During the final few weeks of classes, it is hard to stay motivated to go to class, do readings, finish assignments and study. The feeling of classes wrapping up mixed with the weather getting warmer makes it hard to avoid procrastination. As a university student dealing with summer creeping up, I have definitely felt a lack of motivation to do schoolwork. This is why I have tested out some tips and tricks to help me stay motivated and focused on school, even when it is the last thing I feel like doing.
Starting off the Morning with Yoga
Getting up in the morning and forcing myself to do a short yoga exercise has been a game changer. Sometimes it can be hard to force myself to exercise first thing in the morning, but once I finish, I feel refreshed and ready for my day. You can find a variety of different yoga classes on YouTube., which can be however long or intense you would like it to be. The mix of exercise and stretching gives me energy and makes me feel ready to take on all of the tasks for my day.
Creating a Daily Schedule
I often feel very anxious when I know I have a lot of assignments to do, and it results in me procrastinating even more. I find what works best for me is to make a deeply detailed schedule of when I am going to work on my assignments. This means I dedicate a certain amount of time to each assignment to ensure that I at least get a start. Usually, when I do this, I find myself working on it for longer than I planned because once I get started, I automatically feel more motivated. The best part of making this list is being able to cross the tasks off after you have completed them. It feels super satisfying and rewarding to cross off your accomplishments even if it is just working on an assignment for 30 minutes.
Countdown from Five
Whenever I find myself scrolling on my phone or lying in bed because I am unable to start the task I want to do, I count down from five. Once I have finished counting, I force myself to get up. This is a good trick to stop procrastination as it gives you a short time to prepare yourself to get up and once this timer runs out you can feel more inclined to do your work.Â
Reward Yourself!
When you are having a long and hard day, it is important to reward yourself with something you enjoy once you have finished your tasks. This could be going to see a friend, going to get your favourite food or watching your favourite show. Doing these things that you love is much more enjoyable when you know you have earned the downtime. Setting goals of what you want to have done before you reward yourself will also make you work harder to get these things done. Telling yourself you get to do these things if you finish your task will also help you to stay focused and inclined to work hard to get the task done.
It is important to remember that as the weather gets warmer and classes start to end, it is inevitable that your motivation will start to fade. During this time, I find myself having a lot of assignments due and having no energy to do them. Just remember that this is normal and to not be so hard on yourself. Almost everyone goes through this at this time of year and if you continue to catch yourself procrastinating, think of these tips to help you snap out of it.