burnout -- how to deal with it

Comments

• Kermit750 Alum Member

  March 2018 2124 karma

  This is classic burn out. Definitely stay off anything LSAT related for a couple days at least 2-3, some people take a week off. If you've been going hard for a while and you haven't had any break at all try to take off more days. You could work on law school essays or try to do something that you haven't been able to do since you began studying, but definitely don't try to push through burn out cause it will go downhill from my experience.
• Paul Caint Alum Member ⭐

  March 2018 3521 karma

  Rest rest rest rest!
• beezmoof Alum Member

  March 2018 555 karma

  I recommend a legitimate break, as in nothing LSAT-related at all. It feels weird to let go at first but once you're in the thick of it you realize how much you needed it.
• 1 Like

  studyingandrestudying Core Member

  March 2018 5254 karma

  Rest. Maybe go to a library or bookstore. If you like podcasts, then have at it. Maybe go to an animal shelter and bring a box of dog treats or something. Maybe fill out a bracket. Maybe plan a nice semi-green-themed dinner. And keep us posted on here like you're doing. It's very important that we talk about our struggles as we're going through similar things.
• 3 Likes

  _oshun1_ Alum Member

  March 2018 edited March 2018 3652 karma

  Take a break for at least a few days. You'll start feeling antsy and ready to dive back into the LSAT when your break is over. You're not being "lazy" by taking time off from LSAT studying. You're passively LSAT preparing by giving your brain time to process everything you've been learning and making sure your emotional wellbeing is good enough to study. Even if you did wake up late for a few days and not do anything, this isnt going to drastically alter your body chemistry or something. If you dont want to wake up late then wake up early and go to the gym or read a book. Don't do anything law school related, you're stressed out and need to decompress.
• LSATBREAKER Alum Member

  March 2018 94 karma

  I am going through the same hardship as you -! I have been studying almost 5 months but haven't seen much visual improvement. Well, often I'm telling myself lets just get a decent job and it would be fine still. However, what keeps me coming back to my desk is that I really want to go to the law school. If you think you are going through the burn out stage, just take a deep breath and think about why do you want to study for this. Going back to the fundamental reason why you have started this journey will give you the motivation to reboot your study mode. That's what I'm doing right now, and I think it's working for me. Hope you the best -!
• 1 Like

  testfromaway Alum Member

  March 2018 280 karma

  I'm with team take a break. A real break. A break where you're not doing essays or working on different sections or even scanning the forums (really!). You do yourself no favors when you're spending energy being frustrated at the test. Your mind is telling you that it's full to capacity, so let things ruminate and churn while you do something else.

  I haven't been studying nearly as long as I'd guess you have, and I'm going on vacation next week and not bringing any LSAT stuff. It's okay. It's not wasted time, it's just time to process and internalize what you've learned while clearing the cache in your head to make room for next information you'll ingest.

  Take some time, be a human and not a test studying machine. It'll pay off.
• 1 Like

  NovLSAT2019 Alum Member

  March 2018 620 karma

  It's probably a good idea to take time off. I notice this too after a few weeks of very disciplined studying sessions. It's really important to not think about the test or anything else. For me, I really need to remind myself to not feel guilty about taking time off. Only a few days aren't close to being enough for me after a month and a half of intense grind so I usually try to take a week or two off and keep reminding myself that it's a marathon, not a sprint! You really need to enjoy the time off too (which can be difficult)...
• 1 Like

  terrynicholasj Free Trial Member

  March 2018 188 karma

  I wrote a post a few days ago and this was one of my points. You HAVE to shut it off for a while. Just take your little brain motor and shut it down. Change the oil and top up the fuel tank this is 100% needed. Take 5 or 6 or more days completely off and forget about the LSAT. Come back and dive STRAIGHT into a practice test. I'm sure you'll see improvement.
• westcoastbestcoast Alum Member

  March 2018 3788 karma

  Go for an intense workout session or take couple days off. Go visit friends you neglected. Maybe have a night out in town so you can forget about your stress and come back refreshed
• Adam Hawks Alum Member

  March 2018 990 karma

  Grand Theft Auto 5 or find a good book. Anything but LSAT prep until you feel ready.
• Beast Mode Live Member

  March 2018 855 karma

  Hi Marco, don't be too hard on your-self. Take rest when you need to and meditate. There are so many free guided meditations on YouTube or you can download apps. It makes a huge difference. Also, if you already know you are doing your best, there is no reason to beat your-self up, the scores don't reflect your intellect. Just take a break and then go back to them when you feel ready, drill them as much as possible so you don't make the same mistakes on test day. The score that matters is what you get on the official LSAT. As Hamilton Holt said "Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Work, continuous work and hard work, is the only way to accomplish results that last." Remember why you want to go to law school to begin with. You got this!!
• Seeking Perfection Alum Member

  March 2018 4428 karma

  Take a week and come back to it fresh. Even aside from bad cases of burnout, many people find their scores rise after a break.