Exam Preparation: Improving Your Stamina

Carlos Peguero is a consultant in New Jersey.

  Career Development  

To be productive in the modern world, the odds are you have become adept at multitasking. Performing a quick scan of emails while on a conference call, sending instant messages while at a meeting or a lecture…does this sound familiar? We have become masters of managing various tasks at the same time. In a way, we have become masters at managing distractions.

Many prospective PMP candidates diligently study to prepare for PMP examination. They acquire books and materials, participate in courses and take quizzes believing they will be fully prepared. However, they often overlook the physical component required to successfully complete the exam. Stamina is defined as the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort. The PMP exam—consisting of 200 questions to be answered within four hours—is definitely a prolonged mental effort. Stamina is a variable many prospective PMPs fail to address in their exam preparation.

Let’s paint a picture. You have decided to become a Project Management Professional. You are studying hard learning about the knowledge areas, processes, ITTOs and more. You have a copy of A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) and possibly an exam prep guide such as Rita Mulcahy’s PMP Exam Prep. You have been diligent in your approach, scheduling time to study and take practice quizzes. …

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