How to avoid study burnout as a law student

It’s no secret that studying law is one of the most challenging academic experiences that one can embark on. With tight deadlines, pages of reading and trying to retain all of the information to give you the best chance at succeeding in a competitive environment, it is extremely important to look after yourself and your wellbeing.

With a properly planned out guide to avoid burnout, your study experience doesn’t have to be filled with stress and headaches. Here are some top tips to help you avoid study burnout to reach your highest potential.

Catch the signs of burnout early!

It is important that you don’t end up completely burning out, where you have absolutely nothing left to give. To avoid this, it’s important to catch the symptoms of burnout early and address them before it gets worse. Some common symptoms of burnout include:

• Feeling physically unwell with headaches, nausea, and/or insomnia
• The inability to concentrate
• Feeling extremely tired and unmotivated
• Anxiousness and irritability

Take your stress seriously

Some stress can provide focus and motivation; but too much pressure has adverse effects on your mental and physical health. If you do not seek help for your symptoms, this can directly affect your academic performance and may have a severely negative impact on your physical and mental health.

The good news is that there are ways you can help protect yourself from stress and its impact upon your physical and mental health. You are not alone – many other students experience similar problems and help is available. The techniques below have been proven to work in many situations.

Pinpoint what triggers your stress

Break this into:

1.  Study-related factors: Is it exam pressure, feeling unprepared, specific course requirements, volume of study, juggling working and study, fellow students or your working environment? Sometimes there are multiple sources of stress requiring more than one solution.
2. Ways in which you react to stress: Do you confront it, ignore it, talk about it? Many responses to stress are natural; some are helpful while others are counterproductive.

Create a realistic study schedule

Comparing yourself and your schedule to others can put you in a negative mindset and can often set you back. Focus on yourself and what works best for you, as everyone’s ways of dealing with things will be different. Creating a structured plan with breaks will give you a good stepping stone which allows you to work towards your academic goals as well as prioritising your own wellbeing.

Remember to prioritise your tasks to reduce stress and reduce the risk of procrastination.  Having a clear list of what you want to achieve in a study day can help you stay on track and increase productivity. Allocating time slots to study can also be a great, simple tool to success. Most importantly…don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t go to plan that day! You can always pick back up where you left off.

Make self-care a priority

Self-care looks different for everyone, whether this means having a good sleep, eating well, exercising, or anything that makes you feel good! Having hobbies can be a temporary escape from your books and it is important to take time out to do things you are passionate about. Excessive studying can make it feel like there isn’t enough time for any of those – but skipping them is a short-cut that can quickly backfire. It may even be useful to download an app to practice mindfulness which can be an effective stress reducing technique. Apps such as Headspace and Calm are great for guiding you to a more focused and less anxious mental perspective.

Don’t be afraid to get help

One of the most important things in any study environment is to have a support system.  Whether that be spending time with family and friends, or communicating any concerns with fellow students, having that open line of communication can really help with boosting your confidence and releasing stress.

At Law Training Centre, we pride ourselves on having an excellent team of supportive tutors who will be there for you to answer any questions you may have – or even just a friendly pep talk to get you back on track!