Maintaining Motivation

As we get into the last few weeks of the semester, it can feel like we’ve hit a motivation slump. How would you rate your motivation, on a 1-10?

No matter where you’d rate your current motivation level, here’s some tips to help when your motivation could use a boost.

• Don’t wait until you “feel motivated” to get started. Set a timer and work for 15-30 minutes then see how you feel once that time is up – sometimes just getting started and seeing some progress is what you need to kickstart that motivation.
• Connect your assignments and tasks back to something that is important to you. How does this action get you closer to your goals or who you are becoming? Even if it is a stretch, drawing the connection can help internalize your motivation.
• Make your goals visible and unavoidable. Write your goal (or a word, phrase, or image that represents it) on a sticky note and place it on your door frame, mirror, phone background – somewhere you will see it each day.
• Plan for study/work time and build breaks and rewards into that plan. Taking a break, even a brief one, in nature has been found to be restorative for cognitive functioning. Know what tasks you want to accomplish, what you’ll do as a reward– like maybe watching the basketball game with friends- and work toward that reward.
• Ask someone to hold you accountable. Whether it is someone here on campus or a friend or family member back home, knowing that someone will be asking about your progress can be a motivator and provides a sense of pride when you can update them about what you’ve gotten done.

Need some additional help putting these strategies or others into action for these last few weeks? Schedule a time to meet 1-1 with someone in the ASC to create a plan together.

Click here for information on Study Skills consultations and scheduling in West Lafayette. 

Click here for information on Study Skills consultations and scheduling in Indianapolis. 

At either location, you can also "Raise Your Hand" in BoilerConnect (or your Navigate 360 app) for outreach from the ASC.