A universal problem that comes with being a student is the creeping up of deadlines and the overwhelming urge to simply leave it all until the last minute. Especially during this jolly midterm season, it’s easy to get distracted when things start getting stressful. Here are some ways to keep yourself focused!
1. Set Specific Goals
Whether you’re studying for a test or writing a paper, it’s important to have a purpose to your time. Set goals for yourself every night for what you specifically want to accomplish, to make sure you have something to work toward!
2. Don’t Try to Multitask
Well, not to a ridiculous degree, anyway. The worst thing you can do is give yourself too much to do at once. This is an easy way to get overwhelmed, not to mention lose all energy and motivation in record time. Try to do one thing at a time to keep yourself focused on what you’re doing, instead of spreading your attention around to too many things at once.
3. Pace Yourself
Especially when you have a lot of work to do, it’s difficult to remember that trying tackle it all at once is not only unreasonable, it’s unhealthy! Work in 30-45 minute intervals to keep your brain from overloading, tackling one segment at a time until you’re finished.
4. Take Breaks
Yes, even though the temptation to make a break into a night of doing nothing is strong, it’s important to rest your brain every so often to keep yourself from becoming fatigued. Give yourself some time to stretch, move around, take a walk, keep your eyes off of the screen or text for a couple minutes, or even just grab a snack. It’s good for your concentration to look away once in a while; just make sure to get back to what you were doing after a bit!
5. Stay Positive
Don’t let the stress of it all pile up and paralyze you, or make you feel like you’re failing. The important thing to remember, no matter how much work you have ahead of you, is that you can do this, and that once you’re finished you can take a long, well-deserved break. Until then, keep your spirits up!