Preparing for CLAT (Common Law Admission Test) includes reading long comprehension paragraphs, learning legal terms and strengthening the understanding of contemporary issues among other important topics. It can be both tedious and mind-numbing, making your mind and body feel the burnout.
During these times, it is essential to stay motivated and induce brain stimulation to ace that desired score! Following are a few tips and tricks that will help you stay consistent during your CLAT burnout:
1. Conquer Your Syllabus, One Fun Level at a Time!
Did you just successfully solve 5 Legal Awareness Caselets with a perfect 10/10? You deserve a treat! Celebrating little personal wins could actually be your power move to stay motivated and ahead of the game. Reflect on what makes you happy, include the same in your preparation journey to stay on track. Include that in your routine, but make sure to balance it carefully so that it doesn’t hamper your preparation goals.
2. Flip Your Way to a Higher Score!
You can shift your strategy a tiny bit! Instead of keeping a book with pointers to revise later, it is advisable to start preparing flashcards. For example, jot down one legal maxim in one flashcard, colour-code it according to the context subject matter. Find what works for you, some like to give that personal touch to their flashcards whereas some like to utilize free apps like Quizlet, Cram or StudySmarter. Now, Ace the Exam, One Flashcard at a Time!
3. The Good-old Pomodoro Technique!
Your CLAT prep includes a sheer volume of heavy material that can seem quite overwhelming to cram in one sitting. Instead of feeling that mental fatigue, you can follow the Pomodoro Technique where you work for 25-minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. Repeat this cycle 4 times and reward yourself with a longer one of 15-20 minutes! This method helps you increase your attention span and productivity.
4. Find Your CLAT Circadian!
Our old folks have inculcated the success hack of, "The early bird catches the worm" in our brain for generations. However, a new study suggests that you define your own circadian rhythm, meaning, understanding your body’s response timing. At what time of the 24-hour cycle are you the most productive? What is your body telling you throughout the day? Understanding your circadian rhythm helps you optimize your study sessions, rest periods, and exam preparation encouraging peak performance.
5. Eat the Frog!
The Eat the Frog theory is devised as a strategical advice for those who like to procrastinate. The theory suggested by Mark Twain says, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning," meaning to tackle the most difficult task first thing in the day and then move to easier tasks in descending order. Maybe “the Doctrine of Basic Structure” is your FROG, make sure you EAT IT first thing in your study schedule!
6. Talk to Your Pillow!
Do you find yourself passively reading your syllabus but not being able to comprehend words to form a sentence? Or find yourself mindlessly highlighting your notes? Try using active learning techniques like summarizing concepts and teaching them to your pillow. This technique of talking aloud and explaining a concept as if there is somebody in the room is proven to work and register information in your brain when it had forced itself to shut previously.
7. Amplify Your focus!
In the digital age of social media and 30-second content, we have subconsciously reduced our attention span. If you find yourself reaching for your phone after every 15 minutes, try tuning in some music. It is said that music helps you retain information faster and hey, it's fun so studying doesn’t seem like a chore anymore!
8. Your CLAT Support Buddy/Group!
It is good to have someone who relates to your situation and understands what you must be feeling. In order to entail that, find someone who is on the same path as you or join a group of CLAT aspirants (offline or online) in order to discuss difficult questions or simply discuss what you have been feeling. Consider this as your personal support group to be able to feel heard and/or build enthusiasm.
9. Reclaim Your Mindfulness with Yoga!
You might have heard or read about trying Meditation and Yoga to regain mindfulness. It is repetitive, however, important to mention that burnout is mainly associated with high stress levels. Thus, during this time, it is necessary to try deep breathing exercises, meditation or yoga. Try the Box Breathing Technique, where you sit in a comfortable position, inhale for 4 second, then hold it and release it in the same time period, respectively. Find similar exercises that work for you when you want to try overcoming that study block and trust the process.
10. Take a Beat: You deserve it!
If you feel like nothing has been working, understand that you have been working too hard and it is okay to take a beat. Schedule one day off every week or 15 days (depending upon your capacity) to do what you love, maybe binge watching the series Suits (which will keep you motivated to wear that uniform one day) whilst eating popcorn, or going on a day trip with your friends. Utilize this time to not think about your dreams, however, do it to be able to return to your CLAT prep with a 3X stronger mindset!