I'm not quite in your predicament--I have a more flexible schedule since I'm just writing my dissertation--but I am in the position of having LSAT prep not be the primary focus of my professional life. I sympathize with you. I would reiterate some of the things said on this thread (a) don't stress yourself out over this test (more than possible; especially over missed questions), (b) do work out, (c) do get rest, and (d) if there's not enough time to prep comfortably for the next test, think seriously about postponing it (obviously, this will have to be weighed against other factors). I didn't see this advice above, but one that's helped me is realizing that "less is more" (esp. if you're aiming at getting a high score). Old adage, but in this context it doesn't just mean getting enough rest, not doing frantic study binges, etc. It also means that you have to use your time as wisely as possible. Usually, I would think that this is best done with diagnostics concerning your weakest areas and, more specifically, question types. Usually, you don't need any analytics to know which section is your worst, but these can be helpful when your focused on detailed study of a particular area. For instance, I don't drill on more than one or two question types in a given study session. And I don't necessary feel like time is so* important, esp. in logic games.--I'll sort of keep track of it at first, but that's not what is most important (your intuition concerning timing can be tailored over a period of a couple weeks--at most). The key is keeping the accuracy, and getting the accuracy takes focus on pattern recognition, both in question/game and answer type. That's what the drilling is for, at first. If you try to get the accuracy and the timing, its like trying to solve for multiple variables (which is just more difficult and takes longer...besides being more liable to land you in the position that you're making no progress, even though you've been throwing hrs at the same section--I know, because I tried (and failed) to solve that equation before). Like you said, you don't want that wasted practice time. So just work less, plan what you're going to work on, and don't worry too much about timing. Then, to ramp up on your timing, I've found it helpful on the LR sections to just drill blocks of 5 questions in 7, then 6, then 5 min (though, I'll usually go for as close to 5 as possible and then check back at what sorts of mistakes I'm making when I push my time). For RC, I would just do passages (one at a time) and causally check the time. Then, I would drill timing in blocks of two passages (and questions) at a time, so you get a sense of what cognitive toll reading passages on more than one topic takes on your speed (I know that it has an effect on mine). The reading comprehension is supposedly the "least teachable" of the sections, so maybe that advice won't help you as much. And then there's AR, which is one of those things that, once I get down all of the game types (I haven't got them all down yet--just a disclaimer), I just see how close I am to the suggested times. Some of the games I notice that I'm just quite a bit off of the target time (given here), but below the average time.--I'm comfortable with that, since I notice that I'm under the target time on some of the games that are supposed to be more difficult. The biggest thing with the games is make sure that there is no main game type on which you can 'stuck'. And that just takes breaking up game types and very carefully logging your weaknesses, looking at the videos and trying to adjust your diagramming more and more so that there is less and less of those 'stuck' moments. And it is still helpful if you can only do 3 games in a span of time.
That was quite a bit, but I'll just say in general that you might want to go to sleep early (like 10) waking up early (5am) and having that uninterrupted time before work to get coffee and drill (or even take a whole section or two). Having uninterrupted blocks of time is a must and maybe that's a way to do it. And then after work you can workout and chill/do other things for the rest of the day unless you want to go back to some studying, that way you know that you've already studied and you're also fresh for those most important hrs of studying. It sucks as far as scheduling but its temporary and also productive. And you don't have this fragmenting of the most important study time. Oh, and don't study during your lunch break...just don't. An annoying performance on something might add unnecessary stress to the back half of your day that just isn't worth it (for such a stupid thing). Plus, you might not even be able to learn from whatever mistake you made in that case. Good luck with your balancing and have fun on your weekend!
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I'm not quite in your predicament--I have a more flexible schedule since I'm just writing my dissertation--but I am in the position of having LSAT prep not be the primary focus of my professional life. I sympathize with you. I would reiterate some of the things said on this thread (a) don't stress yourself out over this test (more than possible; especially over missed questions), (b) do work out, (c) do get rest, and (d) if there's not enough time to prep comfortably for the next test, think seriously about postponing it (obviously, this will have to be weighed against other factors). I didn't see this advice above, but one that's helped me is realizing that "less is more" (esp. if you're aiming at getting a high score). Old adage, but in this context it doesn't just mean getting enough rest, not doing frantic study binges, etc. It also means that you have to use your time as wisely as possible. Usually, I would think that this is best done with diagnostics concerning your weakest areas and, more specifically, question types. Usually, you don't need any analytics to know which section is your worst, but these can be helpful when your focused on detailed study of a particular area. For instance, I don't drill on more than one or two question types in a given study session. And I don't necessary feel like time is so* important, esp. in logic games.--I'll sort of keep track of it at first, but that's not what is most important (your intuition concerning timing can be tailored over a period of a couple weeks--at most). The key is keeping the accuracy, and getting the accuracy takes focus on pattern recognition, both in question/game and answer type. That's what the drilling is for, at first. If you try to get the accuracy and the timing, its like trying to solve for multiple variables (which is just more difficult and takes longer...besides being more liable to land you in the position that you're making no progress, even though you've been throwing hrs at the same section--I know, because I tried (and failed) to solve that equation before). Like you said, you don't want that wasted practice time. So just work less, plan what you're going to work on, and don't worry too much about timing. Then, to ramp up on your timing, I've found it helpful on the LR sections to just drill blocks of 5 questions in 7, then 6, then 5 min (though, I'll usually go for as close to 5 as possible and then check back at what sorts of mistakes I'm making when I push my time). For RC, I would just do passages (one at a time) and causally check the time. Then, I would drill timing in blocks of two passages (and questions) at a time, so you get a sense of what cognitive toll reading passages on more than one topic takes on your speed (I know that it has an effect on mine). The reading comprehension is supposedly the "least teachable" of the sections, so maybe that advice won't help you as much. And then there's AR, which is one of those things that, once I get down all of the game types (I haven't got them all down yet--just a disclaimer), I just see how close I am to the suggested times. Some of the games I notice that I'm just quite a bit off of the target time (given here), but below the average time.--I'm comfortable with that, since I notice that I'm under the target time on some of the games that are supposed to be more difficult. The biggest thing with the games is make sure that there is no main game type on which you can 'stuck'. And that just takes breaking up game types and very carefully logging your weaknesses, looking at the videos and trying to adjust your diagramming more and more so that there is less and less of those 'stuck' moments. And it is still helpful if you can only do 3 games in a span of time.
That was quite a bit, but I'll just say in general that you might want to go to sleep early (like 10) waking up early (5am) and having that uninterrupted time before work to get coffee and drill (or even take a whole section or two). Having uninterrupted blocks of time is a must and maybe that's a way to do it. And then after work you can workout and chill/do other things for the rest of the day unless you want to go back to some studying, that way you know that you've already studied and you're also fresh for those most important hrs of studying. It sucks as far as scheduling but its temporary and also productive. And you don't have this fragmenting of the most important study time. Oh, and don't study during your lunch break...just don't. An annoying performance on something might add unnecessary stress to the back half of your day that just isn't worth it (for such a stupid thing). Plus, you might not even be able to learn from whatever mistake you made in that case. Good luck with your balancing and have fun on your weekend!