How To Motivate Yourself To Study

Uni exams are creeping up on us and let’s be honest, we all lose our motivation from time to time.

The best study tip for university is to make sure you have the right mindset. It really is important to turn that feeling of:

‘Ugh, I have to study’

into… ‘I WANT to study.’

 

Here’s how…

Acknowledge what is causing your resistance to study, so that you can identify what study tips and methods will best assist your personal development. If you are having difficulty motivating yourself to study, some questions you can as yourself are:

• Are you too distracted?
• Are you putting off homework because you are questioning your abilities?
• Are you bored by the topic?
• Are you overwhelmed with the volume of homework?
• Or are you just waiting for the perfect time to start.

Once you identify what is causing your resistance, you will be better equipped to know what study tips will work best for you and how to prepare your mind for study.

Our top 6 study tips on how to motivate yourself to study

1. Get clear on your goals

Take some time to get clarity around your end goals. Understand the reason you want to get motivated for study. Don’t dwell on these reason(s) just acknowledge the feelings and move on. You know you want to do well at university, right? Well, you are in the right place. All our rooms at Scape are designed for students with dedicated study areas unlimited wi-fi, but only you can focus your mind. Follow these study tips to find the best way for you, and… just start!

2. Clear the clutter in your mind and workspace

Define your study spot! Clear the clutter. You need to know that when you are at your desk it’s time to work. Try to be consistent and use this study spot each day, train your brain to this routine. Declutter your desk, throw away your trash and to help minimise distractions, close extra browser tabs that are not in use.

Most Scape properties have wonderful study spaces in the communal areas, so if you need a change of scene or want to collaborate with a friend, a cosy corner or a private room on a study floor is also a good option!

3. Start small and get results!

OK, so you’re serious about getting motivated to study!

New habits take time to establish – don’t be too hard on yourself if you still find yourself resisting study time. Try the old school approach and write a to do list. Start with the larger goals and break these down into smaller tasks. It is these smaller tasks, that you know you can face without feeling overwhelmed, that will make your study plan more approachable.

Commit to these smaller tasks. Say to yourself:

‘I can do anything for 5 minutes!’

Study tip: Time yourself for small blocks of time if you need to… Just start!

 

Initially you may need to force yourself, however by committing to this time you will begin to establish a routine and develop self-discipline. Then, as your focus improves you will get closer and closer to completing all the assigned work. This positive feeling will help you tackle more off your to do list.

You may like to continue to time yourself with larger blocks of time, known as the Pomodoro technique. You will be surprised how fast blocks of time fly by!

As you get more familiar with your study groove, you will also notice what parts of the day you are most productive. Tune into this – if you are a night owl, you might be more productive studying later into the evening. If you are an early morning person, you might want to hit the books with a morning coffee when the world is quiet and your neighbours are sleeping.

4. Reward yourself as you go!

Studied for 25 minutes? YES! Well then treat yourself. Grab a snack, a blueberry smoothie, coffee, chill out to a new track, chat to a fellow resident, jump on WhatsApp…whatever it is, by rewarding your new study habits, you will feel more positive about your newly created study routine as you continue to check off your tasks.

Studying in short bursts will show you what you can achieve and enhance your positivity about meeting larger targets. To help shift your focus think ‘What can I achieve in 2 hours?’ rather than, ‘How can I complete all of this?’

This process will help you gain confidence to develop your homework planner, using blocks of time so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

5. Look after your brain and body

It is important to schedule time for rest and re-energizing away from your studies. Read something fun, do puzzles, draw or start a journal. Nourish that mind of yours and feel good in the process. Try a blueberry smoothie or try some other foods containing antioxidants, nutrients or fatty acids that help to support memory and brain function, such as:

• Blueberries
• Pumpkin Seeds & nuts
• Dark chocolate
• Oranges
• Green Tea
• Pomegranate juice
• Salmon and Tuna
• Eggs
• Avocados
• Broccoli

Exercise is also an amazing way to re-energize. Have you ever gone for a walk and suddenly an idea comes to you out of nowhere? Even a walk can help your mind be more receptive to new information and ideas. Plus, when you exercise your body releases chemicals called Endorphins which have the added benefit of boosting your mood, helping to reduce stress, ward off anxiety and improve sleep.

Did you know you can use your Scape gym at any hour of the day or night? It’s a safe place to get moving and boost your mood during your exam period, and you don’t have to leave the building!

6. Mix it up

So, you have been organized, you’ve created a schedule with time for study, exercise and rest…but you are still struggling to focus. Perhaps you need to mix it up. Head to the library or study in a Scape room to help block out distractions. Alternatively, for quiet space you could try an outdoor session in your local park as being amongst nature can be a satisfying way to calm the mind and help your focus.

It may be the opposite; you may be feeling isolated with all this study. Then planning a small study group can help you to commit to study time and discover different points of view, new study tips and get feedback on assignments. Active learning is a better way to retain knowledge, compared to passively absorbing blocks of information, so this could also be a good format to ask questions, discuss ideas and communicate any difficulties to help each other understand.

Remember, no one feels motivated all of the time! Visualize yourself taking action and completing tasks successfully. Remind yourself that you will survive uni and exam periods and uni workloads won’t last for forever!

We’ve summarized our top 6 study tips on how to get motivated for university here:

• Get clear on your goals – just start
• Clear the clutter – set up a dedicated space to study
• Create a to do list – start small and get results!
• Commit to a schedule – and increase blocks of time
• Reward yourself as you go – snacks, coffee, social time…
• Eat energizing brain food – blueberries, nuts & fatty fish
• Exercise – re-energizes, boosts the mood & improves sleep
• Mix it up – by changing your study location (if you need to!)

Stop reading. You got this!