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Overwhelmed (advice needed particularly from those that work Full-Time)
Mustbe8Characters
Member
Hi everyone,
I hope everyone had a great weekend. I wanted to post to get some advice from all of you, especially those who have managed studying and working full-time at the same time.
To give a little background, I currently work at a job that I've been at for a little more than a year. Unfortunately, I work in consulting and my hours are not always necessarily the typical 9-5PM. There are times when I get out at 7-8. On really bad days, I get out even later (although this hasn't happened recently). At this time, I'm not sure quitting my job to study is an option because financially, that may not be feasible. I am planning on taking the September LSAT (my third try) and I'm feeling completely overwhelmed. I'm trying my best to maintain both studying and work, but it's hard to put full effort into either. I've been getting a lot of crap from my bosses about how I haven't been communicative enough or proactive enough. At the same time, my scores don't seem to be improving too much (in fact, they seem to be going down). I was scoring in the 170s before the June test, but now my scores are back down to the 167-169 range.. Ideally, I'd REALLY like to take the September test just because I'm planning on applying this year and because the LSAT has already taken up so much of my time.
For those who have gone through this before (and for anyone else who's been overwhelmed by this test), how do you handle this? Any advice on how I should approach this or anything from your own experiences you think would help?
Thanks all for reading this long message!!
Comments
I have the same type of hours it sounds like, so I totally feel you on this one.
My advice is pretty limited since the only constant while prepping for this test has been the constant problem working long hours has posed. It takes our time and our energy...
The biggest thing I can tell you is that it is always better to do even a little bit each day then to do nothing at all. My biggest regrets stem from thinking I either had to study for 4 hours after work or none at all. I don't know if it's just me, but I have this weird all or nothing mindset. I would be so busy at work, I'd go 2 weeks without really studying at all because I knew I didn't have 2,3, or even 4 hours sometimes. So instead of just studying for an hour, I did nothing at all.
The rest of the stuff I'm sure you've heard before. If I can I try to get studying done on my lunch break. I try to wake up early and do an hour before work somedays as well. The small study sessions have really added up! Even just doing a few games during lunch really helps to keep you sharp.
Also, if you need more time to prep, then take in December. I know you want to apply this year, but time spent prepping isn't wasted, so don't rush yourself. I know you may want to apply this year, but if taking in December nets you the extra points you need, you're better off applying in early January with the higher score anyway.
Most of all, stay strong and pace yourself. I found that I made a decision to always put my work above the LSAT because they were constantly at odds and causing both to be pretty bad for a while. So I chose to just always put 100% into my work at work and 100% into prep while I'm doing that on nights and weekends.
It's easy to burn out and feel overwhelmed. I'm studying part-time while working full-time at the moment, too, so this is very relatable. First of all, take a deep breath. Everything will be ok. The fact that you are even managing a consistent score range in the high 160s while working full-time is an accomplishment of its own.
I try to carve out my day into hours. I do one problem set or timed section in the morning (35 minutes) another one during my lunch break (35 minutes) and one right when I get home from work before I relax or eat dinner (35 minutes). That's already almost two hours right there. Then I take a solid break of 1.5-2 hours long to eat dinner and just relax. Then I BR the problems I've done that day before I go to sleep.
On days that work runs over 6pm (which is rare for me) or if I have other work-related events or social events (which is more common), I try to go over problems I've already done or take a second look at an RC passage. This way, my brain feels less overwhelmed working with content I've seen before. On Saturday mornings, I take a full-length PT, and BR the two LR sections before my study group call on Saturday nights. On Sundays, I BR the RC and LG sections during the day and take the night off to do something fun.
This is A LOT to do with barely any breathing room, but the key is to relax and take it easy on your commute, or any downtime you may have in the office. Also, considering postponing until December -- especially because this is your third (and presumably last) take... it's very important to hit that score that you're aiming for on this last try.
tl;dr: Aim for at least 15-20 hours a week without burning out. PM me if you need any specific advice on drills to do during the day that won't burn you out for actual work-related work. Good luck!
@LSAT2017123
@"Alex Divine" @"yeram.choi"
I sincerely believe in the 20 Mile March. Check out the video below to learn more. It's a great alternative for Type A personalities. Let's face it. Most lawyers and LSAT junkies are Type A!
@LSAT2017123
Your job requires you to give of yourself to your clients which means being flexible with your time and essentially your prep. So, thinking outside of the box will be a win for you.
@"yeram.choi" I agree with your approach about carving out segments of the day that are 35 mins in length to get work done. That's a fabulous idea!
@LSAT2017123
Having a LSAT workload over 2 hours daily while in a demanding consulting role will not be a cakewalk though. So having a goal of doing two sections per day with an option for a third section if possible is probably best to shoot for because of your schedule.
Even so, as long as you can do a minimum of one section per day, you'll still be getting work done. I'd choose early morning before work if possible so that you are at your freshest. Late evenings are not so great because you're already tired and test day means being mentally alert before 8:30 AM. So why practice to lose a valuable night's sleep now? Your sleeping patterns need to be consistent before test day.
