With Thanksgiving break rapidly approaching and final exams following only a few weeks later, we’re at the point in the semester where stress levels are high, but motivation is at an all time low. We aren’t truly able to focus on classes or assignments as our minds are wandering to thoughts of turkey, delicious pies, Black Friday shopping, and much needed rest. Worst of all, it’s time to get serious about looking for summer internships and opportunities. So what do you do when you’ve lost the motivation to do work and internship research, but are rounding the crucial, final, bend of the semester? Here are 4 steps to take to help you regain motivation and get your work done.
1. Get Organized
With so little time left in the semester and deadlines for internship applications rapidly approaching, it is vital to get organized and optimize productivity. Start by finding a calendar and marking all your major upcoming dates such as final exams, project deadlines, and application deadlines. Physically plotting out these dates will help you come to terms with your timeline and prioritize what needs to be done. Next, create To-Do lists for each of your courses, activities, and summer opportunities that include everything you need to do by when they HAVE to be done by and when you WANT them to be done by. Finally, use these To-Do lists to create timelines for when you must begin preparing for these dates such developing study schedules for exams or planning when to work on each element of your internship application. Staying organized will increase productivity and quality of work, just make sure to allot time for relaxation and fun. The next few weeks shouldn’t be completely comprised of work.
2. Develop Reward and Support Systems
If you’re still having trouble staying focused and completing tasks, try setting up some systems to help you. You can study with friends who will keep you productive, establish a reward system where you award yourself some type of prize for a specific amount of work being completed, take breaks and go to group study sessions or office hours. Having these supports will allow for increased productivity and efficiency effectively allowing for work to get done.
3. Cut Out Distractions
An incredibly important step in increasing productivity is eliminating technological distractions. When working, turn off notifications on your phone and computer. If you’re looking for a drastic solution deactivate your social media accounts and have someone change your Netflix password. For a more temporary, but equally drastic solution, consider downloading SelfControl a computer program that will block you from distracting websites that you frequently visit. The beauty of this program is that after you hit start you have to wait out the time. Nothing will stop it from running. Cutting out distractions will allow you to focus your attention and will help you meet deadlines.
4. Step Back and Relax
Finally, remember that everything is going to be ok. This is one of the hardest times of the year and everyone is in the same boat. Just take a step back and relax. Make sure that you’re prioritizing your mental and physical health by remembering to sleep, exercise, and eat well. Don’t let the stress of final exams and finding internships overwhelm you, just take a deep breath and remember that the CEC is here to help.