Let's face it. It's been over a month of quarantine. Trying to keep up with classes or work online is not easy.
This was completely unexpected and we've had to adjust to many changes in our social life, hobbies, work, and study habits. But don't fret. We're in this together and we will get through this. Lots of students have been asking us for ways to find motivation and increase focus during quarantine.
Today I will share the very best 5 tips to help you with motivation during this time. I operated a successful, home-based business for over 5 years, and these are the crucial factors that moved me from wasting time with little result to finding motivation, happiness, and success.
1. Have something GOOD to get you out of bed.
When you're at home, it can be too easy to grab your phone and stay in bed even after waking up at 11am. So switch it up. When you wake up, have something you look forward to that will get you moving. I learned to sleep with my cell phone turned off and in another room in my house because I didn't want to wake up and stay in bed and just scroll on my phone anymore.
With your phone out of your way give yourself one good thing to do at the beginning of your day. Something that you look forward to. I like doing home workout videos or going for a morning run because it gets me moving and wakes me up. Maybe you want to enjoy a good breakfast, write in your journal, or play a video game, that's fine. The point is to get out of bed and officially start your day.
2. Dress the part.
Try an experiment. Dress to impress today even while you're at home. Look nice. Look put together. Notice how it makes you feel. Notice what happens with your work, your feelings of self-worth, and focus. The results will speak for themselves.Â
3. Make two simple lists and set a timer.
Sometimes we can overwhelm ourselves thinking of the 10 different assignments we have to do for the day. When we feel overwhelmed, it's easier to get distracted because it seems like there's more than we can handle. Instead, write out only your top 2 to 5 things that you need to do for the day. Then, make a separate list of what you will do for some fun breaks as you complete these tasks. Work on your to do list for at least 15 minutes to an hour. And then give yourself a guilt-free 5 to 10 minute break. If you have more than 5 things to do, then write out the other things on a separate sheet. Once you complete your first five, write out the next five and repeat.
Here's an example of what these lists could look like:
To Do List: (15 minute to 1 hour activities)
-Complete US History homework
-Study 30 minutes for math to prepare for quiz
-Take online math quiz
-Write 1/2 page of book review.
Break List: (5 to 10 minute breaks)
-Check Instagram stories
-Play one game on phone
-See how many push-ups I can do
-Grab a good snack
4. Focus on single tasking.
You will never find motivation if you allow for distractions. Our brain is wired to feel pleasure from distractions. It's designed to keep us alert to our surroundings, but in 2020 it stops us from doing our work because we hear a chime on our phone and we want to check out notifications. If you're serious about getting things done, you need to make a serious change of silencing your phone and keeping it out of sight. I know it's painful. I know you may miss a call from a friend. But guess what? You will actually be able to focus and get work done!
Another issue I would run into was starting a task and then starting a different assignment or project. We lose valuable time every time we switch tasks because it takes a while for our focus to shift to the new subject and actually start working. So, if you are working on an English assignment, write down on a slip of paper that you are working on your English assignment and close out any tabs that are unrelated. It won't feel fun at the moment, but it will feel much better at 2 p.m. when you finish all your work in less than half the time!
5. Keep a consistent sleep schedule of at least 8 hours.
A lot of students are struggling with staying up and getting up really late. Be honest, has your quality of sleep improved by staying up later at night? What is likely keeping you up at night is the light from your phone. As mentioned in number 1 above, turning your phone off at night will help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and actually get out of bed earlier. What if you can't sleep? There's these 'old school' things called books with written words on them. I'm not afraid to admit I'm a man that sleeps with a sleeping mask every night. Why? It blocks out the light and tells my mind it's time to sleep. I can't come up with excuses to stay awake when I can't even open my eyes. Decide on time to go to bed every night (Example: midnight) even if you don't feel tired.
As you take these actions, you will find your motivation is actually increasing again because your sleeping and seeing positive results again!
If you would like to watch a video with some demonstrations of these tips and more check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI4YRpf_15E
Thanks so much for reading! If you would like to connect, feel free to fill out the form on our homepage.
-Be calm and courageous.
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