So it’s the end of the day. You look at all of the work you had to do and realize that you did a few assignments, but forgot about others. You want to beat yourself up about it, asking why you aren’t motivated, telling yourself that you need to get your act together.
This is a natural response to slow going, we’ve all been there. Especially during these past few weeks. However, I have learned that no matter how small the accomplishment, it should be celebrated.
It can certainly be frustrating to see that you’re only able to get to one assignment a day, letting all of the others be slightly forgotten. But while in quarantine, amongst all of these changes and challenges, even doing one homework assignment or watching one lecture is a lot. It can be incredibly difficult to sit down and focus when there’s a pandemic happening. Accomplishing one task, whether it’s homework or something else, is draining. We are being asked to try and continue living a life that seems to be temporarily gone. It’s important to acknowledge how much it takes to get something done. We are used to living a life where extreme productivity every day is highly encouraged, and now that’s lost because “productive” cannot possibly hold the same definition. Remembering that is crucial. In these trying times, one assignment is productive. If you get all of your homework completed in a timely manner, that’s great! But if you can’t, don’t beat yourself up about it. Appreciate the fact that you are trying at all, no matter the quantity of work that gets done. Small victories are important ones. And once you begin to celebrate the small steps, it will get easier to manage the pile of work.
In the end, we should take a moment to acknowledge how much our lifestyles have changed. Take a moment to tell yourself that you’re doing a great job. Define greatness in your own way. Greatness is getting up and getting dressed, greatness is watching a lecture, greatness is writing a few paragraphs for an essay. Love yourself and everything that you are able to manage during COVID-19. It’s the small things that count.