This was my first week back to school after 8 months of either living at home or studying abroad. Coming back to a full schedule hit me hard, and the homework just kept pouring in. Thankfully, these last few years, I've been figuring out what I need to do to be more efficient and productive. To make this transition into spring semester easier, I came up with 10 helpful habits to have while studying. Every person is different and has their own style of studying/working. These 10 habits are just my personal list and might not work for everyone, but if you're stuck in a rut of not knowing how to keep yourself motivated, give this list a look! I hope it helps.
1. Work at a desk/table
After sitting at various desks all day for class, I just want to get in bed or lay on the couch as soon as I get back to my dorm. However, I've found it nearly impossible to get anything done unless I'm at a table or desk. I think relaxing postures just trick my brain into thinking it is actually time to relax. Even when I sit straight up on a couch, I find it very hard to be productive. If I need that time to chill, I switch to my bed or a couch to give my back a break, but other than that, I stick to a desk setting. For some reason, everything seems less distracting when I'm at a table or desk and I tend to work faster and focus.
2. Find/make a feel-good playlist
There are very few times in a day when I am not listening to music. One of my favorite activities is to make playlists on Spotify. While that in and of itself is fun to me, I realized that a feel-good playlist can actually help me get work done. For some people, feel-good music might mean love songs. For others it might be angsty rock music. Personally, I can work through any music except for really sad songs. I do like some of Spotify's playlists, but I find it more helpful to make my own playlist so that every song is something I enjoy and I don't have to skip around. Having music in the background that makes me smile and motivates me to be my best really helps me focus on what needs to get done.
3. Aesthetic atmosphere
Finding a space that matches my own aesthetic can help keep me inspired and motivated. This one can not always be easily achieved because it is not always practical to move to a completely different building. However, on the weekends when I feel completely lazy and unmotivated, sometimes the gas money is worth it to find a pretty place to feel at peace. I also try to keep my desk space looking nice. Currently, my office supplies are blue and white tie-dye, I have cute pictures of my friends and family pinned at eye level, and the wall beside me has my artwork that I am proud of creating and pieces that are by artists that inspire me. If the walls are blank and the colors are blah, I find it very hard to focus because I get bored. Making my work space my own has helped me feel more motivated to sit down and really crank out assignments.
4. No social media breaks
This was by far the most difficult study habit for me to get into. Social media is so addicting, and it amazes me how much time I can waste staring at my phone screen. I am not someone who thinks social media is evil or that it is impossible to have social media and not be completely consumed by it, but I do acknowledge how distracting it can be when I'm trying to do my homework or be productive in general. I am still working on this, but I try very hard to not check social media every time my brain needs a break from what I'm working on. I actually think it's less distracting for me to text a friend because it doesn't take as much time and there's no black hole of endless media to get sucked into. If I do check my social media during a study session, I try my best to keep it very short. I get so much more done if I'm not mindlessly scrolling through posts.
5. Drink water
This one is pretty self explanatory. Drinking water is good for us anyway, but I also think the action of looking away from my work, picking up my bottle, and drinking water somehow keeps me going through long periods of studying. Also, if I'm not so thirsty all the time, I won't be tempted to get up from working and go find something to drink.
6. Write a to do list
I am actually amazed by people who can get anything done without writing it down and keeping lists. I can't remember any part of my life if I don't write it down. Not only does list making help me stay organized and focus on what needs to be done, but I find it deeply satisfying to cross things off a list once I do them. It gives me a boost of confidence knowing that I accomplished something and that I am one step closer to success. I even put classes and activities into my calendar on my phone and in my physical planner just to stay on top of things. That way, I rarely forget appointments, assignments, or social events and I always get everything finished. Once I'm done, I clear it off and take a big sigh of relief.
7. Reward yourself after completing a task
If crossing words off lists isn't as fun for you as it is for me (which is probably normal), I would suggest using actual rewards instead. When I have a huge project or a really complicated and unpleasant task to do, I come up with some kind of fun reward I will give myself after I do it. This keeps me motivated to work hard and quickly. The reward could be to watch an episode of my favorite show, eat a piece of chocolate, take a nap, or find a friend to talk to for a minute. I don't reward myself after every assignment I do because it wastes more time, but I definitely have to motivate myself that way over bigger assignments.
8. Start work now, not later
It is really easy for me to convince myself that when I'm tired, I should rest now and work later. However, I've found that that is not actually very helpful for me. If I rest right after class, it is really difficult for me to turn my brain back on and study later. It might be frustrating to go straight from class to homework, and it might not be ideal for every day, but I personally think it is much better to get to relax later when I know I am completely done for the day.
9. Inform others that you are trying to be productive
This one was a big struggle for me last year. If other people came into my study space and wanted to chat, I would feel really bad for turning them away so I would just keep talking and end up not being productive. It's great to stop and chat every once and a while, but I've come to a point where if I have something to do and I have the time to do it, I will just have to respectfully tell my friends that I need time to work. There are very few conversations that can't wait for later. When I find the motivation to work, I try to let others know so they can respect my space and time. It's nothing personal, and they are usually very understanding of that.
10. Realize that productivity is something to be proud of
In today's society, resting is glorified almost to a fault. Rest is absolutely necessary, but so is hard work. Working, studying, and being productive is something to be proud of. Once a task is done, I can look back and say, "Wow! I did that!" I feel much better after a day of productivity than I do after a day of laziness. I rest when needed, but then I have to work when it's needed as well. Even if the assignment isn't my favorite, the sooner I get it done, the sooner I can celebrate and the sooner I can feel a sense of accomplishment, which is just as beneficial to mental health as relaxing is.
I hope at least some of these tips were helpful! They have really changed my work ethic in a positive way and I finally feel like I am in a good place to be my most productive self. Whether you just started classes like I did or you've been stuck in the same work pattern for too long, I pray you can find motivation.
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