Do you ever feel stuck in one place? As if your body is choosing to ignore your brain?
You want to get out of bed and study, not because that’s what you should be doing two months into the semester, but because you actually want to be productive. But somehow your lack of motivation wins out and you decide to pull up your blanket and go back to sleep.
It’s common to go through these slumps in life, phases marked by boredom or a consistent lack of motivation. For some, this is more severe than others. What’s important is how we bounce back and make the best of the situation. This is not an easy feat by any means but getting over a slump is possible if we are willing to try.
The easiest things to do are getting dressed and making your bed. Starting your day off with these small accomplishments can set a positive tone for the rest of the day. Oftentimes, it helps people stay motivated knowing that they have already checked off two things from your mental checklist. More importantly, when you’re ready for the day, you have a natural inclination for taking action – even if it’s just eating breakfast. Every small step counts.
Another easy next step to overcoming a slump is creating a checklist. Despite being something so simple, checklists help reduce the stress associated with our lack of productivity. Tasks piling up over time become a catalyst for stress. Every time another assignment is left unattended, there is an increase in stress and anxiety, along with a decrease in motivation to do them. Making a checklist to organize your commitments and due dates is a great way to create achievable goals and maintain order in your life.
Finally, what I find most conducive to productivity is changing your environment. During the last two years, I’ve visited every cafe in my hometown. I found that changing the space in which I studied forced me to be physically and mentally active. Instead of just studying at home, going to a cafe forces you to leave your room. A new space forces you to be more aware of your surroundings and allows greater focus on the tasks at hand. Although this is not the perfect solution by any means, I find that taking action in small ways is what leads to real change.