In trying times like these it can be extremely difficult to have a routine or let alone stay motivated. I have definitely found myself floundering in a daze of just waking up, going on my phone, and then going back to sleep. I realized that this wasn’t making me happy, nor was it helping me to stay motivated in my classes. Since none of my teachers are doing lectures through Zoom, I have been virtually left to learn on my own.
This has been extremely difficult because it has made me want to just give up and not continue to forge ahead in my schoolwork. I soon came to realize that sleeping until 1:00pm and doing nothing all day was really not going to get me anywhere. Therefore, I have begun to do certain things to help me to stay motivated during this time. While these might not work for everyone, here are just a few things that I have done to keep me motivated:
- Waking up at the same time every day to do a specific task
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This has really helped me to get motivated to get up and start my day. Usually just that motivation that my coffee is downstairs waiting to be brewed gets me excited enough to get my day started. I usually try to wake up every day around 10:00am, make my coffee and some breakfast, take a shower, and do my schoolwork.
- Have an accountability partner
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For me, my accountability partner is my mom. She checks in to make sure that I am doing the tasks I need to and staying on track. It is really helpful for me because without someone to check in and make sure I am sticking to my motivation routine; it may be more difficult for me to stay focused on my tasks ahead of me.
- Thinking about the future
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For me, thinking about where I want to be in life is a huge driving force for me to want to do well and have motivation. I think about how I want to be able to get into graduate school and be successful. If I want to reach the goals I have, I need to work hard now in order to achieve them!
- Making sure I have time for relaxation and fun
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While it may be difficult in quarantine to find something that’s super fun, if you’re an extrovert like me, but I have really had the time to tune into my love for baking and decorating. I love to bake cookies, cupcakes, and cakes and this quarantine has allowed me to really get to do those things that I love. I sometimes will set goals for myself like “Okay, if I do these two assignments I can binge watch a few episodes of Gossip Girl” which has really helped me. Making sure that I have time to relax and do things that I love is also another motivating factor for me.
Hopefully, some of these tips that I use to stay motivated during quarantine can help you out too! While it might not work for everyone, it has definitely helped me a lot to set goals but also make sure I have time to relax and take care of myself!