It requires pure dedication and rigorous study for at least 6 hours daily to gain significant knowledge and understanding of the topics examined in the UPSC Civil Service Exam. Maintaining persistence and determination over such a long time is crucial for clearing these exams. Only with the highest dedication and commitment towards your goal, you will be able to accomplish the aim of becoming an IAS, IPS, or IFS officer and lead the country in a new era.
When it comes to clearing the UPSC Examinations, always remember that it is not a race that favours the fastest; instead, it’s a race that favours the motivated. The preparation and success in UPSC CSE require you to be a tortoise that keeps moving ahead, slowly and steadily, irrespective of the setbacks. Remember that Consistency is desirable, but inconsistency is inevitable. No matter what you plan in the short or long term, no matter how much the initial impulse is, everyone tends to lose focus on the goal and become demotivated in the long run. Therefore it becomes essential to reorganize yourself every time you wander far away from your plan.
Life does not go as planned; many students preparing for UPSC do not yield because they failed to clear the UPSC Prelims but rather capitulate under other pressures like age, economic situation, and pessimism from society. Success doesn’t come easily, and you will fail in your attempts from time to time, and you will face growing pressure every year.
You may be losing other opportunities in life, the limited number of UPSC attempts will be used up, your life will seem miserable, and people around you will move ahead, leaving you behind. This phase is one of the most critical periods in one’s life; losing interest in your aim, getting depressed, and losing personal confidence common phenomena. Numerous candidates tend to drop their attempts at UPSC Examinations after failure 3-4 times.
It is said that Rome was not built in a day; we would like to add that Rome was neither built in a day nor built easily. Keep one thing in mind, if you travel halfway and then quit the race, you don’t just lose the race but will also lose the efforts you put in to reach that point. Keep trying and pushing yourself harder in desperate times because the churn only ends when you reach the top.
It’s understandable we are humans and not programmable machines which can maintain the same level of interest everyday. However, maintaining an overall consistency throughout our preparation is necessary to clear this competitive and vast exam.
We are sharing few tips here to maintain the consistency,
1. "Turn OFF" the notifications in your mobile phone
When we sit to study, we will always have our mobile phone with us or in the study table. The moment when it vibrates or a notification pops-up, our mind will deviate from reading the book to look at the notification. So, to avoid this type of deviation Turn OFF all the social media notification sounds.
2. Paste a Motivational Wallpaper before you on the wall
Click here for more motivational wallpapers
3. Maintain a timetable
Having a timetable gives you a sense of direction, especially when you feel lost looking at the huge pile of UPSC books and study material around you. When you study according to a schedule you will find that you get more time on your hands. Since you would have stipulated a fixed time for your studies and your breaks, you can ensure that you don’t extend your breaks and naps. You will have a time and place for everything and this will take you to your goal.
Here is an example of how a study timetable will look like – realistic as well as accommodates everything. This should only be considered as a sample one and it can be modified in a way that can suit the individual.
4. Utilize your time properly
If you are studying for 2 hours in a stretch, your focus should be only on your books in those 2 hours.
5. Boredom kills your motivation
Understand what topics bore you and try learning those parts by a different method. Be creative while dealing with these topics. Instead of books, try watching videos. Remember you will encounter topics that bore you as the syllabus is vast. But you can get through them by these innovative methods.
6. Have a break!
A good break can refresh your body and mind. Researchers have proved that learning continuously without breaks confuses the mind and causes information retention issues. Taking frequent breaks gives freshness to the mind.
7. Follow your hobby
A relaxed mind is more dynamic. It is therefore essential that a hobby is followed on a regular basis to avoid fatigue of body and mind.
8. Record your progress
Regularly record your progress. If you are feeling down and out, go through this chart. You will feel good about what you have achieved and get that boost required to move on.
9. Break it down
If expectations wear you down, the best way to deal with it is to break it down. Have mini-targets and strive to achieve them. Not only does it make your work less scary, but it also makes it look more achievable.
10. Avoid intoxication
Intoxicating yourself with habits such as drinking and smoking will only prove to be counterproductive.
11. Avoid negative people
Every now and then, you surround yourself with negative thoughts, you feel scared and depressed. Instead of resolving these emotional issues, you avoid them as it seems like a waste of your precious time. Avoid any negative people who constantly put you down or those who doubt you. Just don’t be around them. Their negativity can rub off on you.
12. Talking to family / friends
The biggest hurdle in achieving your highest level of consistency is the emotional part. You have to understand that ignoring emotional troubles does not solve them. What your doing is building an emotional time bomb that may burst a week before your mains or prelims! So, TALK IT OUT. Talk to your parents, siblings or friends.
13. Be healthy
You can’t be motivated unless you are healthy. Have a healthy diet and regular exercise to be fit and fine.
14. Learning to relax
Have a good sleep. Go to bed regularly on time. This will help you to wake up next morning without any tired.
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