Effective Bar Prep Starts with Effective Time Management

Some of you start commercial bar prep this week and some of you are still taking law school exams. Everyone needs to create a study schedule. Time is a limited resource so don’t waste it. There are 168 hours in a week and approximately 50 of them go to bar prep. This leaves 118 hours for everything else and you’d be surprised (or not) at how quickly it can get away from you when you factor in things like: sleep, personal hygiene, family/child care, commute time, food (shopping, preparation, eating), housekeeping, exercise, religious observance, personal time…

Time management is about consciously knowing how much time you spend on specific activities. Time management is about making good decisions ahead of time instead of having to do something because you have no other option. Time management is about making decisions instead of excuses.  Don’t use life as an excuse not to study but don’t use studying as an excuse not to do life.

Either you run the day, or the day runs you.

– Jim Rohn

Making a schedule is one thing but sticking to it is another. A good place to start is to assess your time management skills. Identifying your strengths and weaknesses will help you set goals, prioritize tasks, and track how you actually spend your time. Take advantage of the great time management tools available. Whether you prefer a planner or an app, there is something for everyone.

-KSK