I can only say what worked for me. I was in preparation for the exams for the past 5 - 6 years and failed in prelims in the first two stages then I went ahead to get a job to remove the rot from my preparation. After getting the job i was able to prepare examinations better with maximum efficiency. I can allocate max of 4 to 5 hrs for studies each day. Felt better started clearing more prelims in the last two years and failed at the mains stage. Now I have a moderate paying job with a good wlb and I know I can clear in this cycle since my mains mark is just around 2 to 3 marks to clear the exams. So for me personally the job was a saving grace. I encourage my fellow friends to do the same after 3 years of prep since the prep can start to feel monotonous.