law in that gape I attended my office for three days and then attempted the paper.

It is better to go for extensive preparation if you have ample time at your disposal but if you are running short of time and you have to make it on any cost then try to find some hints from my post.

Your selective study with smart strategy can pay dividend.

I had planned passing threshold for the each paper. I kept compulsory papers just for passing criteria. Out of all the compulsory papers I was only conscious about GK paper for the rest of papers I had a level of comfort. I was hopeful of passing Essay, Composition and Islamiat with minimum preparation. GK was very tricky for me to handle as CA and PA were less rewarding and EDS was more demanding. My EDS went the worst and its burden was born by CA and PA quite reverse of the common trend. Most of the guys get lesser score in CA and PA but better score in EDS.

I would recommend you to keep target of passing Essay, Composition, CA, and PA. Keep EDS and Islamiat as your score boosting papers to maintain the best merit. Your great efforts can hardly enhance your score in CA, PA, Composition and Essay as compared to Islamiat and EDS. It is better to invest more in score enhancing papers and remain vigilant for tricky paper for passing criteria only.

For optional subjects strategy varies from subject to subject. If you are habitual of taking notes of the subjects then keep these precise and easy to revise in a short span of time during the exam days. Don’t indulge into lengthy essay style for it hardly pays you in the exam and you fail to revise all the topics.

Regards

scsaus · #3 Monday, June 14, 2010

what do u think how was ur essay. did u commit some mistakes in ur essay that u think u should not have. i am waiting for ur reply. thanks in advance bro

Raz · #4 Monday, June 14, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by scsaus

what do u think how was ur essay. did u commit some mistakes in ur essay that u think u should not have. i am waiting for ur reply. thanks in advance bro

Sorry, I could not understand your question. In my previous post, I have not discussed about any mistake in my essay.

ali jaffer · #5 Tuesday, June 15, 2010

brother you prepared for CA only in the said fashion? no Imtiaz Shaid ? no Safdar Mahmood ? apart from this, how did you prepare for Essay? and how many essays did you prepare? what was your preparing strategy? and you attempted Islamiyat in Eng or Urdu?in which subjects VU lecs proved beneficial?... your strategy for CA was pretty different from the one normally recommanded,i.e, reading dawn daily ;and do you endorse the theory of reading dawn daily? do you recommand that approach to others as well? were you comfortable with the CA paper once it was brought before you in the examination hall?
Regards,
Ali Jaffer

Raz · #6 Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by ali jaffer

brother you prepared for CA only in the said fashion? no Imtiaz Shaid ? no Safdar Mahmood ?

Yes, dear my study was focused on print and electronic media for CA. I purchased these contemporary affairs like that of Imtiaz Shahid, and Carvan but due to shortage of time I could not read out these sources completely. Pesy sajaey karny ky liy chand selected topics parh le the un main sy, taky ahsas na ho ky kharedy kion thy. By the way, where from these contemporary affairs magazines/periodicals/digests/books collect material? Mostly, prime source is again media either print or electronic. I was quite satisfied with my online sources for CA preparation. There are some hot issues which maintain their hotness for years like Kashmir, Palestine-Middle East, Rivalries (Russia vs US, China vs US, Pak-India). These history old but still hot issues need material from some books or archives so collect some points with respect to history of these issues in order to diagnose the problems properly and make your analysis reasonably perfect for acceptable opinion. Sometimes newspapers do publish articles which mainly focus on current developments but at the same time some light on history and initiation of these issues is also shed. So these articles prove very helpful for us. Better way for your preparation is to decide around 20 expected topics and then start collecting points on these topics. Similarly associations / organizations / groups like SAARC, OIC, UNO, NAM, EU, G……series carry some weight. These topics demand lesser current developments as compared to past history. It is better to collect material on their origin, objectives, achievements and failures from past material and updated information from media. Internet has brought information flood, you can find facts from different sites like Wikipedia etc. At the same time this information flood has created ambiguities, you will come across different versions and varying opinions with contradictory nature while utilizing these sources. You will be confused while relying on these sources as there are some flawed, totally misinterpreted, biased, partial, prejudiced opinions available on net. This is the test of your standard how efficiently you filter these opinions and how smartly you pick the best from the worst. If you can’t decide about these sources then report back to your official stance the best and the safest route towards success. Your guiding lifeline will be Pakistan’s official stance on these issues, go through our official material in any shape either in the shape of official publications, articles, press release, speeches, and official websites etc. VU lectures will be very helpful for maintaining a balance between official and an independent opinion. These lectures are devised in such a manner that independence of the opinion is within official acceptable threshold.

