Abnormal Study/Work Things that Actually Help Me
Scrolling through Pinterest, Tumblr, YouTube, etc. for study vibes. Lots of people would say this is a waste of time, but getting in the mood to study significantly helps me. As someone that rarely has the motivation to do things and struggles with low-energy levels daily, seeing aesthetic pictures or watching study-with-me videos gives me the inspiration and motivation I need.
Multitasking is my best friend. If I’m interested in what I’m working on, this isn’t always necessary, but usually, having multiple things to do at once is helpful. Jumping between similar assignments, working 20min on one long assignment or chore, then finishing a smaller one, then going back to that longer thing, etc. It helps me avoid burn-out and taking breaks that turn into just giving up.
On the subject of breaks, taking breaks isn’t always the best for me. I know a lot of people rave about the pomodoro method, and while it works to help me get started on something, I eventually let go of that timer once I’m in the groove of working. Taking a break– long or short– will usually just incentivise me to stop working altogether because that ‘break’ is sooo much better than working. I much prefer long hours or scheduled out work vs play times.
Having multiple drinks on my desk. This is another form of multitasking to me. Water is always a necessity, but juice, coffee, tea, etc. is a needed addition. Similar to chewing gum, it helps stabilize me and prevent burn-out since my brain has multiple forms of stimuli.
Long to-do lists. I will literally have 20-30 things on a to-do list typically. Sure, I don’t always finish it all in a day, but writing out that to-do list helps get my mind organized and keeps me focused. Plus, it also helps to avoid procrastination. If I only write out 5-6 things, I’d think “Sure, I can wait to do those. There’s only a few” whereas 20-30 things pushes me to work as soon as possible.
A lot of people would disagree with how I work, or tell me that there’s a better way, but these are just some things that work for me. Some of us are wired a bit differently, and that’s perfectly fine. Do what works best for you.
