BARBRI’s Shashagay McIntosh shares her top tips for balancing work, study, and that all-important downtime
Preparing for the SQE whilst balancing work, life and everything in between isn’t easy. Shashagay McIntosh knows this first-hand. Now a University Partnerships Account Manager at BARBRI, she recalls the challenges of working part-time while studying, offers practical tips to staying motivated, and teaches aspiring solicitors how to avoid burnout.
Be realistic with your schedule
McIntosh knows what it’s like to juggle study with work. She worked part-time during her undergraduate degree and full-time while completing her masters. “I used to work as a cinema manager, and whenever there was a big movie release but also an assignment deadline, that would be a horrendous week,” she recalls. Those crunch periods taught her a key lesson: plan realistically. “We always say ‘plan, prepare’… but am I being realistic with my time?” Students often underestimate how long tasks will take. “Sometimes you think it’ll take half an hour, but in reality, it’s longer. Being realistic with your time, and even building in a buffer, is key,” she emphasises.
Build a plan (and a plan B)
Even the best plans can fall apart. When that happens, McIntosh urges students not to waste energy on guilt. “We’re all human. Things happen, but it’s how you recover that has the biggest impact.” Her advice: have a backup plan to catch up, move forward, and don’t dwell on the slip-up.
Protect energy to avoid burnout
Nobody wants to hit the books after a gruelling day at work. But McIntosh found that small rewards helped her stay focused. “Yes, there were plenty of snacks to keep my energy up, but also moments of relaxation,” she laughs. Short breaks and little treats can be surprisingly effective in powering you through those busy weeks.
But just as important is knowing when to stop: “If you’re feeling a burnout coming, rather than running towards it, put things in place.” That might mean stepping away from the books for a while and accepting that rest is not wasted time, but part of a sustainable study plan.
McIntosh recommends that if you do take a couple of days off, you can always spread the catch-up over the next week or two by adding just half an hour of extra study each day. That way, the workload stays manageable, and you avoid the downward spiral of exhaustion.
Staying motivated
When motivation dips, McIntosh thought about the end goal. On the days when “today is just not the day”, the drive came from remembering why she was doing it: “I really want my degree,” she told herself, framing each late-night study session as an investment in her future career.
Lean on your support network
Law exams can be all-consuming, but you don’t have to go in alone. “I would go home during breaks,” McIntosh says — time with family and friends helped her recharge. “Their positive energy really re-energises you.” Tell people what you’re working towards so they can check in and cheer you on. “Sometimes when you don’t feel the energy to keep going, having somebody else push you really does help,” she adds.
Exam-day strategy
Managing time isn’t just an issue during study — it’s crucial in the exam hall. The SQE’s multiple-choice format requires candidates to answer each question in about ninety seconds. “That’s a lot of focus,” McIntosh points out. Students risk falling behind if they spend too long second-guessing answers. The solution is practice, practice, practice: simulate exam conditions, learn to pace yourself, and refine your technique.
Practical support for when life happens
The advice McIntosh offers is shaped not only by her own experience, but also by her current role at BARBRI, where she supports students facing the same challenges. BARBRI’s flexible SQE prep courses are designed to fit around busy lives. Options include part-time courses requiring as little as ten hours of weekly study, to full-time, accelerated courses for those fresh out of law school. Courses are delivered online, so you can study after work or on weekends, and the flexibility makes them much “more manageable for anybody working full-time or with childcare commitments” for instance.
A standout feature of BARBRI’s prep courses is their AI coach, ISAAC (the Intuitive Study Assistant and Coach). ISAAC helps produce ‘personal study plans’, which lets students block out no-study days so no work is allocated to them. “If Monday to Thursday are hectic, those can be marked as no-study and the system won’t allocate any work then,” McIntosh explains. “When you log on, it’s exactly what you need to do on those days… so you don’t have to worry, ‘Oh gosh, I’m behind now!’” And if something unexpected crops up, ISAAC will reallocate tasks across the week to factor that in.
BARBRI also offers wellbeing and performance support. Students can book one-to-ones with learning coaches to refocus or refine study strategies, or arrange a visit with the performance coach for guidance on time management and maintaining wellbeing.
There’s even dedicated exam-technique training. Regular timed practice with detailed feedback helps candidates track progress, sharpen strategy and get used to working under pressure. Success in the SQE isn’t just about knowing the law; it’s about understanding the exam. By reviewing why wrong answers are wrong and learning to think like the examiner, students can bridge the gap between knowledge and application. “You’re tackling both the style of questions and your legal knowledge, and fusing them together,” McIntosh says.
Final words of encouragement
For McIntosh, the most important message for SQE students is perseverance. “It is going to be a rocky road; there are times you’re going to feel disheartened, there are times you’re going to feel deflated. But remember what you’re working towards, and it is doable,” she says. Her advice is to stay flexible: if a method isn’t working, change it. “Feel free to adapt your approach — that’s part of the process.”
With realistic planning, recovery strategies, and support from those around you — plus a course that fits into your busy schedule, rather than the other way round — it’s possible to balance the SQE with the million and one other things going on in your life and still succeed. For McIntosh, the qualities students build along the way — flexibility, resilience and focus –are not only key to passing the SQE, but also essential preparation for life as a solicitor. In the end, she reminds us that the effort has all been worth it: the hard work brings you one step closer to the career you’ve always dreamed of.
Want to hear more? Join us for SQE success strategies: How to balance work, study and life — with BARBRI, THIS THURSDAY at 4pm. The virtual event will explore how aspiring solicitors can manage full-time work, QWE and other commitments while preparing for the SQE and how BARBRI’s SQE Prep courses can help you get there. APPLY NOW.
