How often do you have "burn out" and how many days do you take off?

stcaitmokyu

Besides the questions in the title...
What do you usually do during those days?
I took a couple of days off and sometimes I even needed 1 week or so to get refreshed...I feel like I take too many days off...

Sprinkles

A week is fine if the burnout if need be. You know yourself best. All you're required to do on days off is anything besides LSAT. Go out and have fun. People usually take about 3-4 days off if they experience burnout but a week won't do much harm. Besides you should always be taking a day or two off each week even if you aren't burnt out.

Cant Get Right

I’ve done a couple weeks at a time a few times and it really helped. The main thing I’ve encountered is feeling guilty when I’m not studying. I’m not able to enjoy the time away and it just burns me out even further. So just get away from it and don’t feel bad about it. I think a week is totally fine. Sometimes it can be a little difficult to get back into the rhythm of a good study schedule, so just make sure you’re actually making yourself study when you return. I’ve always found that procrastinating actually burns me out way faster than actually studying.

Alex

I've burned out twice over my 2 months of prep. The first month I was working full-time and studying an additional 40 hours a week. The problem was I was doing 7 days a week and NO breaks or time to do something non-work, non-LSAT related.

I took off however long it was until I felt like I wanted to study again. I think the first time I only took a day off and came back and burned out within a week. I think a week is usually good if you're burned out. There is no magic number because only you will truly know when you are good to go again.

The good news is that my burn outs led me to 7Sage! I was so tired of the same old books and wanted to try something new. Since I've started and followed the study schedule I haven't felt burned out at all!

MrSamIam

I've burnt out once, and will do everything in my power to avoid it. When it comes to burn out, preventative medicine should always trump curative medicine.
Take as much time off as you need. I will generally recommend 2-3 days off. If that isn't enough, take another day or two off.

leejaylee

I know I'm burnt out when I start reading something and I've literally just read something. If I can't understand the stimulus (not due to it being convoluted or difficult), I know something is wrong. I take a few days rest, think about other things, enjoy a bit of life and come back to it.

Addistotle

My biggest break during my 7 months of prep was close to 3 weeks, followed up later by a day or two here and there as I felt they were necessary. I took one more week off a couple months out as well. They pay off, once you take the break and come back into the swing of things your mind is definitely sharper.

Lolo1996

I have been prepping for nearly 2 months, never really burned out. I do not study more than 10 hours a day (maybe 50~ hrs a week). If I feel like nothing is entering my brain, I take a break, do some chores, go out, walk my doggo, call a friend etc. I try to do a bit each day. I am fresher in the morning than in the evening. I also sleep in on the weekends.

Yesterday, by 4pm I was absolutely done for the day, so I went out for ice cream with my friends. Took the rest of the night off. I am functioning much better today!

I also tell myself that there is no pressure and there should not be any. We can retake the exam if we screw up. We can cancel our scores. I think this is key for me. Otherwise, I would constantly be filled with anxiety and I do not perform well under pressure.

Super Saiyan

I have never related so much to anything else in my life. It's so hard to explain this struggle to other people, family, friends, etc. This is a truly awesome community we have here We've got this!

EagerestBeaver

Burnt out once or twice in seven months. I took a full 2 days off. Came back fresh and ok. No problem taking a day or two off here and there.

whatsmyname

Depends, usually organize stuff and clean up my space and do other things i've been neglecting. I've been burnt out past couple of weeks redoing all the games leading up to the exam in two weeks, but I'm still going - I'll rest a few days before the exam. Big deal.

I'm not sure what burn out really is... it's when you're so fed up with the crap you're doing you need a break.. so you take a break. go on a long ass walk, watch a tv show, run, mediate, and get back to it when you feel like it.

But really, it comes down to habits. Pros work through work even when they don't want to... because its a habit. They don't know anything else but work.