Sometimes we feel too frustrated and distracted to start getting ready for finals. Motivation is nowhere to find, and the pressure is just overwhelming. Can you relate? The latest events have probably affected 99% of students and made the end of the semester even harder than it would be without COVID-19. So, it’s not surprising that the majority of students face difficulties when it comes to discipline and studying. That’s why we have prepared a few tips for you on how to motivate yourself and start studying for finals.
Find the Reason for Your Procrastination
Maybe you are sitting in your room, scrolling through your social media and thinking, “One more video, and I will go study. Seriously, it’s the last one.” But somehow, time goes by but nothing changes. Your assignments are still not finished, and you seem to fail to even start a study session.
Procrastination is the main problem students have to overcome through their study years. It seems to be getting worse with the development of various gadgets and online entertainment. It’s much easier for students now to find any other activity to spend time on rather than spending it on studying. Social media, apps, and websites are too tempting to avoid.
However, it’s always great to understand the reasons behind any of your actions. So, understanding the problem of procrastination as a complex of various factors is the first step in overcoming it.
So, try to analyze your behavior and answer the question, “Why am I procrastinating now?” The answer might be one of the following options or a combination of a few of them:
- I am afraid of failure in the given task.
- I am sure that I can’t complete the task perfectly, so I am not interested in starting.
- I am bored with the task (the topic, the format, the class).
- I am not in the mood right now.
- I don’t know how to start working on this task.
Once you understand why you are procrastinating, it will be easier for you to fight procrastination, starting from the very cause of the problem. Reflecting on your feelings and emotions is part of self-improvement and motivation, which are both crucial for successful studying.
Make It Simpler
The majority of students make one pretty common mistake that often ruins their motivation to study – they start working on all of their tasks at the same time. It leads to a drop in productivity and motivation, not to mention a boost of exhaustion and stress levels.
It’s much better to simplify things by working in smaller parts and steps rather than having sleepless nights with tons of work in progress.
So, if you need to get prepared for your finals, start with defining your goals and creating a step-by-step plan on how you can achieve them. Then break larger tasks into smaller pieces that you can complete in one study session. For example, it might be breaking a larger topic into smaller parts or chapters, etc.
Don’t try to multitask – work on one task at a time. Multitasking is a great skill, but not when it comes to studying as it can only create a mess in your head and put more pressure on you. The best way to manage a lot of tasks before the deadline is to create a schedule with the time frames assigned to each of the tasks that you need to complete.
Be optimistic in your approach but realistic in your expectations. If you realize that you don’t have enough time, you might need to prioritize the finals that will require more effort and will matter more to concentrate on them. It will be better than trying to do the impossible in a short time.
Reward Yourself
Treating yourself and rewarding for a completed task is a great way to stay motivated. If there is anything that you really enjoy, like watching some TV show or eating some particular snacks, you can and should use them as incentives – motivation boosters.
So, make sure to reward yourself after completing each chunk of work during the breaks. By the way, some healthy snacks like peanuts or fruits should be a part of your study routine as they boost brain activity and help you stay concentrated.
Set a Schedule
Habits have a lot of power in our life. If you commit to changing your routine, it can become your habit and really help you concentrate on your studies. If you need to get used to studying and avoid procrastination, all you need is to build a habit of studying. But how can you make it work for you?
First of all, as it was said earlier, you really need a plan that will consist of the main points and tasks that you need to complete in order to achieve your goal. After creating one, you should be able to plan your day, week, and even month to establish a schedule.
Such a study schedule is a crucial part of your studying routine. If you don’t have one to use throughout your semester, you definitely need one for the period before your finals. Put every exam into your schedule and assign time each day that you will spend studying for your tests. Let’s say you assign a day with a particular subject. Make sure you plan your study sessions at a specific time each day so that it becomes a habit. Don’t forget about breaks for your meals and rest.
This way, you will be able to plan your day and your time more productively, concentrating on the tasks that you need to complete. It’s much easier to avoid temptations and stay focused when you know the exact time that you need to spend on learning.
Start Slowly
You know that feeling when you need to write a big paper and the blank page in front of you scares you? That can usually affect your motivation and make you procrastinate for a long time. Writer’s block happens because it’s hard for us to start something new.
If you need to complete a big task, it’s better to break it into smaller pieces, as it was said earlier. Start slowly with your study sessions, read a few paragraphs for a start, then take a break. Read some more and have a break again. By slowly increasing the study time, you can get into a study routine without much struggling.
Don’t rush to complete all of your tasks in one try. Also, don’t try pulling all-nighters as they reduce your productivity, and chances are you will just exhaust yourself without much result. Long study sessions are bad for your mental health and your motivation. It’s better to study every day than trying to catch up through one weekend.
Don’t cram your homework and finish all of your assignments, so that you can concentrate on your finals. If you need some help with your assignments, you can turn to our team and get professional assistance.
Other Useful Tips
Here are a few other short tips that you will find useful when studying for your finals.
- Understand – don’t just memorize. There is one simple truth that every student should know – understanding the given material is the key. Many students tend to just push the information into their heads without fully understanding it. However, only by finding how you can use the knowledge in your life can you fully remember the concept itself, not just a formula or a fact.
- Get enough sleep. Resting is an important part of studying. There could be no productive work if your body and mind are struggling because of exhaustion. So, the time before your finals should be full of sleep and healthy meals as well as breaks between your study sessions.
- Have a walk. A walk in fresh air will energize you and will let your brain reload for another portion of information. Have a walk before going to bed or between your studies.
- Read out loud for better memory. This tip might be not for you, as some students find reading out loud a little distracting, but you should at least give it a try.
- Do some practice tests to find out what material you need to review.
Use these tips to get better results spending less time on your homework and boost your productivity.
Final Thoughts
Finals are stressful for every student, no matter how confident they are about their knowledge. Staying healthy during finals should be one of your priorities as grades aren’t worth mental breakdown. So, eat healthy food, sleep well, and use the tips that we have found for you to get yourself to study. Your daily routine means a lot, so work on it as well as your self-discipline – this is what a study schedule will help you with.
Karen Palmer
