What was your strategy, mindset, and small preparation hacks which you followed while preparing for the UPSC along with your job?

All these hacks have been suggested keeping working profesionals in mind.

Strategy hacks:

1. You have to plan your studies in seconds and minutes and not in hours.
2. Utilize morning hours more compared to evening hours as the job stress and job fatigue factors are reduced in morning.
3. Have a good peer group, preferably on telegram.
4. In the morning download newspaper from The Hindu newspaper telegram group. Saves time.
5. A new document to be read in a particular way. First is to get a gist of overall document and then go into micro details. Works well for economic survey and ARC reports. Even if you have 15 minutes time at workplace, you can get the gist of Economic survey volume 1( given you have to be very very efficient with time, count the seconds you have).So utilize your tew breaks/Lunch break properly. Become more efficient in reading some document if you are a working aspirant.
6. Get a room near the office as much as possible. Don’t be hesitant if you have to pay a little higher.
7. Listen to AIR news or audio lectures during travel time.
8. Keep soft copies of all important books. Since You are a working professional, you might have to travel, you can’t carry every single book.
9. Make online notes preferably( I used evernote). You need access to a working platform all the time.
10. Reduce social gatherings on purpose.
11. Limit your friend circle during preparation phase, especially those who can create problems in your preparation( I got many friends online through telegram who later became my real life friends also, but when I was preparing for this exam along with a job, I hardly had a close friend in real life- with whom I can hangout or talk about UPSC things. Time is of essence and for that such actions might have to be taken)
12. Avoid social media as much as possible: My FB was deactivated, I was not on Instagram before this year’s results, didn’t use WhatsApp much.
13. You can read even in train or flights.Time is money for you.

Mindset hacks:

1. Treat your job as a temporary phenomenon. Always say “ This is just a job” and I have a small role to play in this. Do your part, be happy and keep working on your larger goals. Don’t run after appraisals or becoming the best at workplace. Stay average, but stay sincere.
2. If you are in private sector, I would suggest keep your preparation to yourself. Let the brain be your best friend and do all the mental churning in your brain.
3. Avoid confrontation or ego-clashes at workplace. This keeps you focused at your UPSC preparation.
4. Be sincere at your work. This is important as if you slouch too much in your work, it will affect you negatively. Sincerity would help in reducing your job anxiety and peer pressure at work.
5. Whenever you are doubt, ask yourself and remind yourself this : “Remember, why did you start in first place?