Stay Real, Get Productive

Feather, they/them, Biopsychology & English. Just a student with ADHD inattentive type, trying to stay productive through whatever means possible.

[lemondropdancer]

ADHD Study Tips

Novel Spaces

One of the biggest things that aids me in studying is a change of scenery. Although, many people suggest having a dedicated workspace for homework and studying. That isn’t the case for me because of my ADHD I need new novel spaces. Therefore I’ve created a few spaces within my home. Solely, because a lot of spaces such as cafe’s have too many distractions such as: customers in and out, constant changing noises, and unfamiliarity.

As the mini adhd coach states the need for novel things is because it provides dopamine and fuels ADHD interest based brains. Oftentimes following the dopamine can be harmful however by creating novel spaces it makes following the dopamine useful and takes advantage of it. It’s a great motivator and it’s a lot of fun to change things up.

New situations are the most motivating for those with ADHD. Each place creates a new situation. And as soon as one becomes boring you can switch to another. I tend to move from my kitchen table to my bedroom set up.

"Notes & Coffee" by VienoR27 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

"Kitchen Table Set Up" by VienoR27 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

"Sofa Set Up" by VienoR27 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

"Bedroom Set Up" by VienoR27 is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Body Doubling

Another major thing that helps me focus is body doubling. Body doubling is when you have another person around doing some sort of task to help your brain focus better. For me I like to invite my coworkers who are in college over to body double or ask my boyfriend to body double with me. Additionally, body doubling is why I prefer to work at the kitchen table because my boyfriend can be cooking or cleaning while also acting as a body double. 

Body doubling can also work in public spaces. When I went to college in person rather than online I achieved body doubling in the library. It’s also possible to virtually body double. I tend to do that with friends in discord. Study with me videos on YouTube have also helped with body doubling.

Reminders/Planners

Something else that helps but is often hit or miss with a lot of folks with ADHD is planners, reminders, calendars, etc. Some people forget about these lists of tasks as do I. However, I make it so obnoxious that I can’t and make sure it’s everywhere. I use a physical planner for almost everything from assignments, to-do’s, and due dates. I use my Google Calendar for major due dates as well as meetings and my work schedule. I then also use Momentum, a chrome extension for a to-do list. In addition to that I write out a schedule by the hour as well as a to-do list in order of priority.

Although mine is a bit excessive, I think having a physical as well as a digital is very helpful especially if the digital can send reminders.

Follow the Dopamine not the Priority

Despite the goal of getting things done in order of priority, sometimes it’s easier to start on the task that’ll get the dopamine flowing and get you into that flow state. More often than not doing that task and then the higher priority task is faster than sitting on the higher priority task for a lot longer because your brain simply doesn’t want to focus. Therefore, sometimes following the dopamine is the best option.

Create a Reward System

When studying for large bursts I tend to use my breaks as little reward periods. Usually because I’m studying with a coworker we devise the breaks in terms of assignment or when both of us are starting to zone out and get less productive. For us because our study sessions overlap meals we’ll do our rewards such as going and grabbing food or getting boba and things of that nature. Once it was a Target run to get supplies for a root beer float which was the following break.

Fidget

Find ways to fidget that allow you to remain focused simultaneously. I tend to like to bounce my feet or chew gum. However, depending on what you’re doing you can use putty, stress balls, fidget cubes, etc.

I think this helps with restlessness and remaining calm while doing homework. I’ve also found it helps me avoid getting too overwhelmed especially if I’m behind on tasks or have procrastinated.

Use Caffeine & Sugar but WISELY

I tend to use caffeine when studying. I’m currently not medicated due to other conditions. So I use caffeine to self-medicate in a way. For this to work though you have to find the sweet spot that doesn’t make you sleepy or overly anxious. So it tends to have to be sips that are tapering out the caffeine slowly.

[relatablestudies]

Hey Tumblr folks— as a person who has now been out of the collegiate scene for three years, I am now looking to compile non-academic resources for ADHD organization to apply to life, professional work, independent living, etc. If anyone has seen any place to start, I would love some advice. Thank you.

[myhoneststudyblr]

my masterpost | my studygram | ask me anything

[click images for high quality]

Other advice posts that may be of interest:

How To Stop Procrastinating

How To Study When You Really Don’t Want To

Active Revision Techniques

[relatablestudies]

Hi! It’s been a ridiculously long time since I’ve posted last. I made this blog as a freshman in college if you can believe it! My study habits are both way better and much more directed now.

Which speaking of which, I’ve become a big fan of the accountabilibuddy. Or rather, a pal to keep you accountable to your studies. I work now! And I’m learning to audit.

I’d love to study with somebody who wants to learn something, but the pandemic or your brain is dragging you away from your goals. HMU if you want to study together! We’ll set some goals and make it happen!

(And if you’re going to school and have audit resources PLEASE share. I have an English and Biopsych degree. This is totally out of my wheelhouse!!)

[calm-thought]

At the end of each day, look back on the things that were good that day. Maybe the sky was pretty, or you made a little progress on a personal project! I know it’s difficult to push away negative thoughts when you’re trying to sleep. But try to think positively at the end of the day, every single day. The more you try, the easier it will become. Keep at it.

