I spent about 2 months preparing for the IELTS, and honestly, that felt just right. It was a mix of focused study and practice tests. I focused on one section each week, which really helped me track my progress.
For writing, I dedicated weekends to doing Task 1 and Task 2 under timed conditions. It wasn't about cramming vocab; more so about knowing the format and answering the questions effectively. Also, feedback from a tutor was a game changer!