HOW IN THE WORLD Can I Maintain My Well-Being When…?!
Hi friend,
Last week, I posted some advice for recent law grads on how they can maintain their well-being even while they’re studying for the bar exam (which, if you’re not familiar with it, is basically the most intense study period imaginable). But because I view this as essential advice for ANYONE who, for whatever reason, needs to conserve their precious time and energy or cultivate their well-being in the face of sizable constraints (and, come on, who doesn’t fall into that category!?), I decided I would share it here, as well:
“HOW IN THE WORLD can I maintain my well-being while studying for the bar exam?!”
I’ve lost count of the number of law grads who've asked me this in recent months. So for anyone out there in this boat, my advice for you is twofold:
1. NAIL DOWN YOUR NON-NEGOTIABLES
There’s no question that you need to take your studying seriously.
But it’s equally essential to recognize that this is NOT a reason to eliminate all forms of self-care from your schedule.
Quite the opposite, actually.
The science shows that adequate sleep, movement, and nutrition are ESSENTIAL for optimal brain functioning. So is social connection. And positive emotions – even in micro-doses – can turbocharge your energy, productivity, and problem-solving capabilities.
Moreover, because anxiety and excessive stress impede focus, taking steps to calm your nervous system – whether through diaphragmatic breathing, a walk in nature, or just a peaceful pause – is almost always worth the time.
Do you have the luxury of investing tons of time in these activities?
Of course not.
But you owe it to yourself to nail down your non-negotiables by:
(1) Determining how much of them your brain and body REQUIRE to function optimally,
(2) Carving that time into your schedule (seriously - put it on the calendar!), and then
(3) HONORING those commitments as an essential part of your training regimen.
2. DITCH THE DRAINS
Time and energy will be your most precious resources over the next 1.5 months, so it will be more important than ever to conserve them.
This means drawing BOUNDARIES to protect yourself from energy drains, including:
— Social Media: I don’t think I need to explain how easy it is to unwittingly lose minutes if not hours to an aimless scroll that's less than gratifying. This is low-hanging fruit when it comes to identifying time/energy you can free up to invest elsewhere.
— Energy Vampires: These are the people who leave you feeling depleted when you engage with them – whether it’s the family member who excessively dumps negativity on you or the classmate who wants to compare study time in a way that only ratchets up your anxiety (you KNOW who I mean!).
Please know that it is NOT selfish to limit your interactions with such people in this crunch period, and that it's actually essential to preserve both your mental health and your ability to perform at your best.
On the other hand, go out of your way to spend your non-negotiable social time with the people who serve as charging stations — the ones who energize you and lift you up. And allow yourself to ACCEPT their offers to support you. There is no need for you to go it alone, and, far from being a display of weakness, it is actually a sign of strength, wisdom, and compassion to accept their assistance. (Seriously — performing acts of kindness is one of the #1 documented happiness boosters out there, so don’t let your pride stand in the way of their contentment.).
— Your Own Worst Enemy: This is your inner critic/voice of self-doubt (the one that’s panicking about whether you’re studying hard enough and warning that you’re doomed to fail). Although this voice is TRYING to motivate you, all it’s REALLY doing is distracting you and sucking up your energy. By meeting this voice with compassion, but DECLINING to let it pull you into its panic/shame spiral, you will save yourself immeasurable time and energy that you can then devote elsewhere.
Well, there you have it, friend.
I hope you find these tips helpful and that they empower you to maintain your well-being even if you’re heading into (or already in the midst of) highly stressful circumstances. Indeed, it is in particularly high-stress, demanding periods that we need to cultivate and conserve our precious resources the most.
If you’re a recent law grad preparing for the upcoming bar exam, I invite you to join me on June 22, at 7pm ET, for a free group coaching session in which we’ll unpack these strategies further. You can register here.
And if you’re not studying for the bar, but you think you’d benefit from individual support implementing any of these strategies (or cultivating your well-being more generally), please don’t hesitate to reach out.
In the meanwhile, know that I am rooting for you!
With love,
Jordana
