Table of Contents
Law school can be a merciless taskmaster, demanding countless hours of meticulous reading and precise analytical thinking. As law students worldwide will attest, studying law is like learning a new language, full of complex terminologies and challenging concepts that can often take a toll on productivity. However, with the right strategies, it's possible to rise above these challenges and make the most of your law school experience.
Here are five productivity tricks that have tremendously helped law students optimize their time and study more efficiently.
Schedule Everything
Our brains are wired to enjoy routine and predictability. Whenever you can, schedule everything you need to do, from attending classes, studying, eating, and even downtime. Ensure downtime - it is crucial for mental wellbeing and creative thinking. From the minute you wake up till you go to bed, every moment should be accounted for. Use online tools like Google Calendar, Asana or other productivity apps to help you keep track of your day. It might sound restricting, but it provides a strong structure for your day, freeing up mental energy for learning.
Break Your Study Sessions
Rigorous study sessions can make you feel productivity, but they are less efficient in the long run. Many studies have shown that humans can only maintain optimal focus for up to 45 minutes at a time. As counterintuitive as it may seem, taking frequent breaks during your studies can boost your productivity levels. Adopt techniques like Pomodoro (study for 25 minutes, then take a five-minute break) or 52/17 (work for 52 minutes, then take a 17-minute break) to see what works best for you.
Stay Healthy
Health is wealth, even more so for a law student. A healthy body promotes better memory function, higher endurance levels, and improved concentration. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, a proper sleep schedule should be non-negotiable parts of your lifestyle, not afterthoughts or optional extras. Also, don't forget to drink plenty of water!
Leverage Technology
Several law students often stick to traditional methods of studying: reading textbooks, making notes, and more reading. But in this digital age, it would be a waste not to leverage technology to assist your studies. For example, College Tools' feature-rich platform offers AI-powered assistance to students, enhancing your ability to study efficiently. It efficiently handles various types of assignments, quizzes, helping you digest and understand information faster. You can explore the features of this amazing tool here.
Regular Review
The evolving nature of law, with its many landmark cases and legislative changes, means that regular reviewing is a must for every law student. By regularly revisiting the materials, laws, and cases you've studied, you'll be reiterating the information to your brain, reducing the likelihood of it being forgotten. Again, having a dedicated schedule for review sessions can assist with this, ensuring you don't neglect older material as you progress with your course.