You’re overwhelmed with work. Your motivation is currently MIA. You’ve got about a million things to do and never enough time in the day to make it all happen. Maybe your interest is lacking, your attention is distracted and your ability to focus is at an all time low. It happens to all of us from time to time. If you are finding yourself stuck in a mid-semester slump, check out these five tips to help you crawl your way out and get back into the swing of things.
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Keep things in perspective. Sometimes it’s just hard to find the motivation to attend to tasks that seem arduous or unappealing. However, if you approach each problem, assignment, adversity or soporific task in your life as an opportunity and not as a burden you’ll find that the way you handle things will begin to change. When you consciously remember how fortunate you are and regard what occurs around you with this appreciative lens, those unappealing tasks and adversities you’re facing may not be as monstrous as you’re making them out to be.
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Remind yourself of your goals. Keep them in the back of your mind when you find yourself struggling through the day. Use them as fuel to drive you towards making the most of your time and getting one step closer to achieving what currently seems too far out of reach.
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Don’t be so hard on yourself. Sometimes we discourage ourselves before we even start. We criticize ourselves to a point where we believe throwing in the towel is the only solution, because we aren’t capable and we’re inadequate. Consciously try to stop talking to yourself in this way. Instead, acknowledge your strengths and accomplishments and gradually work towards improving the areas of your life causing you trouble.
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Get out of your head. Often times, you and only you are what stands in the way of accomplishing what needs to be done. Don’t let yourself develop deleterious habits that will only heighten your laziness and diminish your ability to approach tasks in a driven manner.
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Walk away. While this may seem counterintuitive, if you find yourself struggling, sometimes it really is best to take a step back and remove yourself from the situation. Take a walk, listen to a song or leave the room for a few minutes – do something that will allow your frustration to dissolve. You will return to your work with a calmer demeanor that will enable you to approach your task with a clearer mind and a more succinct focus because you’ve taken a break to partake in something you enjoy.
Remember that a slump is temporary, maybe even necessary. It reminds us how great it feels to feel motivated and driven and how frustrating it can be when we don’t feel that way. Keep in mind that it will pass and you’ll be back at it in no time.