Like many of us, after working on your exams or coursework, the last thing you want to be is productive. Jaz helps us out by normalising this feeling, as well as detailing how to overcome it.
It is likely you associate productivity with doing work, or going to the gym every day, however, all the things I am going to suggest below are still productive, even if they don’t fit this mould! You might think, ‘How is spending a couple of days in my pyjamas and binge-watching Netflix productive?’ Well, frankly, if you have just spent a month or so doing hardcore revision and work, having a couple of days rest is actually very productive! (Also, a little side note – if you’re looking for something to binge, Maid on Netflix is extremely good!)
If you’re feeling a bit unmotivated now you have finished your exams, here is a guide on how to feel a bit more productive, or rather, how to get rid of those post-exam blues!
Remember: Be Kind to Yourself
Congratulate yourself:
It is very important to acknowledge the hard work you have put in. I’m sure people hear this enough already, but no matter what the grade, you have still put in the effort and survived the semester! University can be extremely difficult at times; you might have had a part-time job whilst doing your coursework or had other distractions happening that felt like a setback. Even just feeling lonely at uni or not having the energy to cook a decent meal is enough to make you feel like you’re struggling – so doing exams and coursework on top of trying to figure out how to adult is an achievement in itself!
Socialise:
A good way to start feeling a bit more energetic and motivated is socialising with your friends and/or family. After lots of hard work, it is so important to catch up with the people you love being around! I know that for me, catching up with my friends tends to make me a bit more productive as I am leaving the house and feeling way more energised. And as a plus, a good idea is to set up some kind of post-exam celebration with your friends. Whether that is going out for drinks, going to a restaurant, or having a movie night in, celebrating that the first semester is complete is always a refreshing way to start the new semester.
REMEMBER: Be Kind to your Body
Rest:
If you’re anything like me, all your energy is used for revising or completing your coursework, so by the time you have submitted everything, your energy is completely used up. After submitting my final piece, I usually end up crawling into bed and falling asleep for hours! Whilst this is definitely okay, or in fact, sometimes necessary, it is very easy to fall into the routine of staying in bed… for a long time. This is what happened to me for a while. I spent a whole month writing my never-ending essays and then had a two-week period of no work, which left me feeling very unmotivated. So, make sure you rest and build your energy back up, but make sure to keep yourself moving and not get too reliant on staying in bed as starting the new semester will be a lot more difficult!
Exercise:
When I say exercise, I do not mean going to the gym to do a hardcore workout every day (trust me, I am the last person to be suggesting that!) Whilst going to the gym is great and is definitely encouraged if that is the form of exercise you enjoy, there are many other ways of getting your body moving. This could include anything from running to going on a walk with your friends. The whole point of it is to get motivated again! I have found that after being slumped in my bed for a while, going for a walk makes me feel much more productive and in turn, usually makes my day a lot more productive.
Practising Mindfulness:
You might be having anxieties surrounding your exam or coursework results. This is totally normal! If you are having reoccurring thoughts of ‘I might fail my exams’ or ‘this essay wasn’t good enough’, acknowledge that you are having these thoughts, and remember that they are normal anxieties. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as making these thoughts disappear, but by acknowledging them, you are aware of what is making you worry.
Something I do to help reduce these anxieties is to tell myself that once I have sat the exam or submitted a piece of work, everything is completely out of my hands. So essentially, by worrying about something you have no control over, you are wasting your energy on stress when you could be using that energy to do something you enjoy!
Whatever happens with your exam or coursework results, remember that you tried your best.