If you clicked on this blog, you’re probably feeling a little like I am now. I’m sitting here at my job, where I am lucky enough to be able to do some homework while I work, and I am hitting a wall on my schoolwork. That’s not to say I have a ton to do. I just physically cannot seem to push myself to do anything productive, something I really cannot afford. I’m working today, I have a fraternity date night tonight, an early game day tomorrow, I’m working at my job after the game from 6:30pm on, and then Sunday is a Jewish holiday, so I’ll have things to do for that night. I’ll then have to motivate myself for that short period I have on Sunday during the day when I’m sure I’ll be exhausted. Knowing all of this, I still can’t get my shit together. I know most college students are familiar with this lack of motivation. I hear it all the time from my friends and peers. There never seems to be enough time in the day to get things done and once you have the time, getting yourself to do the work is a whole other problem. I really wish I had an easy fix.
Despite not having the cure to motivation, I have a few things I do to readjust my focus and become semi-productive. Keep in mind that I’m telling myself this as much as I’m telling y’all, but sometimes telling other people what they should be doing helps me realize, “hmm, maybe you should be doing that yourself.”
The first thing I do to fight my lack of motivation is write down everything I have to do. Whether that is an assignment for school, going to the grocery store, or cleaning my room. Writing it down helps me lay it all out, and sometimes I even see that I don’t have as much to get done as I had initially thought, which helps ease some of my stress. Next, I scan my brain and ensure I’ve had enough water and food that day. As college students, we forget to prioritize our health, and one major difference I have noticed in my ability to be productive and have more energy overall is eating when I feel hungry and drinking water even when I’m not specifically thirsty. Instead of pumping yourself with absurd amounts of caffeine, those two things alone might give you just the energy you need to power through your to-do list.
Another way I push through when I feel like doing anything other than schoolwork is the interval method. This method entails setting a timer for an interval of between 30 minutes to an hour—when I’m feeling especially stuck, I opt for 30 minutes. The goal is to work non-stop for that interval, then set a 5 to a 15-minute timer as your break. Once that timer is up, you start the process over again. This tactic might seem a little silly, but I personally can get through anything more easily if I know when it ends. The next thing you know, you’ve made some headway and might even feel naturally motivated to keep going.
This last tactic is the last resort, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t my go-to from time to time. It’s really all about listening to your body and mind. If you feel like your eyes are shutting or you simply can’t focus on any single task, take a break. Not just any kind of break, like don’t go sit on TikTok for an hour, but take a productive break. If you’re tired, take a 20-minute nap (factor in the time to fall asleep when you set your alarm). No more than 20 minutes, though, or you’ll feel groggy and maybe even more tired than before your nap. If you’re feeling all over the place and your mind can’t settle down on one thing, go exercise. The exercise is any kind of movement. Take a walk outside, do yoga, go to the gym, or do some push-ups. It is clinically proven that physical activity aids brain function, so there’s no harm in trying this approach even if you aren’t feeling unmotivated.
We all get feelings of unmotivation; no matter how much you sleep or eat or take care of yourself, you can still feel unable to focus. My final advice is to be gracious with yourself. Your best is all you can do, and it doesn’t help to be hard on yourself. All it does is take up space in your brain with negative energy. Easier said than done, of course, but the more you practice mindfulness and positive self-talk, the more innate it will be. I mean, who am I to talk? I’m procrastinating on studying for my exams by writing this post, but it is technically for a class assignment, so I’m counting it as productive;)
Talk soon.
With love,
Your favorite unlicensed therapist friend
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