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Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 10:47 am
by mac35352
I have been studying since February. Barely skip any days at first but the last 3 weeks I think I have been over doing it. I study 4-6 hours most days.
This past week I force myself to study because I don't want to get out of my schedule and have been doing mostly logic games because I like them but all the LR abd RC marathons i've been doing certainly burned me out.
Now I am scheduled to take a pt today. I got up just ready to do it and as soon as I opened it up I felt sick. Like I can't do it but I want to. I don't want to take a day off but I might have too according to what i've read about this type of situation.
If you have been feeling like you can't read another RC passage and you took a break. How did you feel about it? should I do nothing LSAT related or do at least some games?
I have never experience anything like it. It sucks
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 12:14 pm
by ExcelBaller
Are you seeing improved scores after 2 months of non stop studying? I do LG and read material for 2-3 hours a day. I'm wondering if I should take a few days off to let it sink in.
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:37 pm
by incompetentia
My general rules of thumb are as follows:
At least 2 days off a week.
At least 12 days off a month.
I would be very surprised if your timed test scores have been continually improving to this point. I would take a week off and come back to it after about that amount of time.
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 6:55 pm
by mac35352
I started at 148 and have been on the same range (162-166) for about a month? my rc is usually the section that gives me trouble. LG has always been my strong section. LR is unpredictable.
I'm taking 3 days off starting today.
Hopefully it works.
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2011 7:43 pm
by bp shinners
incompetentia wrote:
At least 2 days off a week.
At least 12 days off a month.
This is great advice. I'm probably going to steal that ratio, actually, for my students.
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 10:02 pm
by accuratesite2020
I schedule the day or 2 days off a week. I've gone hard for 5-6 days in a row and then on that last day, I'm really not there and I find myself going over mistakes that would of not been caused had I just taken off. Going several days in a row hard at 6-7 hours at a clip can be counterproductive without that day off. I just had that freak out moment today, way too tired and overworked at my job to even focus right. I really need to be on the right focus to get a lot out of the session.
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 11:28 pm
by mac35352
accuratesite2020 wrote:I schedule the day or 2 days off a week. I've gone hard for 5-6 days in a row and then on that last day, I'm really not there and I find myself going over mistakes that would of not been caused had I just taken off. Going several days in a row hard at 6-7 hours at a clip can be counterproductive without that day off. I just had that freak out moment today, way too tired and overworked at my job to even focus right. I really need to be on the right focus to get a lot out of the session.
Yes, there is a point when you know you should stop because you are not thinking straight anymore but you keep going.
I took two days off and came back today feeling much better. I will not continue this crazy non-stop no-brake schedule. I took 2 timed sections of LR and had just 4 wrong in the whole thing. Then i went over some games (new and old) and I was enjoying myself.
I felt much better than Saturday. Now I have to see how I feel back at RC.
Good luck!
And thanks for the responses. Burnout is a real thing. I know now that the week before the test I have to take it easy.
Re: Burnout? How do I know?
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 11:58 pm
by mac35352
Yes, it was definetely worth it to take the days off. I had my highest PT of 167. Regardless of that number I just witnessed a huge improvement in my aptitude towards the test. Specially RC.
I didn't feel the desperate need for the test to end I was experiencing the last two weeks.
Thanks again for recommending a break!