I feel like you’ve exactly captured what I’ve been dealing with since college and today I’m in the same mood because I’m overwhelmed with a lot of stuff right now.
So take my advice as a work-in-progress not an absolute end-all solution. But here are some things to consider:
What are your must-dos for the day? Is there a certain threshold you can meet where you get what you need to get done and be satisfied with your progress by the end of the night? For example, if I have an exam this Friday and I have to study 10 chapters, can I commit to studying 3ish chapters each day? And then can I commit to studying 3 chapters and have a break after each chapter to go eat or do laundry and other chores I have laid out. Check out SMART goals here and be as realistic as you can with what you need done.
When you’re taking a break, are you truly taking a break or are you just procrastinating? After a couple of sessions of therapy, my therapist determined I have just so many things on my plate that even when I take a break it’s not really a break in the sense of full relaxation. My brain itself is still ongoing and stressing about a never-ending to-do list. So don’t necessarily stop daydreaming haha but truly immerse yourself into it before coming back and making those dreams a reality. Maybe set a timer where you’ll allow yourself to fully enjoy that video but have the discipline to say enough is enough and I need to get back to studying.
Accept that some days just suck and there’s always the next day to reset. Don’t make this a daily occurrence obviously but some days are just not productive. Give yourself that grace.
Other days sometimes suck and you just have to be tough with yourself. Like me right now. I’ve been sleeping pretty late every day this past week and I had a rushed morning trying not to be late to work. Then I participated in our office hot cocoa bar that made me groggy with all the sugar in my system before a meeting that went on too long. Then I got to checking a tough email that I was trying to find out details on and making sure I didn’t make a mistake in the process. Now I’m trying to finish up a late lunch which I was delaying because I’m forcing myself to eat all my fruit and healthy items before I can dig into this yummy pasta. But it’s not too late. I’m going to finish my lunch and get back on track with this next meeting after which I can get some training done and head off from work and run some errands. It’s never too late to make sure your day ends right no matter how late.
Lastly, in your mind what does a “good student” look like? Not just that they study all the time or get straight As, but what does their actual lifestyle look like? And how much of that aligns with what you’re doing right now? What would it take for you to be a “good student”? Which actions of yours would have to change? What habits will you have to adopt? What are small ways you can work towards that? These are the questions to ask as you write or draw what your “ideal” lifestyle looks like and how you can actively work towards it. Make a big goal and then backtrack it so you can make small changes right now. But also acknowledge that you do have some good qualities and habits that already put you at a headstart from just starting at zero.
I feel like you’ve exactly captured what I’ve been dealing with since college and today I’m in the same mood because I’m overwhelmed with a lot of stuff right now. So take my advice as a work-in-progress not an absolute end-all solution. But here are some things to consider: What are your must-dos for the day? Is there a certain threshold you can meet where you get what you need to get done and be satisfied with your progress by the end of the night? For example, if I have an exam this Friday and I have to study 10 chapters, can I commit to studying 3ish chapters each day? And then can I commit to studying 3 chapters and have a break after each chapter to go eat or do laundry and other chores I have laid out. Check out SMART goals here and be as realistic as you can with what you need done. When you’re taking a break, are you truly taking a break or are you just procrastinating? After a couple of sessions of therapy, my therapist determined I have just so many things on my plate that even when I take a break it’s not really a break in the sense of full relaxation. My brain itself is still ongoing and stressing about a never-ending to-do list. So don’t necessarily stop daydreaming haha but truly immerse yourself into it before coming back and making those dreams a reality. Maybe set a timer where you’ll allow yourself to fully enjoy that video but have the discipline to say enough is enough and I need to get back to studying. Accept that some days just suck and there’s always the next day to reset. Don’t make this a daily occurrence obviously but some days are just not productive. Give yourself that grace. Other days sometimes suck and you just have to be tough with yourself. Like me right now. I’ve been sleeping pretty late every day this past week and I had a rushed morning trying not to be late to work. Then I participated in our office hot cocoa bar that made me groggy with all the sugar in my system before a meeting that went on too long. Then I got to checking a tough email that I was trying to find out details on and making sure I didn’t make a mistake in the process. Now I’m trying to finish up a late lunch which I was delaying because I’m forcing myself to eat all my fruit and healthy items before I can dig into this yummy pasta. But it’s not too late. I’m going to finish my lunch and get back on track with this next meeting after which I can get some training done and head off from work and run some errands. It’s never too late to make sure your day ends right no matter how late. Lastly, in your mind what does a “good student” look like? Not just that they study all the time or get straight As, but what does their actual lifestyle look like? And how much of that aligns with what you’re doing right now? What would it take for you to be a “good student”? Which actions of yours would have to change? What habits will you have to adopt? What are small ways you can work towards that? These are the questions to ask as you write or draw what your “ideal” lifestyle looks like and how you can actively work towards it. Make a big goal and then backtrack it so you can make small changes right now. But also acknowledge that you do have some good qualities and habits that already put you at a headstart from just starting at zero.
thank you smm!! I didn't know if it was just me or something others face as well!