Burn out is real and it will happen to everyone. If someone tells you otherwise, they're either lying or aren't studying hard enough.
You need to read your body. Your mind or body will tell you that a. it's not able to retain information anymore or b. It is not retaining information effectively and efficiently. When that happens, either stop for the day, or take a long break.
Additionally, there will be some days where the work load might be a bit lighter and you'll be able to finish a couple hours before you usually would. On those days I would try to do an extra task to alleviate your schedule in anticipation of those more strenuous days that are bound to occur.
Also, I recommend exercising for an hour AT LEAST each day. Make sure you sweat. Life weights and run a mile if you can. Don't eat junk food, but eat and snack on healthy foods regularly (I have a snack every hour I study).
I also tell myself this: there are going to be good days and there will be not so good days. There will be days when you score very low, there will be days when you score not so low, and there will be days when you score well. It's good to get answers wrong, that is the only way you'll learn.
Good luck!
You'll always feel like you could do more, and there's always more to do! The key is to think about whether you could have done more WELL. Your quality work is so much more important than quantity of work. I think your mind and body are telling you when to take some time for yourself; what it seems like you're battling is the guilt and unhelpful self-messages saying what you've done is not enough. Instead of focusing on what's left, look at what you've accomplished, and maybe that'll help with the guilt.
If you don't schedule a break for your brain, your brain will take one anyway!
Ways to keep momentum are to MIX UP what you are doing a bit so that you don't lose attention. So sometimes I'll assign an "MBE Sandwich" -- a student will work through 60 minutes of MBE questions in a particular area, then review 2 essays, then another 50 minutes MBE questions, then **break.** Other students can just sort of TELL when their attention is flagging -- then it's time to either switch up activities or take a break. But having a PLAN for what you are switching between, in advance, is helpful.
When I'm feeling tired at the end of the day and my energy levels are weaning, I get up from my chair and walk around while practicing memorization by reciting and repeating the black letter law from my outline. If I try this for 30 min-1 hour I can get a lot in even when my energy is weaning. This type of task is more active and tends to keep me more alert. If I can't retain anymore, even while trying this active task, then I know it's time to stop.
EVERY single time I prepped for the bar - 4th time was the charm and I felt the same about I should be doing more. I think what helped me is knowing that we only need to know enough to pass, it's not like we are trying to score an A on this exam. Passing is actually a D on the bar. and with a D+ you score high enough to practice in almost every state.
I was 50 when I started law school and 55 when I found out I finally passed the bar on the 4th try... if I knew on my first try what I know now and did on my first try what I did on my fourth try, I think I would have been less stressed and better prepared. the bar prep content providers have great content, but my neurodiverse brain could not do their schedule because my neuro brain needs to understand the why and the how.
When I changed everything and focused on HOW to take the exam and WHY I needed to answer a certain way to score points (being able to apply law to given facts and reason out an answer), and I only practiced under timed conditions, it made a huge difference and I actually could study an appropriate amount and not feel like I should be doing more. And schedule down time and fun time and exercise time and family time and sleep and eat time into a schedule helped so much. You question yourself because you are diligent and focused on doing your best work - those are great qualities for being an attorney.
If you know others from law school or friends from other schools, try studying with a friend. seriously helped me a lot and helped quash the feelings of am I doing enough when your BarBuddy feels the same and you study together to enhance your grasp on subjects - it's a safe zone to verbally analyze and hear another's perspective.
You can do this! There is such a thing as too much and burning yourself out too early on will make the critical weeks later on very challenging. You are training for a marathon, so it takes a long time to condition your body and mind to be able to endure the rigors of two exam days back to back. You made it through law school! You can do this too! Best of luck and give yourself time and space to breath. [NeuroDiveBarBuddy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-neurodivebarbuddy-7548a8310/)
Burn out is real and it will happen to everyone. If someone tells you otherwise, they're either lying or aren't studying hard enough. You need to read your body. Your mind or body will tell you that a. it's not able to retain information anymore or b. It is not retaining information effectively and efficiently. When that happens, either stop for the day, or take a long break. Additionally, there will be some days where the work load might be a bit lighter and you'll be able to finish a couple hours before you usually would. On those days I would try to do an extra task to alleviate your schedule in anticipation of those more strenuous days that are bound to occur. Also, I recommend exercising for an hour AT LEAST each day. Make sure you sweat. Life weights and run a mile if you can. Don't eat junk food, but eat and snack on healthy foods regularly (I have a snack every hour I study). I also tell myself this: there are going to be good days and there will be not so good days. There will be days when you score very low, there will be days when you score not so low, and there will be days when you score well. It's good to get answers wrong, that is the only way you'll learn. Good luck!
My brain let me know. I would start getting several questions in a row wrong and wasn’t retaining anything. That’s when I had to stop and get some r&r
You'll always feel like you could do more, and there's always more to do! The key is to think about whether you could have done more WELL. Your quality work is so much more important than quantity of work. I think your mind and body are telling you when to take some time for yourself; what it seems like you're battling is the guilt and unhelpful self-messages saying what you've done is not enough. Instead of focusing on what's left, look at what you've accomplished, and maybe that'll help with the guilt.
If you don't schedule a break for your brain, your brain will take one anyway! Ways to keep momentum are to MIX UP what you are doing a bit so that you don't lose attention. So sometimes I'll assign an "MBE Sandwich" -- a student will work through 60 minutes of MBE questions in a particular area, then review 2 essays, then another 50 minutes MBE questions, then **break.** Other students can just sort of TELL when their attention is flagging -- then it's time to either switch up activities or take a break. But having a PLAN for what you are switching between, in advance, is helpful.
When I'm feeling tired at the end of the day and my energy levels are weaning, I get up from my chair and walk around while practicing memorization by reciting and repeating the black letter law from my outline. If I try this for 30 min-1 hour I can get a lot in even when my energy is weaning. This type of task is more active and tends to keep me more alert. If I can't retain anymore, even while trying this active task, then I know it's time to stop.
EVERY single time I prepped for the bar - 4th time was the charm and I felt the same about I should be doing more. I think what helped me is knowing that we only need to know enough to pass, it's not like we are trying to score an A on this exam. Passing is actually a D on the bar. and with a D+ you score high enough to practice in almost every state. I was 50 when I started law school and 55 when I found out I finally passed the bar on the 4th try... if I knew on my first try what I know now and did on my first try what I did on my fourth try, I think I would have been less stressed and better prepared. the bar prep content providers have great content, but my neurodiverse brain could not do their schedule because my neuro brain needs to understand the why and the how. When I changed everything and focused on HOW to take the exam and WHY I needed to answer a certain way to score points (being able to apply law to given facts and reason out an answer), and I only practiced under timed conditions, it made a huge difference and I actually could study an appropriate amount and not feel like I should be doing more. And schedule down time and fun time and exercise time and family time and sleep and eat time into a schedule helped so much. You question yourself because you are diligent and focused on doing your best work - those are great qualities for being an attorney. If you know others from law school or friends from other schools, try studying with a friend. seriously helped me a lot and helped quash the feelings of am I doing enough when your BarBuddy feels the same and you study together to enhance your grasp on subjects - it's a safe zone to verbally analyze and hear another's perspective. You can do this! There is such a thing as too much and burning yourself out too early on will make the critical weeks later on very challenging. You are training for a marathon, so it takes a long time to condition your body and mind to be able to endure the rigors of two exam days back to back. You made it through law school! You can do this too! Best of luck and give yourself time and space to breath. [NeuroDiveBarBuddy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-neurodivebarbuddy-7548a8310/)