Exhausted from LSAT prep. How do you overcome it?

[leggo7890]

The August LSAT is only a few weeks away and frankly I am worn out. I am not tired physically, just tired of studying. It started this past weekend oddly and has carried over this week.

I think the issue is mainly that I have been studying for the LSAT for several months now. I do incorporate at least one day off every week and try to eat/sleep well but I don't know why I feel the way I feel now. My concentration is scattered and today I got -9 on an LR section when I usually get -3/-4. The desire to study further and review is lacking at the moment. I'm kind of at the point where I just want to get the LSAT over with forever.

I have heard taking days off is recommended but I am a little wary of doing so when there are less than 3 weeks before the August LSAT and I am closing in on my dream PT range. I am hitting around the 170 score range, plus or take a few, and that would be where I like to score on test day.

What would you recommend I do? That -9 on LR scared me today and deflated me...

[Stephanie Oswalt]

The August LSAT is only a few weeks away and frankly I am worn out. I am not tired physically, just tired of studying. It started this past weekend oddly and has carried over this week.

I think the issue is mainly that I have been studying for the LSAT for several months now. I do incorporate at least one day off every week and try to eat/sleep well but I don't know why I feel the way I feel now. My concentration is scattered and today I got -9 on an LR section when I usually get -3/-4. The desire to study further and review is lacking at the moment. I'm kind of at the point where I just want to get the LSAT over with forever.

I have heard taking days off is recommended but I am a little wary of doing so when there are less than 3 weeks before the August LSAT and I am closing in on my dream PT range. I am hitting around the 170 score range, plus or take a few, and that would be where I like to score on test day.

What would you recommend I do? That -9 on LR scared me today and deflated me...

Hi leggo,

Thanks for the post, and good question! Please don't let that one -9 on the LSAT scare you or discourage you! It seems that you even recognize you're experiencing burnout, so yes, we would recommend taking a break from studying. Burnout is a real thing! So real that we have many blogs and podcasts that address the very issue you're experiencing .
-Why Breaks from the LSAT Can Increase Your Score
-LSAT Podcast Episode 61: 16 Reasons People Fail on the LSAT 1:21:19 – Overworking. Burnout is common and catastrophic, so always be mindful of both your mental and physical fatigue. Time off often leads to improvement!
-LSAT Podcast Episode 42: Student Question Mailbag #3 LSAT Prep Burnout 44:29 – About 2.5 weeks ago I reached my goal score on a practice test, but ever since then my performance started deteriorating. My brain has felt slow and foggy. Is this abnormal? How do I correct this performance dip?

If you're determined to study or are feeling clear-headed after a few days off, here's some advice that might help during the last few weeks:
-LSAT PodCast Episode 7: How to Prepare for the LSAT During the Final 2 Weeks
-1 Week Until the LSAT: Last-Ditch Efforts and How to Make Them Work

And lastly, and most importantly, definitely check out these great resources about test mentality to help you prep for test day:
-The Ultimate Test Mentality Resource List

I hope this info helps! Thanks!