A few weeks into my 3rd year of college, I’ve found that trial and error is the only way to figure out what works for me personally. Whether that be studying habits, cleaning, or just general daily tasks, it is necessary for me to put in a little work in order to find what suits me. With that being said, I’ve been focusing a lot on motivation. My homework load has gotten larger, I’m working more, and I’ve picked up more extracurriculars in order to keep myself busy, so finding those ways to stay motivated has been really important to me.
One of the easiest ways to keep me motivated is by having a few separate planners and making a rough outline of everything I have to get done the following week. I sit down on Sunday and overview everything before going to an hourly agenda and setting aside time for my activities. Having allotted time to get tasks done while knowing what those tasks are helps me stay motivated, especially if I know which days are going to be busy ahead of time.
Another way I stay motivated is by turning my phone off. I found this difficult for a really long time, as the temptation to use my phone would outweigh the need to do whatever I initially set my mind to. I somehow found the Forest app, which entirely changed my focusing habits. Forest allows you to “plant” a tree or flower, but in order for it to grow, you have to stay off your phone for the amount of time you set. You can also create tags and set certain apps to be “allowed”. This makes it so I can still open something like Spotify or Audible without having to worry about my tree withering (this is what happens when you leave Forest after you’ve set a timer). I adore this app and all the little plants I can get, that in return help me stay focused/motivated for extended periods of time.
One last piece of motivation for me is promising myself a small “reward” after I have finished a task. Typically this involves something like meditation or watching a YouTube video regarding something I enjoy. By giving myself a small reward at the end of a task, it has me looking forward to completing my goal with something pleasing waiting for me at the end. It makes something like homework a lot less tedious.
Motivation can be really hard to find, especially when it isn’t something you’ve had to actively search for in the past. Being able to find little motivation tactics, even if it’s something as small as helping a fake plant grow, makes daily tasks a little more enjoyable to complete.