So, you’re studying for the ABA exam? I’ve been there. When I was studying for the BCBA® exam, I didn’t know where to begin! In high school and college, I struggled with tests. Needless to say, I had terrible test anxiety. I started studying a year in advance, because I wanted to make sure I gave myself enough time to absorb all the knowledge I could about ABA.
Like many of you, I was working full time as a behavior technician and attending grad school at night all while trying to study for the exam. I was so busy I forgot to take care of myself. As my days got more swamped, I realized that self-care was an important part of my study process. I’m not a self-care guru, but here are some of my tips for stress-free studying:
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Overwhelmed and need a day off to study? Ask someone to cover your shift. Need someone to quiz you? Ask your roommate to help you run through SAFMEDS! Ask for more supervision! Ask your supervisor to review a topic with you! Not sure if you’re responding to a client’s behavior correctly? Ask your supervisor to observe you. Our job as supervisors is to help you improve, so if there’s something you’re struggling with, tell your supervisor! - Learn to say “no”
Learn to use this two-letter word! I struggled with saying “no” much when I was a behavior technician, and even in the beginning of my days as a BCBA. I was always a “yes” person. I learned that saying “yes” to everything lead to the brink of burn out. I was pushing myself to my limit, and it was stressing me out. As I progressed in my career, I learned that the most cathartic word is “no.” Try it sometime. Trust me! For example, if someone asks you to cover a session on a day you planned to study, tell them you are not available. - Set boundaries
The one thing I didn’t do enough of while studying was to set boundaries. Boundaries are extremely important while you’re preparing for your BCBA® or RBT® exam. If you don’t set them, you’ll burn out before you even sit for the exam. How do you do this? Set limits on what you will and will not accept. For example, set a limit on how long you’ll study each day, or set a schedule for yourself. One of the limits I set for myself was to not respond to work or school emails or texts on days I took off to study. You’ll not only eliminate stress, but you may also free up some time to take care of yourself…which is my next tip. - Schedule time for yourself
Go for a manicure, listen to music, sip some tea, watch some Netflix, take a bath…your day shouldn’t just be filled with work, school and studying. Self-care is the best care and you shouldn’t feel guilty about doing it. - Take a day off
I challenge you to take a day off. This day off could be a scheduled day off from work, or maybe a day over the weekend where you don’t study. During this day off, turn off all electronics. Don’t look at your phone, don’t go on social media, don’t check email, and don’t even open that Cooper book. If someone from work texts you, don’t respond. It can wait. Set those boundaries for yourself and enjoy the time to reset. - Spend time with people who contribute to your happiness!
These people could be your best friends, your family, or people who overall don’t make you feel stressed! If these friends are people you work with or go to school with, challenge yourself to not talk about work or school during your time together. Nothing is more annoying than trying to enjoy happy hour, and all you talk about is work! - Remember those unconditional reinforcements!
You know what I’m talking about…sleep, food, water…those things we need to survive! Make sure you’re getting plenty of them! Schedule a lunch break, go outside, or set a bedtime. It’s the least you can do to maintain some self-care!
Yes, studying is stressful, but it doesn’t have to be! You got this!