It’s that time of the year again where all of a sudden each of the big assignments and tests you told yourself you were going to prepare for throughout the semester are due.
Midterm exams start, the weather gets colder, your schedule gets busier, and you find yourself spending more time in the library than in your own bed. It can be hard to feel motivated and excited about the things you used to look forward to. If this sounds like something you are currently experiencing, have no fear! Though it may seem hard, it is possible to take care of yourself and find great joy as we transition from fall to winter and help yourself cope with the inevitable grievance of the warm weather we experienced only a month ago.
Here are 5 things that I do, and you can do, too, to help find your drive and motivation again.
1. Make a Pinterest Board
One of my favorite forms of social media is Pinterest due to it’s visually appealing and easy to use nature. I have boards about my career, my travel spots, relationships, you name it! I love to do this when I am feeling unmotivated because it reminds me why I’m working so hard. It keeps all of my hopes and dreams fresh in my mind and allows me to envision where I want to be in the future.
2. Clean and Organize Your Room!
Though you might just want to crawl into bed and binge watch reality tv, cleaning my room is something that always inspires me to get stuff done! Having a space that is clean and organized takes away some of the stressful and chaotic feelings that may arise with a busy schedule and hefty to do list. It also allows you to have a relaxing space at the end of a long day to calm down and gather your thoughts. A clean space is a productive space.
3. Watch a Comedy Show
If you’re like me, laughter is the best medicine for any heartache or sadness. There is nothing I love more in this world than spending time with my friends and family, laughing until my stomach hurts and there are tears in my eyes and I can’t catch my breath. Unfortunately, with lots of responsibilities and a busy schedule it isn’t always easy to make plans and find time to spend with loved ones, especially during the week. This is why I have come to love comedy shows so much. Pete Davidson is my favorite, and watching his skits or Netflix specials is always something that can bring a bit of lightheartedness to a rough day. Not to mention he is totally my celeb crush. Watching something that can make me laugh also helps relieve some of the stress and tension from the day, allowing me to refocus and start my work.
4. Wake Up Early
My entire life, I always dreaded mornings. Getting to school on time growing up was always a chore, and I used to absolutely resent hearing the alarm sound each morning. My junior year of high school, I think I had more latenesses to my first period class than I had assignments. Even though I still love a good rest, waking up before 9 am always makes me feel like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. Having early classes forces you to wake up, but even if your earliest class starts around 10 or 11 am, the hours before your class can be a great time to relax, drink some coffee and get organized for the day. Also, a huge perk of colder weather is that hot coffee is acceptable again, which is something I have been totally taking advantage of.
5. Give Yourself An Incentive
If you’re like me, doing things you don’t want to do is difficult when you can’t see an immediate reward at the end of the tunnel. Something that I like to do is make an incentive! These can be big or small but I’ve found that when I do my homework, knowing that afterwards I can treat myself to a new outfit or nice dinner, the hard things become much easier. It truly is one of my favorite ways to motivate myself because who doesn’t love a checked off to do list and a new pair of shoes!
Whether you love the colder weather or not, it is still so important to take care of yourself & nurture your goals and dreams. Even in the midst of chaos and stress, it is still possible to prioritize yourself and accomplish not only the things you need to get done, but what you want to get done as well. It is in the little choices, the everyday routines that we find the greatest reward and fulfillment.