You are told throughout your higher-ed experience that you need to learn how to balance your workload with living your life. What people fail to mention most of the time is that this skill stays useful during school, exams, and beyond. 

The skill of leading a well-balanced life is perfected over time, and it only becomes more essential as life becomes more hectic and demanding. 

While in school, you tend to have thoughts like, “Well, I just have to get through this semester,” or “Just one more round of exams, and I am free.” This may be true in some sense because you won’t have to continue to study or take the same kind of exams, but it isn’t true overall. You will continue to learn throughout your life, and you will continue to be tested. Those tests will just look different. 

So, as you work your way through the exponentially intense trajectory of law school, masters degrees, or even more advanced learning, develop the skills to stay balanced and avoid burnout. Otherwise, before you know it, racing toward burnout will become a habit, and you will be struggling with that barrier throughout your career. 

Below are five different strategies I have found helpful in fighting off brain fog, stress, and burnout during law school, in practice, and at work. Many of the items may work for you, some may not. Consider this list, at a minimum, as a place to start thinking about ways to stay balanced.

Create

Sometimes, to “create” something means being “creative.” This may look like finding a piece of scrap paper and making myself sit there and doodle on it until there is no space left. This may look like learning a new craft or undertaking a new art project (I have lots of supplies thanks to this need to create). 

But, “create” can also mean making something new or different. So, you might decide to spend time cooking up a new recipe that you’ve been wanting to try or baking a batch of homemade cookies. If you are so inclined, you might want to start a DIY home project or learn a new skill.

When you “create,” it is really just a matter of using your hands to do something other than study. You’ll focus your mind somewhere else for a while.

Move

We all know that physical movement and exercise are beneficial. This fact doesn’t change just because you are busy and focused on exams. Aside from obvious health benefits, physical activity helps get you out of your head and back into your body. 

Movement for me always took different forms. It really depended on the time of day and my schedule. If I had the time, I might go to the park for a long walk. If I had less time, I might play fetch with my dog in the yard. Just something to rest my brain and focus instead on movement and my body. 

Talk to someone who is NOT studying (including your therapist or counselor)

One of the best things I did during that period of non-stop studying for law school? Talk to my friends and family who were not in law school. 

Admittedly, this can be difficult. Law school is very much a unique experience and you tend to gravitate towards and remain around people with that shared experience. For purposes of networking and learning, this is encouraged. However, despite how it might feel, law school does not need to be your entire life.

When you are constantly around people who share your environment, you tend to gain a warped sense of reality. If you talk to people who are removed from this environment, the shift in perspective can really lift some weight off of your shoulders.

Not only will talking to people you care about be a comfort and confidence boost in most instances, but talking to these people about things other than exams will give you the mental break that you need to begin studying again. 

At times, taking a break alone feels like you aren’t really taking a break at all. Your brain continues to think through cases and hypos, and before you know it, you haven’t stopped thinking about the law and the exam for even a minute. A conversation with someone else about something else can stop this cycle. In all likelihood, you’ll laugh a bit too, and that’s always a good thing! 

If you have the resources and ability to see a therapist or counselor, this too can be a time to talk to someone who is not centered on law school.

Play some music

Every person I know says that music, even if on in the background while they complete a task, helps lift their mood and keep them motivated. Whether you like to sing and dance or listen with noise-canceling headphones, music is a great way to escape. 

Despite my best efforts, I was never someone who was musically inclined. My cat thinks something is wrong with me when I sing, and I cannot hear a beat to save my life. This doesn’t stop me from loving music, though, and music helped me a ton both while I studied and when I took breaks.

I recommend differentiating between your “study” and “break” music. When you have distinct music playing while you participate in specific activities, it can help set your intention and mood. So, you might find it helpful to sit down and make one playlist for studying and a new playlist for study breaks ahead of each exam period. 

Play a game

Playing a game can be a particularly useful method of staying balanced when you tend to study in a group. Law school is competitive; there is no doubt about it. Even among friends, there tends to be this weird question of who studied more or who studied longer (even inadvertently). 

A group game can help take the pressure off of everyone while also affording an opportunity to take a break. The options are endless, from video games and card games, to sports and board games. 

Your best bet is to figure out two or three games that everyone enjoys and can play. Then, incorporate or schedule them into your study schedule. The key here is to set time limits for playing. The reliability ensures that you play once and play again — if you play the first time for hours on end and forgo studying altogether, you’ll just end up swearing off future games in fear that you will never, ever study again!

Be consistent, and be considerate of people’s needs and schedules. Ultimately, it will give you all a chance to take a break and likely become a tighter-knit group.

Conclusion: Put your ideas into practice

After reading this short list of ideas to fight brain fog and stress during exams, you can see a common theme: remove yourself from studying and law school-related material. Even if brief, that removal from the atmosphere and material will give your mind the break it needs to decompress and return with fresh eyes. 

It’s completely fine if you need to take a break from studying. Everyone needs breaks! This means a true break, not just walking away from the library to think about exams or staring at the ceiling when you get home. Those aren’t really breaks, are they?

Whether through one of the previous suggestions or something that resonates more with you, take the rest that you need to do well on your exams. Your ability to rest will not only serve you come exam time, but as a future professional.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not provided by a medical professional or licensed physician. The information should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease and should not be used for mental health treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider regarding personal medical advice and medical conditions.