HOW TO KEEP MOTIVATED WHILE STUDYING AT HOME?

With many students having to resort to going online for this semester, Radar is here to provide you some tips on how to keep your motivation up for the rest of the semester.

1. Split your studying up across the week

We know what you’re thinking: do I really have to cram all my studying in at the last minute when the exams come around? Our answer to that is simple. You don’t have to! All you have to do is plan your week of studying in a timetable and split up your study sessions accordingly. That way, you don’t need to be stressed when exam season comes, and you can finish your coursework in more time – this means more time for you to relax when you need it the most!

1. Give yourself breaks in between each study session

You don’t need to focus your eyes on the computer screen the whole day when you’re studying. One method of studying that we recommend is the Pomodoro technique. Using the Pomodoro technique, you must do 25-minute study sessions with a 5-minute break after each one. These blocks are called, unsurprisingly, pomodoros. It is recommended that you do between 8 to 12 pomodoros a day when you’re studying (that can give you up to 5 hours of studying a day).

1. Recognise what tasks you must do and their deadlines

Using a timetable, you can write down all your tasks on a piece of paper (or you can use your phone – it’s completely up to you). You can tackle at least one task per study session so that you’re not overwhelmed by having to do too many at once. Your priority should be on those tasks with the nearest deadlines.

1. Focus on one task per study session

We recommend focusing your attention completely on one task per session. If you decide to spend an hour per session and you think it can take you one session to do a task, go for it! Doing this is much better than trying to multi-task and potentially getting nothing done in a session which could ruin your mood.

1. If you need a bigger break, take it!

If you can feel headaches after studying too long or if you find a task too hard, don’t be afraid to take a larger break than 5 minutes. We would recommend anywhere between 10 minutes to half an hour if your brain is starting to sizzle. An alternative to this if you want to be productive is to switch your attention to an easier task or a task that does not take as long.