I work full time and I plan to take the October 2026 Exam. This is not my first LSAT so I've studied previously but... a lot of days I just can't study after work? My brain is deep fried after I get home from work and then I know I'm supposed to be hitting 2 hours of studying.. then I just talk myself out of doing it. Does anyone have any tips for how I can actually lock back in how I used to and kill this exam like everyone else?! I feel like the information is dripping out of my head each day I don't do a proper session. Studying in the morning is an option, but I typically have more time open after work.. I'm all ears!
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I am in the exact same position - work full-time, previously studied, taking it again in October. I try to give myself at least one day off per week, and then on nights I REALLY don't want to study, I set a timer for 30 mins and do what I can. Usually I end up at least finishing my lesson, maybe doing extra review on a drill. We've got this! :)
1 hour of quality study > 2 hours of study. I felt the same way until I dialed down on study intensity and put a limit on 1 hour of studying a day. It may feel silly at first to slow down when you want to be hitting the gas, but aiming for 10 questions with review after is more valuable than forcing yourself to do 2 hours of studying full of intense drilling or a few sections without review. Or if you have a lunch break/commute, do 10 level 1-2 confidence boosting LR questions at that time to ease back into your existing muscle memory. Then do review or 8 level 3-5 questions after work so it feel likes manageable chunks of time. In the evening when I’m tired after work I also get my favorite snack and find a comfortable spot so the evening session feels like a small reward after a long day!
I have implemented an afternoon caffeine bump (have either a coffee around 3-4p at work or a matcha when I get home around 6p), but always make sure I eat something with it. I also try to go for a walk before I get down to studying and I've noticed I can go longer if I take frequent breaks. The killer part is just spending all day looking at a computer only to look at a computer some more!
Lowkey I’m at work before my morning shift and just did pretty well on a RC drill - do your practice in the morning first thing after you eat. I work 7 days a week right now (I’m in school so I save so I can work less during the year) and going to bed extra early waking up a few hours before I need to and hitting a study with a clear mind really helps. If you’re not there yet try to set up a good sleep schedule for yourself and make sure your hitting your nutrition and go off from there! I believe in us!
I'm also struggling with this and am practically in the same position, but I've really been able to make a routine. When I come home, I give myself a little break, make dinner, and then sit down to eat and start studying. If my brain is especially fried, I stick to easy questions and light drills. Sometimes that'll get me in the zone, sometimes it won't, and that's okay. Quality over quantity. It also helps me to have an "off switch." After 1-2 hours, I make tea, get ready for bed, do some yoga, and spend time with my partner. No more LSAT thinking after that. After doing this routine for over a month, it feels weird if I take a night off.
Definitely adjust your schedule to wake up at around 4 am or 5 am, and then just go to sleep as soon as you get back from work.
Maybe you could take a couple days off? No studying or thinking about studying, that could help! I also understand that everyone’s situation is different so this may not be feasible, but I hope you can figure something out!
You're definitely burning out. You need time to digest as well as study, and post-work studying when you're exhausted isn't good. Go for weekends or wake up earlier.
@ionicinstinct i strongly disagree, if you dont have responsibilities after work, it is the best time to study. For me as soon as I started studying while a little tired is when I saw the biggest score increase in PTs. I noticed that I wasnt getting tired as fast and could actually have the stamina for the 4th section. For me what helped with motivation is having a study partner or tutor and setting up a time to meet usually right after work so that I dont have time to talk myself out of it or take a nap.
@Peter888 I was talking about and to the OP who said their "brain is deep fried" after work, not making a general statement about all people. But good to hear that worked for you.