Do I Take a Break?

If you know the date if the certifying test, work backwards and plan pockets of break time for fun stuff and keep studying!

Being a full-time student myself, I know how hazardous a "break" can be. The 2 weeks between semesters allows all the information you stuffed into your brain to slowly leak out without you realizing it!

So, as many have recommended below, take a weekend. Enjoy yourself & your family & your activities.

Then, stay in the game. Now, going forward, you can probably go at your own pace, & study around your schedule, rather than scheduling around your studying.

Make sure to block time each week until your nat'l exam is scheduled. Make a list of things you need to know, & self-test to make sure you are profficient in all areas, focusing your studies more on the subjects you are weaker. Polish your knowledge.

Then, when the time comes, walk in & OWN it! You have done great so far, keep your spirits & enthusiasm & work ethic high so that you know your success is genuinely yours. Keep your focus forward.

Good Luck & Good for You! T.

Congrats! I have so much admiration for those who go back to school after kids. It must be so exhausting.

That said, I think you should take the weekend off, and start to study on Monday and get the exam over with while all your course material is fresh in your mind.

You are ALMOST THERE. Don't lose motivation now. You got this far, you can finish it out.

It would help to know what the course was and what the exam will cover. There are some exams that you just must take right away.

Congratulations on getting the papers done!

I don't even know what you're studying, but I agree with the previous answers. If you don't take your certification exam, all your previous time and effort will have gone down the drain, right? And if you put it off to wait - and wait - until things are just right, you won't take the exam at all. You don't really want that. You just want to rest a bit. Whew!

So rest a bit. How about this weekend? Enjoy your family. Do something together, and, if you can, do something special for yourself. In addition, get as much sleep as you can.

Next Monday, take another practice quiz. Then take a look at the road ahead. It will look a little better. Then look at your nutrition. You need to be eating properly for your brain to handle all the things you're juggling.

Don't be ruled by your fears. Use your common sense. I'm sure it's very good!

A weekend, yes. Don't look at another thing. But no longer.

Congratulations on not giving up! I respect your hard work!

Are you suggesting taking a break before a class or before the test? I would be afraid of forgetting things if I took a break before the test. All my online classes were "intense" in that they took 8 weeks, papers due Every week. At the same time I worked full time, and raised a young child. Working and studying A LOT does not stress me and burn me out. I enjoyed working hard knowing it would help my career. I LOVED spending time with my youngest son. What really stresses me are the difficult things in life that I cannot control. Dealing with a mentally ill, addicted son and a depressed daughter, taking care of aging parents, and always worrying about losing my job are the hard things. Working, studying, playing with my child and making him dinner are the good things in life. You need to figure out what is really burning you out. What is making you feel you have no control? Why is it hard to enjoy these too soon gone years of raising a small child? Do you really want this career you are working towards? Something in your life is very difficult, but I dont think you've admitted to yourself what that something is. When you do, you can work towards enjoying your life more.

Most people who "take a break" end up never going back. So, I would say you press on and complete your program.... IF you think it will help you achieve your goals.

However, unsolicited advice comin'..... part of why you are burned out is because you aren't prioritizing the other things. You're trying to control it ALL which is what leads to the burnout. You have to have boundaries and you have to know when you let others do it "their" way, even if it's not the way YOU would do it. And you have to learn to let it go.

So - if you can't do that.... then maybe school IS too much. But maybe this is an opportunity to get yourself an accomplishment that is your own. And, i that case, I think it's something you should pursue to completion. So that your daughter can see what it's all been for. If you don't finish.... then what will the last 6 months have been?

I would say give yourself over the weekend to re-charge. I'm not sure how your classes are structured.... are there set times when classes begin? Have you registered for another class? Those will make a difference.

Good Luck.

you probably need more than a day to let your brain settle. but you're absolutely correct in being concerned that going too far with it will backfire on you. maybe take a few more days before you start ramping up with the practice quizzes, but spend half an hour a day just reviewing notes.
how long until the certifying exam?
khairete
S.

Going back to work while going to school is not advisable unless it plays directly to your education and will advance you when you start looking for a real job with your degree.

Don't take so many classes if you can't handle it. Going to an actual classroom and doing the regular college thing is so much easier than trying to do it online. I advise you to take at least a few classes on campus to see the difference. I always did better in my classes that I attended in person.

I think you answered your own question. If you're studying but only half paying attention, then really, you're just wasting your time. Take a break, and come back to it tomorrow or the next day. In the meantime, take care of whatever else is occupying your time - whether that's paying bills, cleaning the house, taking the kids to the park, or whatever. Then, when you sit down to study, you'll be able to focus.

Congrats!!! You are doing great!! Take the next 4 days and RECHARGE Yourself. If you can get a Mani-Pedi or a massage - Start back on Monday but until then don't open a book, look at the computer and relax.