As the snow falls unrelentingly in Calgary- and with Christmas right around the corner- it’s easy to want to lie in your bed with a fluffy blanket and your favourite show all day. Staying motivated around the holiday season can be difficult, with thoughts of the upcoming break and lists of every holiday activity you want to do running through your mind.
With a month left till New Year’s, it’s time to pick up that New Year’s resolution that’s been collecting dust since January and accomplish your goals! Whether it’s school work, extracurriculars, or something else, here are some tips to stay motivated during the holiday season.
Keep Your Goals Achievable and Realistic
If you’re feeling like you’re in a slump, there’s nothing more motivating than using the small goals –> big rewards system. The key is to keep things achievable and realistic, start with something small that you know you can commit to, and build from there. Whether it’s finishing one chapter of a textbook or just organizing your desk, starting with a small goal and accomplishing it will give you the energy you need to keep going.
These tiny wins add up, and checking them off your list will feel incredibly satisfying. If you have a daunting project that you know will take you forever to finish, break it up into little steps and go from there. Keep these small goals in mind and give yourself a reward after accomplishing them, such as grabbing a chocolate. Rewarding yourself isn’t a sign of being less disciplined, but it’s a way to make your journey to accomplishing your goals more sustainable.
Visualize Your Future Self
When you’re feeling unproductive, think about the relief you’ll feel after handing in that assignment, or how proud of yourself you’ll be after getting a 100 on the next test. Picturing the positive results you’ll get after all that hard work will motivate you to get started. Imagine how confident you’ll feel after hitting the gym this week, or the sense of accomplishment you’ll get once you fulfill your goals.
Picture your future self lounging on the couch binging Netflix with not a care in the world during winter break, rather than scrambling to turn in all those missing assignments. I mentioned this in my post on overcoming performance anxiety as well, but imagining a scenario in which you’ve accomplished all your goals is a major motivator. Write down how you would feel, and how you would reward yourself. Remind yourself of why you started this goal in the first place, and how good it’ll feel to start the New Year with a sense of accomplishment.
Prioritize Self-Care Without Guilt
I don’t know about everyone else, but December is always chaos for me. Between holiday events, final exams, study sessions, and extracurriculars, it’s almost impossible to squeeze in a moment of rest. It’s easy to fall into unhealthy habits. I know through experience that getting 5 hours of sleep is unsustainable and will only lead to poor results- not better ones. Losing motivation is a common sign of burnout, and if you find yourself overwhelmed with your schedule, it gets really easy to lose sight of why your goals matter.
To prevent this from happening, learn how to prioritize your tasks without guilt, including self-care. Give yourself time to do what you enjoy, whether it’s making gingerbread cookies or watching a Christmas movie. Treat self-care with equal importance as you treat your study sessions. I understand how hard it can be to squeeze in time for yourself in a busy schedule, but even something like listening to your favourite album and not thinking about schoolwork during your transit ride home will leave you feeling less stressed and more ready to take on the day.
If you think self-care is a waste of time, you’ll find yourself proven wrong, as giving yourself a small break to breathe will let you accomplish your goals faster without losing motivation.
Create a Cozy Environment to Work In
Let’s be honest, the holiday season practically begs you to hibernate in those blankets. Instead of going against them, work with the holiday vibes! Make yourself a hot chocolate, light a candle that smells like pine trees, and start working. You’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to stay motivated when your space feels inviting and less intimidating.
Try to avoid blankets though. I find that falling asleep is the easiest when doing chemistry practice problems- blankets would only make it worse.
Try Using the 5-Minute Rule
If you realize that nothing seems to be motivating you, try using the 5-minute rule. Set a timer for 5 minutes and force yourself to get to work until the timer runs out. If you still feel unproductive after those 5 minutes, take a break and come back, setting another timer for 10 minutes this time.
Like all your guidance counselors and teachers always say, getting started is truly the hardest part. The goal with the 5-minute rule is to get rid of all the effort and overthinking that goes into sitting down and starting your task. Get all your materials out and organize them in front of you before setting the timer; seeing your work set out for you can help as well.
Don’t Fall For the “I’ll Do It Later” Trap
It’s easy to fall into the trap of telling yourself you’ll study after the holidays. Suddenly, January arrives, and you realize you only have a couple of days left until your final exams. Not just one exam, but 4.
Don’t do it. Study now for the sake of your future self!
The general rule of thumb is that if a task takes less than 10 minutes, do it immediately. If it’ll take longer, break it up into smaller tasks that take less time. Instead of aiming for a 5-hour piano practice session over the weekend, aim for consistency and start with 10 minutes per day.
TL;DR
The holidays can make it easy to lose sight of your goals and your motivation. Here are some ways you can stay on track during the Christmas season:
- Keep your goals small and reward yourself for every win.
- Visualize your future self accomplishing all your goals, and imagine the relief you’ll feel after.
- Prioritize your self-care, so you don’t lose motivation to keep going!
- Create a welcoming space for yourself to work in.
- Don’t fall for the “I’ll do it after the holidays” trap. If it takes less than 10 minutes, do it now.