by Laura Kostwinder, Head Writer With the holidays finally over, you, like many others, may struggle to find a new routine as classes start up again. After several weeks of sleeping in and binge-watching your favourite holiday movies, you might be overwhelmed and need more motivation. Perhaps, you are already swamped by projects and other responsibilities. Here you will find some tips to boost morale and build momentum so that this semester is one of your best. Tip 1: Ease into ItWhile you may be tempted to start catastrophizing over all the assignments you already have coming up, it may be a better idea to take a step back and get organized. You first want to acknowledge that your day-to-day schedule will be different than in the past and that you must find a new routine that works for you. Start by developing a semi-structured routine at the beginning of the semester that will help you feel less overwhelmed but allows room for flexibility. I recommend entering due dates, midterms, exams, and class times into your schedule and then adding extracurriculars and time off. Don’t let yourself become overwhelmed by this. Instead, see this as an opportunity to get ahead and be prepared. Next, work on picking a sleep schedule that works for you. Remember that sleep is optimized when you have a set bedtime and wake-up time. In addition, I recommend scheduling time in your weekly schedule to get in some sort of physical activity, whether it’s going to the gym or going on a quick walk. Remember that you don’t have to be perfect right away. Ease into your new schedule and figure out what works for you. Tip 2: Plan Things to Look Forward ToA common cause of stress at the beginning of the semester is realizing how challenging your course load is and dreading the midterm season. To combat this, I recommend planning a few fun things to do with roommates or friends in the upcoming weeks. You could make a semester bucket list, including things like seeing a movie in theatres, going bowling, trying new restaurants, or going to the Farmer’s market. When you find a time that works for everyone, make sure to schedule it. Having fun events to look forward to makes the future feel less ominous, promotes a healthy work-life balance, and reduces risk of burnout. To make it a priority, you could even incorporate some things into your weekly routines, such as movie nights, self-care nights, or brunch every Sunday. Tip 3: Set Reasonable GoalsOne of the best ways to start getting motivated is to set reasonable goals or “have the end in sight.” The key here is to not set seemingly unattainable goals you will give up on before really working towards them. Set goals you know you can manage and then make a blueprint for success. Use the first few weeks of classes to gauge how much work you will have to put into each class or extracurricular and adjust this as necessary. Remember that changes can be made anytime, but a general plan will help build your routines and set expectations for yourself. Tip 4: Make Small ChangesMaintaining a healthy mindset is crucial for increasing motivation, and a healthy attitude requires healthy habits. However, try incorporating new habits one at a time to avoid the “New Year, New Me” cliche, which often only lasts three days. For example, on week one, you might start aiming to drink two litres of water a day. On week two, you add in a five-minute evening stretching routine. On week three, you make it your goal to read a few pages of a book before bed. Over time, these small manageable changes can make a big difference in enabling you to protect your peace. The purpose of this is to prioritize wellness, which is essential for success in all areas of life. Tip 5: Talk to People About Your GoalsThis tip is helpful if you struggle with starting tasks. If you’re feeling unmotivated, talk to a friend or family member about some of your goals. Their encouragement will help light up a spark and discussing your plan will help you figure out how to better achieve it. Likewise, surrounding yourself with other motivated people will help you remember your goals and why you’re doing what you’re doing. You could set up weekly study sessions with other students to work towards a common goal and build momentum. Tip 6: Reward YourselfRemember that everything you are doing, you are doing for yourself. Each time you cross something off your to-do list, you get closer to an ultimate goal. This may be a dream job or passing a challenging course. Or it could be simply developing a growth mindset and becoming a more driven and passionate person. Remember that what you are doing is hard work, and you deserve to be kind to yourself. Try doing little things each day that bring you joy. This could be making a morning coffee and taking ten minutes to relax before the rush of the day or reading a few pages of your favourite book before bed. Try to practice mindfulness and be proud of yourself. Acknowledge every day that you did the best you could and are getting stronger and wiser each day. Prioritize optimism and protect your happiness by surrounding yourself with happy people and recognizing that everything gets better over time. Laura is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph, a Second Year Representative on the Psychology Society and a Head Writer on GetPsyched. Are you interested in submitting a post to GetPsyched? Make sure you fill out our submission form and send it back to us so we can showcase your ideas!
Edited by Harjot Boora.
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