Whether you want to believe it or not, spring break is over, and the second half of the semester has begun. There are only nine weeks left to bring our grades up and do as well in our classes as we originally planned to. However, spring has already begun and soon the weather is going to get warmer, drawing our attention outside and draining our motivation. Thankfully, Her Campus Bryant has created this foolproof plan to work hard and still have time to play hard!
1.Schedule study/library time that you STICK to – no if, ands, or buts!!
Yes, there are going to be sunny days soon (thank goodness) and you are definitely going to want to be outside soaking rays. And you can still do that! But dedicate yourself to 1 or 2 hours a day where you work hard on school. Always stick to these hours so they become habit, and make sure that you are using your time effectively, not just surfing the web. After, you will still have time for fun – without having to worry about what you haven’t done.
2.While you’re studying, turn off your cell phone and DO NOT procrastinate on the internet.
When all you want to do is be outside, don’t drag out how long you take to do homework by creating distractions. Put your phone on airplane mode so you can’t get notifications or texts – or even turn it off! The less you are on your phone, the faster work will get done and the longer you can enjoy the spring! Also, absolutely stay off social media and other websites you procrastinate on. You may not realize how much time you actually spend on these sites, and away from your work. Study time is study time, and you can spend your free time on Pinterest if you really want to – but Frisbee on the lawn is so much more fun! Sites like rescuetime.com and minutesplease.com can block the sites you gravitate to so you have to focus.
3.Mix up your study time with quick breaks.
After you’ve accomplished part of your work, like 10 pages in a chapter or 2 pages of an essay, take a five to ten minute break – you deserve it! Studies have shown that your memory is enhanced when you take breaks during studying, instead of trying to study for hours straight. To make the most out of your break, get up and walk around or exercise. Do not just stay seated, since a change of scenery and moving your body will be good for your motivation. Also, eating a healthy snack and drinking water will help rejuvenate you so that you can focus on studying. Go back to where you were studying when you’re ready to get back to work. Make sure to keep your breaks to the time you set yourself to, and do not procrastinate going back to studying.
4.Break up large projects into smaller pieces, and set realistic deadlines.
The second half of the semester means getting to all those group projects or final projects that you have been putting off. Large tasks are daunting, and trying to tackle them without a game plan can crush any motivation to even attempt to start them. Instead, list everything you need to do for a project – even if it includes simply outlining an essay or making a phone call. Breaking the large project into smaller tasks makes it easier to focus on one part at a time, and be motivated by the progress you are making! Set realistic deadlines to have specific parts of the project done by – this way you are not leaving the whole project to be done last minute. Doing this will not only make you less stressed, but your projects will definitely come out better, meaning better grades!