Have you made any New Year’s resolutions this year? Perhaps you have been struggling to manage your time properly, or you have had a hard time organising your workload and often miss assignments or important pieces of work due to forgetfulness. Staying motivated can be hard work, so leave all your schoolboy errors in 2015 and start the New Year in the best way possible.
PROCRASTINATION
Everybody has been guilty of a bit of procrastination in their lifetime, but whittling away the hours doing everything you possibly can apart from the task in hand will have disastrous effects on your final results. Avoid this by giving yourself a 10 minute break every hour. Stand up, stretch your legs and move away from your desk. Make sure you are in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere with no distractions such as your phone or the TV, which can easily distract you from the task in hand.
EAT SMART
Don’t use late night revision sessions as an excuse to load up on fast food. Excessive amounts of junk food and energy drinks will disrupt your ability to concentrate and slowly decrease your level of health. Don’t skip breakfast- why not try scrambled eggs with a side of avocado? The high level of protein and brain boosting healthy fats will keep you satisfied for longer and stop you reaching for that mid-morning sugary snack. When the hunger pangs do start to creep in, snack on nuts and seeds- the vitamin E prevents poor memory and is great for the immune system. Wash them down with the recommended 1.5L of water per day and you will be feeling the benefits in no time.
POOR NOTE TAKING
When studying, try and remember to take as many notes as possible to back up each topic. By writing detailed notes, it will make it much easier for you to read back, review and include them into your assignment. Alternate block paragraphs of text with mind maps or lists with bullet points to make the work easier to digest. Use different coloured pens for different topics to help to differentiate them and avoid confusion.
REWARD YOURSELF
Don’t let assignments turn into a thing of dread. Plan a revision schedule and give yourself little rewards along the way. When the task has been completed and submitted before the deadline, reward yourself with a night out with friends, or a new outfit to give you a sense of accomplishment. This should slowly start to reduce the loathing that comes with new workloads, and give you a push of motivation to complete them to a high standard.
DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP
It’s not uncommon to come across a subject or topic that feels impossible to understand. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Make sure you ask somebody with more experience and knowledge in that particular area of study and ask them to explain it clearly and simplify it for you. Try out some practice exercises first to double check you understand and remember to ask questions!