The LSAT is a formidable challenge, and it's no wonder that many students find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of preparation required. As you dive into your study plan, it's crucial to remember that protecting your mental health is just as important as mastering test content. Here’s how you can balance rigorous LSAT prep with self-care to ensure you’re not only ready but also resilient.
Rest
Yes, you do actually have to rest while you’re prepping for a big test. LSAT students tend to be high achievers with mottos like, “If you want something you’ve never had, you must do something you’ve never done.” But what if the “thing you’ve never done” is give yourself enough rest to learn optimally?
Study after study shows that getting enough sleep—around seven to eight hours a night—is essential for optimal brain function. It seems intuitive, but so many students deprive themselves of sleep just to cram in a few more hours of LSAT prep. This not only makes the study process more stressful, but it’s also counterproductive.
In addition, schedule one lazy day per week if you can. Studies now show a day of rotting away—freed from work, school, and LSAT responsibilities—can improve your health, motivation, and cognitive function.
Move your body
Many LSAT students may feel too anxious actually to get the recommended shut-eye. If that sounds like you, try to be physically active during the day. A bit of exercise tires your body out, making it much easier to fall asleep when it is finally time for bed. Exercise also increases blood flow to the brain, keeping it healthy. This is important when you are preparing to take a stressful and strenuous exam.
You don’t have to run a marathon or join your bougie local gym to get these benefits, either. A bit of walking or rolling, stretching, or body-weight exercises is enough to keep your body and mind healthy.
Meditation
You’ve probably already heard that you should try meditating. “Try meditating” is one step above “drink water” in the painfully obvious self-care lexicon.
Still, a lot of reliable research suggests that meditation can improve your ability to focus and manage test anxiety. Even a couple of minutes of mindfulness meditation each day correlates with statistically significant positive effects in some studies.
[Embed podcat: https://the-legal-level-podcast.testmaxprep.com/episodes/tackle-test-anxiety-stop-study-stress-with-mindfulness-facilitator-heather-prete]
Touch grass
Getting outside to take in the wonders of Mother Gaia is a great way to reduce stress and improve your ability to learn. Many studies suggest that exposure to natural environments can improve cognition, increase working memory, and promote a more positive mood.
Interestingly, nature exposure seems to work just as well in unpleasant weather as when it’s nice out. So, even if it’s freezing or hot and humid, consider taking a walk or roll outdoors, away from concrete and asphalt, as often as you can.
Pick the right LSAT course
Too many LSAT students join a course that doesn’t fit their schedule or goals. Live online and in-person classes often come with a deadline. After two or three months of scheduled classes, you lose access to your instructor and study materials. So, students in these classes experience unnecessary stress—sometimes even getting burnt out—trying to keep up.
Self-paced courses won’t put this pressure on you. You can progress through the course at whatever pace it takes to reach your goals. If you don’t catch what the instructor says in a lesson video, you can rewind. And if you need help, you won’t feel like you’re holding up the entire class to ask your question.
