By Mohammed Ahmed, CoachBright Intern
Set your target
Identifying a target is vital because it allows you to structure your time and approach to your studies before you begin. Why not divide your goals into three categories: long term, short term and immediate. For instance:
· Long-term: Get into your university of choice, get a B grade in GCSE maths at the end of the year or get a career job in an industry you really like.
· Short term: make sure I make my deadline that’s fast approaching, study more so I can put myself in a better position to get improved grades
These short term goals consist of and are realised by immediate targets such as for the essay deadline coming up - make sure you’re making an essay plan, read up on your given subject and make sure you’ve run it by a teacher or writing advisor at your teaching institution. Plan your essays months in advance, by timetabling yourself in advance you can ensure that you won’t wake up on the day of the deadline with three individual essays to complete.
On targets, stay motivated by hanging your mission or long term goal somewhere noticeable like by your desk!
Distractions
For reasons unknown to me, I somehow always notice how interesting the intricate design of my wallpaper is when I’ve got to write an essay due the next day. Distractions are everywhere, especially for the weary mind. Whether it’s your phone going off, emails popping up or viral videos on YouTube blowing up, it’s easy to get distracted.
If you have no self-control like me then using a website-blocking app is perfect. Apps like Cold Turkey, SelfControl and LeechBlock are designed to block your favourite website for a set amount of time or after a set amount of time. So you can stop dillydallying on reddit and get focused on your work.
Leisure Time
It’s difficult to remain motivated when all you do is study. Working hard is important but working smarter is the key. Make sure you designate a certain amount of hours for work and others for leisure. Your mind won’t work if it’s constantly drained so it’s imperative that you rest, relax and recharge. Do something that doesn’t involve looking at a screen, go out with friends, just make sure to return right back to work afterwards.
Also when working tirelessly for an assignment make sure you take a short 5 minute break every so often so you can return to your work fresh and not run yourself into the ground.
Work Ethic
To some people this word is as foreign as chicken tikka masala but you must have it. But do not fret, there’s always ways to develop your work rate. Firstly, you must decide on your goals and figure out what it takes to accomplish your goal.
Sticking to this plan requires you to constantly be motivated to strive and prosper. One often finds themselves in slumps of low motivation which can be very detrimental to your end goal. The key to keeping up your work ethic is to recognise and notice how self-discipline and procrastination make you feel respectively. Those first few minutes of forcing yourself to do your work can be excruciating but feel all the more justified and exhilarating when you arrive at your end goal and can tell yourself that all those hours of sacrifice were worth getting out of the comfort zone for. Trust me, accomplishment feels better than anything you can stuff down your face when trying to avoid doing your work at all costs.
Find a partner
This doesn’t have to be someone you work with on a day to day basis in close proximity. No, instead what I’m referring to is someone to help you motivate yourself, keep your work ethic in line and a person you can rely on to support you when times are hard. These people can be vital and can be life saviours. On the flip side, certain people can suck the air out of a situation and make it impossible to stay motivated. So, pick who you work around wisely!
Saying No
There is no such thing as stretching yourself too thin. Your studies are a full time job, whether you think that or not. Sometimes you will need to take on a larger workload because you might need the money from a work job, or maybe you need experience, or need to expand your portfolio. These things are expected and accepted but you have to remind yourself what the ultimate goal is. There will be times when you will have to say no to certain opportunities in order to put your all into studies. Your friends will still be there for you tomorrow, - that football game or social outing can wait.
Reward yourself
It’s hard not to feel like a dancing seal wading through his work looking forward to his fresh fish but it’s necessary. Set yourself daily goals so when you’ve put in the required work and accomplish your goals you can reward yourself. Whether its write 100 more words and get another biscuit, reading these last few pages of the textbook before you watch 20 minutes of telly during your break, or gifting yourself the thing you’ve been eying since forever, use it to keep yourself motivated and rewarded in order to continue pushing forward.
Don’t let knockbacks get you down
Robert F. Kennedy once said that “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Setbacks are pivotal because they build the character, know-how and perseverance needed to remain focused on your goals and succeed. In the words of the eternal Aaliyah:
· If at first you don't succeed/
· Dust yourself off and try again/
· You can dust it off and try again/
Only compete with yourself
One sure fire way to kill your motivation is to measure yourself, your work and your worth by someone’s standards. Positioning yourself in relation to other people’s accomplishments only leads to negative energy and a state of unfulfillment.
Different people operate at their own speed and it’s critical to remember that you do not know what or how much work went in to people achievements. This is not to say you shouldn’t evaluate others work method’s and see what you can incorporate into yours but rather that what might work for some might not work for others.
Figure out what works best for you and then toil way on streamlining and working efficiently in order to maximise your time and potential.
Different people operate at their own speed and it’s critical to remember that you do not know what or how much work went in to people achievements. This is not to say you shouldn’t evaluate others work method’s and see what you can incorporate into yours but rather that what might work for some might not work for others.
Figure out what works best for you and then toil way on streamlining and working efficiently in order to maximise your time and potential.