The last day of winter classes is less than a month away and the finish line of the semester is in sight! But before we enjoy spring break, we must first push through final assignments and examinations. If you are feeling tired and need a pick-me-up between now and end-of-term, check out these tips for motivating yourself:
Reflect on your short-and-long-term academic goals.
Taking a moment to step back and reflect can remind you of why you are studying so hard in the first place.
- Short-term goals, such as developing a new habit, can be tracked by setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-based) goals.
- Long-term goals, such as post-graduation career dreams, can inspire you by helping you see the bigger picture.
Consider how your academic goals support your values.
We all have values which we live by and that inform our decisions in our education, career, and beyond. Making connections between our values and academic goals can help us to re-invest in both!
Remember your strengths and past successes!
Negative self-talk can be a motivation-killer. Instead, remind yourself of all the times you have succeeded, even when things were difficult.
You can do this!
Chunk work into manageable pieces.
If we tell ourselves, “I have to write a paper tonight,” we may be daunted by a large, ill-defined task. We may even procrastinate in getting started. Instead, we can improve motivation by chunking assignments into parts (e.g. planning, researching, outlining, writing, editing) and working gradually over time.
Set a timer for work.
Just like we chunk our deliverables, we can chunk our time too!
Instead of working on one assignment for hours at a time, try the Pomodoro Technique (working for fixed, focused intervals of only 25 minutes, followed by short breaks.) This strategy supports time estimation skills, in addition to motivation and focus.
Study with friends!
Feeling drained from studying alone in your room all the time? Add some friends into the mix!
Whether you attend a Peer Assisted Study Session, meet up with your friends for a homework hangout in the library, or schedule a video call to body-double, a human connection can be a powerful motivator for studying.
Pair studying with a satisfying sensory experience.
Treat yourself to a fun drink, turn on some chill lo-fi beats, or type using an engaging program such as StimuWrite to make course work more appealing to your senses.
Take time to fully “turn off.”
It’s hard to stay motivated if our study mode is always “on.” Take breaks away from school work and electronic devices in order to restore yourself for the next study session. Now that the weather is improving, it is a perfect time to spend time in nature!