Returning from spring break can be difficult academically. Personally, I begin to feel burnt out or as if I am unavailable to learn or work on class projects. Here are a few ways to get over the post spring break blues and have a motivated second half of your spring semester.
Plan time to spend outside
As the days near summer vacation, the weather is going to be nice enough to spend time outside. Rewarding yourself with time away from a computer or TV screen can be helpful for boosting productivity, especially as we near one year of taking online classes. Finding a time to spend 20 or 30 minutes outside every day can help boost your mood. If you can’t find a time to take a walk or sunbathe, find time to study or do class outside.
Use your planner
March or April tends to be the months I forget that I spent $60 on a new planner at the beginning of the year. Continuing to use a planner to plan out due dates and times to work on classes will dramatically help your academic performances. If you’re feeling tired of your planner or need a new one try using an online planner app such as Planner Pro or even the Apple calendar.
Take weekend trips
Plan a time before the end of the semester where you spend the weekend away from home and away from campus. Day trips to St. Louis or Kansas City can be cheap and fun ways to break away from the boredom that comes with getting used to your daily rituals. If going out of town isn’t an option, Columbia has plenty of hole-in-the-wall activities like The Mudroom or Paint the Town.
Study with friends
Studying with friends allows you to spend time with your friends while also being productive and getting class work done. Your friends can hold you accountable for getting work done and you get an excuse to go get coffee and leave the house. If you are worried that your friend will be distracting, make a visit to the Boone County library or Ellis Library where visitors are expected to be quiet. Being in quiet spaces will allow you to get your work done while still getting to spend time with your friends.
Plan a daily nap time
As childish as it sounds, carving out the time to get some extra sleep in can be beneficial in boosting productivity. Personally, I wake up early and get to bed late, so an hour-long nap helps me break up my day while feeling restful and energized. Just like finding time to go outside, it is important to find the time to take naps if you need the extra sleep.
Coming back from spring break can be difficult in the realm of getting course work done, but it marks the halfway point in the semester. If you’re feeling unproductive, find ways to change up your daily habits and remind yourself that there is only a month and a half of classes left before summer break.