It’s that time of year again…the mid-semester slump. Motivation is low and the weather has been beautiful lately, so it’s easy to make excuses and procrastinate work. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there are less than four weeks left of classes, which means that finals season is just around the corner. These are the steps that I take to re-motivate myself when morale is low.
Step 1: Get yourself hyped up
There’s no point in trying to work when you’re just not in the mood. In order to get myself in the right mindset, I sometimes find inspirational quotes or Ted Talks. One of my favorite quotes is, “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” -Tim Notke. Other times, I call my mom for a pep talk. Whoever your personal cheerleader is, a reminder to “keep your foot on the gas” is a great way to get motivated.
Step 2: Create a schedule
Motivation doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have a plan of action. Simply scheduling study time into your calendar is a great way to hold yourself accountable to your goals. I’ve found that with study schedules, the more specific, the better. If I plan to study accounting from 4-5 and macro from 7-8, I study more productively than if I just plan to study in general from 4-8. Also, planning eliminates the possibility of forgetting or neglecting a class.
Step 3: Get in the zone
In order to be your most productive self, you need to find the study environment that is right for you. Is it a library, coffee shop, or outdoors? Do you need silence, ambient noise, or music? Would you rather review with other people or by yourself? These are just a few questions that you should answer honestly when considering your study setup. Once I am prepared and in my preferred environment, I always feel ready to tackle the tasks at hand.
Step 4: Get started!
The sooner you start, the more time you have to be productive. After I finish writing this article, I plan to listen to my own advice and plan out the next few weeks of studying. Best of luck for the final stretch of the semester!