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As we all know, January can tend to last a lifetime. As Christmas motivation wears thin and ‘new year, new me’ becomes a distant memory, it can sometimes be hard to stay positive. 

As a law student, determination and positivity drive us to complete tasks such as exams, work experience, work placements and revision. Every day we try to strive to get one step closer to qualifying as either a solicitor or barrister. 

But how do we maintain this determination in January? 

I've pulled together three top tips to help you tackle those January blues and stay upbeat in the coming months… after all, its nearly summer. 

1. Set small goals

Set yourself a daily goal and strive to complete it, no matter how big or small. This could be to revise a certain topic, watch a lecture, listen to a podcast or even have a quick scan of the news to stay up to date. This will allow you to stay accountable and plan ahead of upcoming deadlines. Breaking goals into smaller tasks makes it easier to manage these tasks and celebrate our progress. 

2. Speak to like-minded people 

What better way to stay motivated than to meet like-minded people, especially in the legal profession. You can meet others at networking events, university and even on LinkedIn. There are many different paths into law and it’s becoming increasingly more accessible. The more people you talk and listen to, the more ideas for progression you’ll find. This will enable you to feed off their positivity and implement it into your own studies. 

3. Have some time for yourself 

Often the root cause for a lack of motivation is stress, boredom and burnout. Each of these can be lessened by doing something for yourself. If you take time out of your week to look after yourself and your mind, you’ll hopefully feel more able to excel in your work and studies. Think about implementing an activity that you enjoy – for example, meditation, reading or exercise. 

Hopefully these three tips will help you stay motivated ahead of upcoming exams and deadlines.