This article is dedicated to all the girls who find themselves on Amazon or TikTok when they should be studying. This is to all the girls who rather talk to their friends or take a nap instead of finishing that project or essay way before the 11:59 p.m. deadline. This article is to all the girls like me—lazy to shift into high productivity or focus easily, especially when we need to. How can we break the cycle of bad habits so we actually have the time to relax and proudly be lazy? It’s an excellent question I am still trying to answer. But here are some tips that might help.
Exercise
Take a walk before sitting down to start whatever assignment you have. This can help clear your head and meditate on the upcoming task.
Write it Out
Create an outline about what has to get done for the day and what can be done throughout the week. Then devise a plan on how to get this agenda completed.
Clear Your Mind
Is there something in specific bothering you that may prevent you from fully devoting your attention to an assignment? Mentally envision the problem written on a folder that you file away in your mind from the time being. You can take a second to acknowledge the problem, but if it is something out of your control or something you cannot solve in the moment, set it aside and focus on you. After, you can “un-file” the mental folder and deal with it.
Temporarily Off the Grid
Your phone is a huge distraction (which I know you already know). So turn your phone notifications on silent. Put your phone in your backpack or if that is too uncomfortable, keep your phone face down beside you.
It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint
Set designated breaks for yourself when you study. Trick yourself into making the workload seem less daunting by scheduling the amount of time you need to study into more comfortable chunks of time.
Find Your Spot
Search and select a specific place where you notice you can study well and do work. Returning to the same spot will help trick your brain into knowing it’s time to work and lock in when you sit in a certain chair or by a certain window.
Time
Give yourself time to do the quality of work you want. Putting off work or encouraging procrastination will add unneeded stress to your life. If you plan ahead and feel unpressured to do assignments, then focusing can be easier because you feel more calm to complete your task.
Noise
Depending on your preference, more noise or less noise can help you study. I choose to listen to certain playlists or white, pink, brown, or black noise on Spotify when I have to do work. (Yes, there is something called pink noise. It gives me Elle Woods vibes when I listen to it.)
Rewards
Build rewards into your study system. Think to yourself: If I finish reviewing this hard chapter or complete this page of my essay, I will can get my favorite coffee order from Starbucks.
Have company
Depending on how you operate, sometimes having a friend who needs to get serious work done next to you can help. Just sitting next to someone while you work can help ground your anxieties as you may not experience the same FOMO that you might feel when you isolate yourself to get work done.
Good luck and you got this girlie!
#girlboss