I would prepare two copies each of all of my full-length PT's for the next few weeks and have them readily available so that whenever you have a free day you can do a full-length test, and BR sections as you go.
Have your stuff ready in case you get unexpected downtime too. Stuff happens at work. Meetings get cancelled, someone's flight gets delayed, etc. Depending on your work environment and how flexible you can be with your lunch and breaks, you might be able to pencil in a 35-minute prep time.
Finally, I would record my next PT and get feedback from the 7Sage team about my performance in the video footage. I think the video will help you determine your next steps regarding moving forward with the September date. You can search the discussion group to find out which 7Sage community members will be able to help you prepare and review video footage from your upcoming PT's.
@LSAT2017123
Please keep us posted regarding your progress -:)
I wish you the absolute best!
Don't be overwhelmed. I can also say from experience that it is tough to keep up with studying and with work, but it is important to not let it overwhelm you. If you let it get to you, you start letting it affect the way you take the test. Just stay positive. I too work full time and am studying for the LSAT, so I know what boat you are in.
I find that my routine helps me feel less overwhelmed. For instance, I wake up 1 1/2 hours early before I have to start getting ready for work and I was doing the curriculum (now I am testing), but waking up earlier gets you ahead in studying for the day. Now that I am done with the curriculum, I think I am going to wake up once or twice a week, depending on how my testing and BR goes, at 4am so I can get a full test in before my work day and then come home and do BR and then focus on my pitfalls for a few days before taking another. I know it isn't ideal to wake up so early, but I am not one to focus well in the evening hours, so morning is the time that I will do my best . Also, it gives me a sense of fulfillment when I start my work day knowing that I have already put forth 1 1/2 hours or so into studying. Then going home and putting another 2-3 does make all the difference.
I am also taking the September test (2nd go) and I am nervous that I won't like my score for admissions. I know it isn't ideal, but if the September test doesn't work out, we always have December. Don't stress, you are doing really well and I am sure you will pull through with a high score!
Good Luck!
Paige
I feel the same way, I try to study a bit at the office but its nearly impossible. For me its LG so if I can do a few extra I can always review it later.
I try to listen to lessons on my drive home (this works if you take mass transit if you time it well with loading the videos)
Going forward I want to listen to webinars on my way home.
On my way to work or from home I remind myself how much I want this and I try to idealize it as much as possible and get some motivation for the day from it. Gotta try to turn it into a +
@LSAT2017123 I have a very similar schedule to yours, working 7:30 to 5 minimum, often 6 or 7pm. Fortunately my job doesn't require as much human interaction
My best advice would be quality over quantity of study time. 90 minutes of focused, productive study is better than 4 hours of half-heartedly looking at an RC passage. I also definitely agree with @fisherp if you can break up your study time it helps a ton. I usually do a dull PT every Sunday, then BR 30 minutes before work, a little right when i get home, then take a break and study again 9-11ish before bed. Once PT BR is done I switch over to individual passages but similar time schedule.
Is it at all feasible to do a Leave of Absence for a month or so? I know not everyone has the opportunity to do that but since it seems like you've been scoring in the 170s at one point, maybe you just need a good month off for study before the test. Sorry can't be of more help! As I work full-time as well, I hate that there aren't more hours in the day-- or that humans need sleep to function lol.
By "this" do you mean the entirety of the preceding ¶?
The best thing I've done for myself is wake up earlier every day. I get up at 6am for1-2 hours of study before work, and i "sleep in" until 8am and study 4-5 hours each day on the weekend. That way when I get off work I can just settle in and not have to worry about it, and I always have time after studying on the weekends to do fun things and take care of myself. Going to bed earlier and opting out of those late night bar runs is of course a must, but I just keep telling myself it's only temporary until I slay this test, and it will all be worth it. I guess long story short, I schedule all my studying so that I can do it before I have to do the things that stress me out and sap all my energy. Good luck!
I'm also working full time and studying, and I feel ya...it's tough. But as @"Alex Divine" said, its better to do something than nothing at all. For those of us who work full time, it's exhausting coming home from work and having to use more mental power and fully concentrate on studying. 4 hours after sounds great, but we all know that it doesn't always happen. Sometimes you wanna rest and take a short mental break (which can turn into an hour) and then getting back into grind mode is an entire challenge of its own.
To me, it's always quality over quantity. Even just studying 2 hours a day at complete attention is better than disturbed and half-assed 4 hours. So, my advice is to do it when you can, but make sure you're able to really focus. Because, if you study for 4 hours and cant even remember what you just learned or reviewed, then you've just wasted 4 hours that you'll never get back.
Also, with Labor Day coming up, I've also taken a few vacation days just to study and treat it like its a full time job. Of course those days will be spent with timed PTs and BR, but having that Monday off can really help you.
Best of luck!