Mental Health

All of us feel unmotivated at a certain point during the school year. One minute, everything is going right, we’re doing all of our work, everything is on time, and then the next, we’ve lost all motivation to continue working hard on our studies, and everything feels ten times more difficult. At a certain point, it becomes too much for all of us, but here are eight things you can do to gain back motivation, or prevent burnout in general. 

1. Think about your goals in life. What do you want to accomplish when you are older? Do you want to make a change in the world? Think about these questions while you’re feeling unmotivated to study, and use the answers as an incentive to start working hard again. 

2. Make a list of everything you’re involved in. Aside from classes at school what else do you do? Hobbies, school clubs, sports. Make a list of all of these things, highlight the ones that are important to you, and eliminate the ones that aren’t your top priorities. Sometimes, we may join a club just because our friends are in it, or because our parents told us to. Make sure everything on this list is meaningful to you.  

3. Keep an eye on your health. Mental and physical health is very important in order to stay motivated. Make sure to take part in things that make you happy, whether that’s inside or out of school, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep and exercise!

4. Create a study group where you can find support. If you are struggling to stay on task, sometimes working with a group of friends who are doing the same thing can help you. 

5. Stay organized. Staying organized, whether that’s through a physical planner, a list of assignments, or a calendar on your phone, can help you keep track of everything you have in the coming weeks. This way, nothing will sneak up on you!

6. Set timers for work and breaks. When you're doing homework, make sure to set timers for breaks you can use to refresh your brain! For example, set a 25 minute timer for homework, a 5 minute timer for a break, and repeat! 

7. Take a step back from everything.  When everything becomes too much, it’s very important to take time for ourselves. At the end of the night, it’s a good idea to just take 10 minutes where all electronics are turned off. No social media, no emails, no homework, just take time to breathe, and focus on your wellbeing for a moment. 

Learn to say no. At school and at home, it’s very important to know your limits! If you are struggling with a class, make sure to tell your teacher, or maybe a friend, so they can help you! Furthermore, don’t do more than what is asked of you, if a teacher asks you to write one paragraph, don’t write two! This will allow you to have more time to yourself at the end of the day.