We have had a look around the net and made these top 5 tips to help you get motivated. This can be applied to a whole range of things, we have simply based it more on exam preps and studying.
- Set yourself goals
It is hard to get motivated about anything if you have not set up yourself some goals or objectives (what do you want). Set yourself a goal and how you are going achieve this goal/s. Break them down into small sections so that your overall goal doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Here is a simple example:
- Study for exams
- Check what subjects I need to take next year if I want to study to be a primary school teacher
It really helps to write your goals down, here are some popular options that have worked for my friends and I:
- Favorite notebook
- Whiteboard
- iPhone or iPad app – trial the free ones to see which one suits you
- Post it notes on your bedroom mirror
Try each one and see what works best for you.
- Create a realistic goal and schedule
Having an achievable goal can help you stay motivated. Imagine that if a task is too hard for you to accomplish, you would feel tired and exhausted over time. A good and manageable schedule would help you to control your energy within a certain amount of time so that you don’t spend too much time on doing unnecessary tasks.
There are a few things that you should know in order to make a realistic goal:
Plan your schedule daily, weekly and monthly.
Make sure that the goals that you set can be achieved within a certain amount of time.
Have a plan A and a plan B. A plan B is a slightly modified version of plan A. A plan A might contain three smaller specific tasks that you need to complete. On the other hand, a plan B contains 2 tasks only. This would help you to have a feel of fulfilling something, especially in case plan A is a plan that overtakes your ability. You will feel motivated even when you just finish the backup
Divide the big task into smaller tasks for effective management. You might have a big goal of getting into your favorite school. In order to achieve that, you need to pass exams with good results. In this case, your smaller goal would be getting good results in the next exam.
Finally, you should make weekly checkpoints to track your progress.
- Get creative about where you study
Can you find a different or perhaps less comfortable place to study? Instead of studying at your desk in room surrounded by lots of distractions and comforts, find another less distracting room to study in. What about moving outside to a shady area and setting up for a day of study or heading off to a different library. Being creative about where you study can change your flow and make you feel more inspired to start working.
- Enlist family support: Your family can help you stay on track, encourage you when motivation is low and provide positive reinforcement. Simple things like making sure dinner is served at the allocated time; driving you to and from school or co-curricular activities so that you can maximize your study time; or helping you with revision can all make a significant difference to your productivity and mood.
- Remind yourself that this will not go on forever
We saw many students that are really overwhelmed and want to throw in the towel at this point in the year in regards to their studies. If you are a student, remind yourself that this will not go on forever, that everything changes and all you need to do is just keep taking action.