Motivation is what gets us out of bed and on with our days. When a new semester rolls around, I get so hyped up and ready to go. I have big plans surrounding how I want to set my day up, how I want to get ahead of my work, or how I want to practice more self-care. Sure, all of those sound great, but going through with them and keeping up with the new goals I set in place is a lot of work! Luckily for you, I have some tips that can push us both through the semester and help us keep up with our goals!
Giving yourself a reason
Everything starts with you. No one will tell you what to do or when to do it. For example, one of my leading motivators for this semester was remembering fall finals week 2022. I remember it like it was 2 months ago, I felt very behind in my classes and by the time finals came around I was still working on my regular assignments. Once I was done with those, I rushed into studying for finals! It caused a lot of unneeded stress and burnout. Thinking about that week is what is pushing me to get up and stay motivated every single day. Pushing through sucks but failing on your goals sucks more.
Finding motivation in other sources
Sometimes if your own motivation is lacking it can be helpful to look to other sources for some inspiration. One of my dear friends told me that in high school, and when starting college, she would have a Pinterest board filled with motivational quotes and inspiring images. She would look back at it whenever she needed some motivation to push through those “due at 11:59” assignments. Get into the mindset of Rory Gilmore and get it done.
A planner or calendar
Being able to plan out my day and seeing it on paper helped me a lot. I am a very big proponent of crossing things off and putting it behind you, it’s so satisfying! Thus, a physical day journal was a no brainer. If you’re interested in a paper planner, I recommend checking out this article on how to find the best planner for you. Another great option is a calendar. If you are looking for a digital calendar, I love the Outlook Calendar. It is attached to your email so any upcoming events will automatically link. The calendar is very helpful when making meeting plans as well since it can let the other participants know what your availability is.
Making time for yourself
When I would attempt to maintain these goals in other years, I would have such a hard time because I would never make time for myself. It is good to push yourself and to want to do better, but you can only go for so long until you get burnt out. Setting aside time to go on a walk with friends or just take a nap can really set you up for success in the long run. Having goals and achieving academic success is immensely important, but make sure you’re taking care of yourself too! Good luck to everyone this semester, and I hope to meet and exceed every goal you set.