We’ve all felt that surge of panic, that feeling, when it seems like the pile of schoolwork you have is starting to bury you alive. You want to start working on it, but there’s just so much. You start to sort through and prioritize your work, but then the thought of that interesting series you really want to watch enters your brain. The idea tugs at your mind. And you contemplate it because almost all of us would rather submerge ourselves in the problems and worries of someone else while letting our own sit in some dusty, forgotten corner of our brain. Then, something else enters the situation and starts to take over completely. A big blob of stress and alarm, none other than the Panic Monster. In the end, we end up getting barely anything done. In this post, I’m going to show you a few things you can do to motivate yourself to get your schoolwork done and avoid the Panic Monster as much as you can.
1. Pomodoro
This method sometimes works for me, but other times it doesn’t. Different things work for different people, so if you think this method will work for you, you should definitely try it. For this technique, you basically work for 25 minutes, and try to stay as concentrated and on task as you can during this time. Then take a five-minute break. When you reach your fourth break, make it longer, take a 10-15 minute break. Feel free to adjust these timings according to what is best for you. There are lots of Pomodoro timers online that you can use. Some are even connected to Spotify, so you can listen to music while you work.
Make sure you are a little strict with yourself. The thought of extending the break just a little longer may cross your mind. Instead, try to use this feeling to fuel yourself to finish your work as fast as you can.
2. Organization tools
If you’re someone like me, then sorting through all of your tasks, prioritizing them, and creating schedules and deadlines for yourself will motivate you to finish your work and help shove that Panic Monster back where it came from. I use Taskade (chrome extension) to do this, but you can use any deadline and time management app or extension. Notion is also a great tool. Though some of these tools may seem a bit complicated at first, after some time of using them, you’ll be able to navigate them easily. If you’re looking for simple, minimalistic software that’s easy to use, try the Todoist Chrome extension.
These are just a few ways to help motivate you to get your work done. Remember, everyone is different, but if you think these will be helpful, you can try them out. In the end, it’s up to you to figure out what works best for you. I hope this helps!