Quote:

apart from this, how did you prepare for Essay? and how many essays did you prepare? what was your preparing strategy?

I did not practice for essay, I wrote not a single essay during my preparation. However; I kept on collecting some points and ideas on the expected topics. List of these topics was not more than 15 topics. These points were helpful in formulating outlines and brief hints to explain these outlines. I am not good at cramming that is why I don’t waste my time on devising detailed notes and memorizing these. You can make an educated guess for these topics like there are always some pet topics which are often repeated: Woman (Both in Islam as well as in Pakistan), War (on terrorism or among Non-Muslims and Muslim Ummah), Economy/Resources (energy, food), Democracy / Good Governance, Media, Education, Environment (either in the shape of Global warming or in any other form) and one current issue of that year.

Quote:

and you attempted Islamiyat in Eng or Urdu?

Initially I intended to attempt in Urdu and I collected lot of notes in Urdu from various sources, but later on I changed my strategy after going through new shape of Islamic topics discussions. Finally, I end up with English medium and that helped me in attempting paper.

Quote:

in which subjects VU lecs proved beneficial?...

I arranged VU lectures for: Islamiat, IR (for Getting help in CA and PA approach), Journalism/Mass Communication, Sociology, Marketing (for getting help in Journalism). At that time these lectures were provided on placing order but now you have very good facility to download free of cost.

Quote:

your strategy for CA was pretty different from the one normally recommanded,i.e, reading dawn daily ;and do you endorse the theory of reading dawn daily? do you recommand that approach to others as well? were you comfortable with the CA paper once it was brought before you in the examination hall?
Regards,
Ali Jaffer

You are right my strategy for CA was fairly different from the majority. This may be due to scarcity of time at my disposal. You may adopt the approach endorsed by the majority because that strategy may help you in MCQs very well. Regular reading may equip you well for attempting MCQs.
Consolidated reading helps for an organized and inter-linked study. You can find linkages of various sources and determine relevance simultaneously. It has one negative side i.e. your MCQs which are picked form media are skipped some times. But I was ready to sacrifice MCQs marks in CA and PA after calculating cost and benefit analysis.

I was very comfortable in CA and PA papers but at the same time was uncertain about the fate of my paper as is the case with all the aspirants. This uncertainty is based on the marking trend of these two papers, even your best attempt cannot assure you passing marks in these two papers.

Everybody is requested to pray for my success, result is on one or two days distance.

Regards

Invincible · #7 Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Dear Raz,

I salute u on ur unending endeavours. U r an inspiration for me and alot of people here.

I wana ask u some different questions.

1. What is ur inspiration in this world?

2. What makes u workaholic. ur instinct interest or any economic compulsion?

3. What is ur aimed destination, CSS or some thing even else?

hope to hear from u soon.

Thanks.

iron guy · #8 Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Wow! thanks Raz for sharing such valuable tips for time management and general study methods. You know tips aside i am very much inspired by her professional career, her domestic life (she being new mother and all) and by this sentence "Sacrificing your sweet sleep". It shows what a person can do in order to achieve its goals. It is truthfully motivational and i always find those aspirants much motivational who are managing their professional life while preparing for CSS. It really gives me hope.

Thanks to Raja4u for starting this thread and BIG thanks to Raz for posting those amazing tips.

@Raz
Are the tips from Noor ul Ain?

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