Daily schedule balancing coding practice and system design study

Sample Daily Schedule (2-3 hours total study)

Evening Session:

• Coding Practice (1.5 to 2 hours)

  • Focus on solving 2-3 algorithm problems on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank.

  • Alternate between easy, medium, and hard problems to build breadth and depth.

  • Spend time reviewing and optimizing solutions, understanding complexity.

• Short Break (10-15 mins)

  • Take a walk or do a quick refresh to avoid burnout.

• System Design Study (30-45 minutes)

  • Watch system design videos or read design case studies.

  • Practice designing a system on paper or whiteboard (e.g., URL shortener, cache system).

  • Reflect on the trade-offs, scaling, databases, and other design components.

Weekly Focus & Variations

• Alternate Days (Coding / System Design)

  • For example, focus more on coding 3-4 days per week and system design 2-3 days.

  • Use weekends for longer system design deep dives or mock design interviews.

• Combine When Possible

  • After system design study, write small scripts or pseudocode simulating components to reinforce concepts with coding.

• Mock Interviews & Review

  • Dedicate at least one day a week for mock interviews that blend coding and design questions.

  • Use this day for timed practice and behavioral prep.

Time Management Tips

• Treat study like meetings—set calendar blocks to ensure consistency.

• Avoid marathon sessions; shorter, focused sessions yield better retention.

• Use a journal or tracker to log problems solved, design concepts covered, and areas needing improvement.

Example

Time Activity

7:00 PM - 8:45 PM Coding problems & solution review

8:45 PM - 9:00 PM Break

9:00 PM - 9:45 PM System design study & practice

This balanced daily schedule keeps both coding skills and system design preparation progressing steadily without burnout. It’s adaptable to full-time work schedules by adjusting duration and frequency.

Consistency over weeks with iterative refinement based on strengths and weaknesses will maximize interview readiness.