It happens to the best of us – life gets hectic and before you know it, you’re behind where you wanted to be with your legal studies, lacking motivation, or feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start. But don’t fret, Law Training Centre is here with our top tips to help you get back on track.
If you, like so many learners, find yourself taking an unplanned break from your legal studies and are left feeling unsure of where to start when it comes to kickstarting your qualification again, we’ve got you covered. It may seem daunting at first, but it is never too late to get back into the swing of things. Here are our top tips and achievable steps to help you regain control and get back on track.
Set realistic goals and timescales
One of the first hurdles learners often face is feeling like they want to take on everything at once in an effort to get back up to speed as quickly as possible. However, this can be detrimental, as it leaves you feeling overwhelmed and with an impossible mountain to climb. Instead, focus on setting small but achievable goals of what you can achieve with your studies. Devising a varied study plan helps you make the most out of your time available. Breaking different topics down into smaller chunks of information and making sure to intersperse ‘dry’ areas with the topics you are the most interested in, helps to keep you engaged.
Make the most of your tutor support
We’re sure you’re familiar with the phrase ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’, and it is important to remember you are not alone when it comes to your legal studies. All Law Training Centre learners have access to unlimited tutor support, so don’t be afraid to reach out and make the most of the resources around you. With the majority of our learners studying alongside working full time, we understand how important flexibility and getting the right balance is. Our expert legal tutors, as well as our dedicated student support team, are more than happy to help with any queries you may have, help you devise a realistic revised study plan, or provide you with other time management or study tools.
Recognise what you have already achieved
When you struggle with motivation, take time to look back at all you have already achieved. Compare what you know now to your level of knowledge when you first started, and we’re sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised! A good way to do this is to make regular use of the mini quizzes and flashcards you will find as part of your Law Training Centre course materials, to put a number to your improvement. You can use this progress to help inspire you to keep going – after all, you don’t want all your hard work so far to go to waste.
Take the opportunity to assess your study style and habits
Coming back to studying provides you with the perfect opportunity to consider what has and hasn’t worked well for you in the past. For example, did you go off track by trying to study at a time of day that consistently didn’t work for you? Or did the study area you had allocated as your workstation present too many distractions and discomforts? By taking a step back and being honest with yourself about what has gone wrong in the past, you can make sure you don’t fall back into the same routine. Don’t be afraid to try studying at a different time, place, or by using different techniques and resources to help you achieve focus.
Remember progress is not linear
You will have some days that are more productive than others, and that is ok; everyone has an off-day with a study plan. What is important is not to let one day affect your entire study schedule or detract from your long-term goals. Take advantage of those sessions where you are motivated to the max and be kind to yourself when you need to take things a little slower.
