Law school is very hard and time-consuming. I’m sure that is something you have heard many times before. However, whether you spend 5 hours or 20 hours per week with your head buried in a case book, and taking notes, it is important that you have the ability to take time away from school. One thing I learned very early on is to make free time for yourself. Law school is very taxing and it is important to keep yourself mentally in check. You need to be able to separate the life you have have at school and your home life.

In order to get yourself out of the mindset of law school, schedule something to do that does not involve studying. Whether you enjoy hanging out with friends, watching netflix, going to new restaurants, or exercising, do something that does not involve picking up a casebook and briefing cases. That stuff is important when you are focusing and putting in time to learn, but when you are trying to relax it should be the last thing on your mind. I always take time away to rewatch Sherlock on netflix and exercise to keep myself mentally stable.

This may seem fairly obviously but get enough sleep. Seriously, this is important. It may seem like you need to stay up all night studying Contracts, but if you aren’t getting enough sleep you will be sluggish during class. If all you can think about during class is how sweet that afternoon nap is going to be, you may need to reevaluate how much sleep you are getting. It is important to feel rested so you can focus when you are at school.

I cannot stress enough how helpful it has been to me to separate home life and law school. I enjoy law school and all my classes, but I also enjoy taking time away from it. So make sure you plan some time to keep yourself mentally in check. You’ll thank yourself for it the minute you do.

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