After a long Christmas break and an intense exam week, motivating yourself through term two without getting burnt out can be difficult. Here are my top tips to start the term off well and build habits that will help you stay motivated.
Start Positive
As difficult as it is, don’t make yourself feel guilty for taking time off over Christmas, It’s important to relax and recharge over the holidays. Try to put the stress of January exams and deadlines behind you too; regardless of how you think you did, there is nothing you can do but look forward and help yourself feel more positive about future deadlines.
Set a Routine
If you find it hard to motivate yourself to go and study in the library or get to all your lectures and seminars, one of the best ways to make yourself go is to set a routine. Sometimes, the action of waking yourself up at the same time every day, and establishing a schedule is enough to help. Start by getting up at the same time each day and walking to campus, or slowly introduce yourself to the routine by just going for a walk, reading a book or making breakfast. Eventually, by just getting yourself up and out of the house, you’ll be more inclined to get on with your work. Try laying out your clothes and preparing everything you need the night before so you’re not overwhelmed with everything that you need to get done in the morning. More tips on setting habits can be found here.
Productive time and space
One of the best ways to make the most of your time is to figure out the time of day that you are most productive and capitalise on it. If you’re most productive in the mornings, do your most challenging work within that time and save the easier and life-related tasks for your less productive hours. The same concept goes for study spaces, if you find you’re super productive in the library but not in a cafe, save the latter for light work and socialising, and the former for intense study.
Keep Moving
One of the best ways to refocus is by getting away from your work and letting your mind wander. For those long days, it can be easy to just lock yourself away in your room or the library, however physically moving around can be really helpful. Try splitting the day up into segments, perhaps starting in Exeter library, moving to a cafe for the afternoon, and then the university library in the evening, you’ll be surprised at how much your mindset can shift in each new location. Check out Rebeca Bernat’s article on the best study spaces in Exeter for more inspiration!
Get away
I find that the best way to relax and reset is to have rest days where you don’t guilt yourself for not working and just relax, put your laptop and books completely away and don’t think about them at all. I find that the best way to do this is by getting away completely. Try exploring the local area, there are plenty of seaside towns in the surrounding area that are easily accessible by car, bus or train that you can explore alone or with friends. Getting outside and away from Exeter can be re-energising and can spark ideas where you least expect them.