This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Lafayette chapter.
As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, I feel less and less motivated to do anything. Call it seasonal depression or maybe it’s post fall break burnout; around now, many experience the feeling of not being able to do anything. The workload just keeps piling up though, and we need to do something to get over this lull. These are a few things that help me put my work into perspective and get motivated.
- Start with something small. By completing a simple task or getting something easy done, you can kickstart a pattern of productivity. Maybe you haven’t done laundry in a week or two, or maybe you really need to take a shower. Start with something that you can do within 10 minutes and then use it.
- Make a To-Do list. Our minds have a way of making something big out of something that really isn’t. If you make a To-Do list, you can prioritize your assignments, estimate the time needed to complete them, and separate what seems like a mountain of work into small hills.
- Play a hype song! Need to start a big assignment, but you can’t get off your butt? Play an upbeat song to get you up. After a few minutes of dancing, you’ll feel more ready to take on any task.
- Settle for imperfection. Sometimes we get so caught up in the small details, that it’s easy to spend way too much time on something. Need to write a paper? Set a timer and write with your stream of consciousness for a while. Sometimes, you get so stuck on the first sentence, so this forces you to get past that blockage. Doing a problem set? Start with the easier problems and go back to anything you don’t know how to solve right away.
- Change your environment. Based on my experience, you can’t get anything done in your room. There’s too many distractions. Find a space where you can sit down and focus. Commandeer an empty classroom, book a study room, or vibe in one of the dining halls. Changing your environment isn’t just about where you are, it’s also about what and who you’re with. Do you have a friend that you can study well with? Ask them to study! Does your phone distract you too much? Leave it at home or in your backpack!
- Take breaks, but be firm about them. It’s important to give your mind some time to decompress. You can’t let a 15 minute break spiral into 30 minutes then into 2 hours. If you’re like me and weak-willed, make sure your future self is held accountable. Set 20 timers! Make anything that’ll prevent you not from doing work in an inconvenient spot! Make an ultimatum with yourself!
Hopefully, a few of these tricks will help you overcome your procrastination and apathy. We can get through this together!