It’s not that you don’t want to write that essay. But your friends have invited you to the beach later. And your fingernails are getting long. You can’t start writing with long nails, can you? Deep down, you know these things are less important than getting the essay done. Yet somehow this is not the same as feeling motivated to concentrate on your work. Worry not, though! We’ve come up with five top tips to keep you motivated while studying.
When starting a new project, it can be difficult to overcome the tyranny of the blank page. That blinking cursor, taunting you. And so much white space still to fill… it can be intimidating.
At this early stage, then, it can make sense to focus on other tasks. So, if you find yourself unable to start writing in earnest, focus on creating an essay plan or compiling a list of sources.
Likewise, longer assignments can seem intimidating. But nobody writes a 20,000-word thesis in one sitting. Instead, challenge yourself to write a few hundred words every day.
One obstacle to motivation when writing is frustration. We’ve all been there. We type furiously for an hour, read it back once and then reach for ‘Delete’.
You can hear it calling, can’t you? [Photo: Ervins Strauhmanis/flickr]Wait! Don’t touch that key! The first draft of an essay is never perfect. But you can revise or cut material you’re not satisfied with when you get to redrafting. So as long as you’re staying on topic, it is far better to write something that you will rework later than to spend hours perfecting a single paragraph.
As sophisticated as we humans like to think we are, with our bow ties and organised team sports, we’re still essentially animals. Thus, we can convince ourselves to work harder by promising ourselves treats! It’s like your brain is a dog doing tricks for biscuits!
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Yeah, but can your brain ride a scooter? [Photo: Tim Evanson/flickr]Finished the first draft of that chapter? You’ve earned an afternoon off to go to the cinema. Need to get your final draft done by the weekend? The thought of missing that party might be just what you need to get going…
Optimising productivity is all about knowing your work habits. On the one hand, you should work out when (and where) you’re most productive and build your routine around that.
On the other hand, you should also be aware of bad study habits, like getting lost on social media. This will allow you to take the necessary precautions, such as blocking distracting websites.
Sometimes, the right words just won’t come. Sitting around blaming yourself, however, won’t help. And assuming you’ve left enough time before the deadline, it is better to take a break and refresh yourself.
You can use this time to do household chores, take a walk, or just have a nap. The point is to stop thinking about your essay for a little while. After this, you can return to writing when you are feeling more motivated.
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