Balancing Study and Work While Preparing for CAT
When I decided to prepare for CAT 2026 while continuing my full-time job, I knew it wouldn’t be a smooth ride. I’ve read countless stories of people cracking the CAT while working, but living that story yourself is a different game altogether. Over the past few weeks, I’ve realized that balancing study and work is less about finding time and more about building discipline, structure, and mindset.
The Early Struggle: Managing Energy, Not Just Time
Initially, I thought the main challenge would be “finding time” to study. But soon I realized the real struggle was managing energy.
After 8–9 hours of work, even if I had two hours free, I didn’t always have the mental bandwidth to solve a DILR set or analyze a mock test. There were days when I would open my notes and close them five minutes later, feeling too drained to focus.
I’ve started noticing patterns in my productivity. My mornings, for instance, are much more focused than my late evenings. That insight helped me make one of my first important adjustments, shifting my study sessions to early mornings before work. I now wake up about an hour earlier and dedicate that time solely to one subject area, whether it’s revisiting Quants basics or solving Reading Comprehension passages.
Weekends: My CAT Reset Button
Weekends have turned into my CAT sanctuary. Saturdays are for practice and Sundays for reflection. I use this time to go through what I’ve covered during the week, analyze mistakes, and set targets for the next one.
Even though I sometimes feel tempted to relax or catch up on Netflix, having a small study ritual on weekends helps keep my momentum alive.
Micro-Learning During Workdays
One thing that has surprisingly worked well is micro-learning. During short breaks at work or while commuting, I squeeze in small learning sessions, watching quick YouTube videos on Quants shortcuts or solving a 5-minute DILR puzzle.
It’s not about long study hours every day; it’s about consistency. Even a few 10-minute focused sessions add up when done daily.
Building a Routine That Fits Both Worlds
I haven’t yet mastered time management (I’ll share my full system once I figure out what truly works for me), but I’ve learned that building triggers around your day helps.
For example, I always start my study sessions with a short note review or a warm-up quiz. This small habit signals my brain: “It’s study time now.”
Similarly, I avoid studying immediately after work. Instead, I take a 30-minute breather — a walk, a light snack, or some music, before switching gears into prep mode. That gap helps me reset mentally.
The Power of Small Wins
When you’re juggling work and CAT prep, it’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough. That’s where tracking small wins becomes important.
Finishing one Quant chapter, improving your accuracy in RCs, or finally solving that one DILR set you’ve been stuck on; all of these are wins worth celebrating.
I’ve started maintaining a small “Praveen Chopra’s CAT Exam Journal” to record these wins. On tougher days, reading them gives me a push to keep going.
Avoiding Burnout
There were times when I tried to overcompensate by studying late at night, only to feel exhausted the next morning. I’ve learned that burnout kills consistency. Now, I focus more on sustainability — doing a little every day rather than burning out once a week.
Exercise, good sleep, and some downtime are just as crucial as study hours. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and I’m learning to respect that pace.
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My Favourite Online Resources for CAT
I plan to keep adding more resources to this list as I discover them, so anyone following my journey can benefit too.
Final Thoughts
Balancing a job and CAT prep is undoubtedly tough, but it’s also deeply rewarding. Every small study session feels like a step toward something bigger — not just cracking an exam, but proving to myself that consistency can overcome chaos.
If you’re in a similar boat, working full-time and chasing your CAT dream — my biggest advice is this: don’t wait for perfect conditions. Just start, however imperfectly. Adjust, adapt, and grow along the way.
And that’s what I’m doing, figuring it out, one day at a time.
