If you’re anything like me, you’ve got some serious procrastination issues and the work has started to pile up. Between midterms and your regular weekly workload, how in the world will you get everything done and stay sane? Here are a couple strategies I use to motivate myself to be productive and actually stay focused until I’ve gotten everything done for the day.
1) Create a rewards system
Maybe you’ve been dying to watch your favorite show on Netflix all day or you’re craving some freshly baked cookies. File this thought away, and instead of treating it like an impulse, treat it like a reward for studying. Tell yourself if you can accomplish these three things, then you can watch that episode or bake those cookies. Then you’ll be eager to get started so you can treat yourself!
2) Change your atmosphere
If studying in your room didn’t work last time, then you know it’s not going to work this time. To avoid distractions, figure out what atmosphere works best for you. If you constantly feel the urge to get up and play with your makeup or just lay on the floor and cry when you’re working in your room, try going to the library or a coffee shop. It’s amazing what a simple change in the environment can do for your productivity habits. You can even vary your atmosphere whenever you start slacking again. Maybe after being in the library for a few hours, you feel cramped and you just want to throw yourself in a trashcan. Get up, find a nice shaded area outside, and get back to work!
3) Take short mental health breaks
If you still can’t focus, set a timer for 5 minutes and do anything else that you’ve been meaning to do that’s not studying. Check your email or organize your planner. When that timer goes off, refocus yourself on studying for another 30 minutes or however long you can stay focused until you need another break. This method makes me feel like I’m still being productive, but it also keeps me from having a mental breakdown and falling into an unhealthy pattern of Netflix binging and way too much ice cream… Seriously, there’s no turning back.
These habits having gotten me through the week without crying. I hope they can help you too!