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CMA for Working Moms: How Joan Juggles between Work, Family, & Study

cma for working momJoan is our blogger from the Philippines currently living in Dubai. This post is dedicated to those who failed the CMA exam.

Reality Check

Most of us are working. Some may be working and are parents at the same time. And on top of that, we are CMA aspirants at the same time.  Let us not mention the need to socialize and spend some “me” or “family” time.  In short, we have a life beyond our respective careers and books.

As a working mom and current CMA exam candidate, I hear your sentiments.  This journey entails a lot of discipline and determination.  It’s like going to the gym for the first time with a goal in mind to achieve your target weight; we start with a burning desire to achieve our goals but as we go along, it’s not easy to keep up. It’s always easier to be said than done.

Who among us here has full-time jobs that require a lot of attention and critical thinking or worst get a demanding boss? Pretty exhausting, isn’t it? I, for one, have to change that and be a mom and a wife after work.  My home duties do not end until my daughter goes to bed.  I do not get to study until she is asleep, which is normally around 10 PM.  Every day is a long day. Haven’t you wished that we have more than 24 hours a day to accomplish everything we want?  Well, too bad; we only got 24 hours in a day. And we, as humans, need to rest and eat, too.

Effects of a Long, Tiring day

After a long day, it is not easy to focus and digest the review materials.  Honestly, when you are too tired no matter how much you read, comprehension and retention are two very difficult skills to achieve. It is a struggle. If you think you are getting rusty, slow, or got a very bad memory because you can’t memorize a simple formula, don’t worry; you are not alone.  This is a pretty normal case, I guess everyone here agrees with me. It’s good to push ourselves to the limit but we also need to breathe, eat, and rest. Even machines need routine maintenance to continue working efficiently.

Note from Stephanie

Your post is spot on! I just spent my Sunday juggling between a son’s competition, meeting with my husband’s business friends over lunch, helping my daughter to pack for her camp, and dining with my mom-in-law. No time for myself, let alone any studying.

So I especially admire the working moms and dads who go for the CMA exam. It’s amazing to see how they are willing to get up at 4 in the morning and pull long hours every day to squeeze things in. But yes, please remember to rest and unwind a bit. It isn’t worth it to sacrifice our health in the long term.

I have these stories from the CPA site on how the parents manage their exams. Very inspiring!

How to Study with Children Around: 17 Stories from Moms and Dads

About the Author Joan D

Kumusta kayong lahat (it means “how are you all” in Filipino)? I am Joan from the Philippines and I will be sharing with you my experiences, challenges and stories all throughout my CMA journey.

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