[days-e]

if you’re going back to school or you’re already in school…good luck! Study hard but remember to get enough hours of sleep  ❤

[giraffe-stvdies]

#jasminestudyblrchallenge @justjasminestudying

day 18- make an advice post

I’ve actually been wanting to make an infographic for ageeesss so I had a blast at this challenge!!

[lulustudying]

1. Have a Positive Mental Attitude- Prime yourself at being always comfortable and confident that u can do a lot better at studying. Remember that you are studying things that will prove to be valuable in real life.  2. Prepare your Work Space- Look for a place in your home or bedroom where u think u can study and maintain concentration in your work. Have materials stocked up and in place before your study. This way, u can finish your work without any interruptions.  3. Avoid Cramming- study an hour a day even when there’s no homework. Scan your notebooks and do a little advanced reading of your textbooks. You can also research through the internet to learn more about the topics u are covering in school.  I suggest google scholar, it’s like google but for students, it has the citations, and filters results so that only helpful outcomes appear. 4. Do projects with more enthusiasm and creativity- Don’t be afraid to think of new ideas or ways to present your homework or projects. Teachers always give additional points to students who show great effort in their works. SO, don’t be afraid to do something original, do something that hasn’t been done before. 5. Raise Your Hand- Be active and establish a friendly attitude towards your teachers. Offer to help them out in checking some work, filing papers or just carrying their things. Little good things add up in the end for that extra effort grade, and they’ll always remember you as a very helpful student.  6. Enjoy Reading the Latest News- Find connections or associations with your life as a student, as a child, as a friend, or as a citizen. Certain reports would always ask for u to react so better be ahead with current events which you may be affected with.  7. Listen to Your Teacher, take a few notes- In my experience, the more i copy and take down notes, the more i get lost in the lecture. It is best to listen first and understand before u jot down any important keywords. Yes, use keywords, simple doodles and arrows to make associations. These will help u remember all concepts mentally.  8. Keep Notes on Index Cards- I use personally use the smaller oxford ones, they are more portable honestly pretty aesthetic..   9. Watch TV Wisely- Yep you heard it, TV, when watching TV I sometimes pick up points which may seem relevant in my life. They sometimes even have something to do with what’s happening in class at the moment so, always initiate conversation about the latest shows and issues you have watched. Don’t be afraid to argue and defend your opinions. 

[mushstudies]

can we end this studyblr ideal that you should be eating fruit for every snack and revising on the bus and studying whilst you walk and learning whilst you eat lunch and staying home at weekends and using every single minute of the day to be productive ??? like ??? no !! eat that chocolate that you’ve been keeping in your kitchen !! listen to your favourite song whilst on the bus !! play games on your phone at lunch time !! meet your friends and have a hella fun adventure !! its obviously okay and good to have a balance between your chill time and your study time but please for the love of god do not let studying take over your life. studying is great and its awesome and you should definitely work hard but you need to remember that your life needs to be lived

[brbimstudying]

idk if yall remember but i asked if yall want me to start this lil series a long time ago but i’ve finally gotten onto it!! u’d be surprised to find out how many of this can save u lots of $$ too and i still have a lot of posts to come so look out for them ٩◔‿◔۶

get urself a water bottle

i was shocked to find out sm people don’t have bottles of their own??

reduces waste   

save $$ by never buying plastic bottles bc u can just refill it

also get urself a tumbler

so u can use ur own at cafes and starbucks

such a good investment u buy a $10 cup && save 10₵ everytime

if u drink 4 coffees a week that’s $20 saved a year

take the public transport / bike / walk

esp if u have time after school and when ur not in a rush

extremely therapeutic and is a great stress relief

u can rent bikes now which is rly cool

draw ur curtains

apparently 10% of energy can be saved on heating when u let sunlight in

saving money too how cool

turn ur thermostat down by 1°C

or up if u use air conditioning

apparently u can save up to $60 a year

or just turn it down by 5 degrees and hibernate in ur hoodie + a thick ass blanket bc it’s rly comfy and u should try it

shop w reusable shopping bags

or just bring a huge bag u can dump stuff into

some places deduct a few cents if u don’t use plastic bags isn’t that gr10

reuse plastic bags

don’t throw them out bros

u can line ur bins w them

if u need a change of clothes throw them in a plastic bag before u throw it in ur bag

after u gym or smt throw ur sweaty clothes in a plastic bag so it doesn’t stench up ur bag

and check if the plastic bags are recyclable before u recycle them!!

buy refills instead of new pens

let’s be real ur gonna buy the same pen

so just get refills instead it’s sm cheaper + u get 10 in a box

just google “(pen name) refill” it’s rly easy

some shops sell refills at the counter u can go ask

(@ sg and msia fam,, popular bookshop does)

STOP BUYING NEW PENCILS

literally just get ONE mechanical pencil

and get urself some pencil lead

idk why every back to school haul has like 5 pencils

yo pencil lead refill is a thing my brothers

and a box costs less than a pencil and lasts for more than a year

is this not a thing??

eat meatless some days

did u kno giving up beef will reduce ur carbon footprint more than if u give up ur car

but lol still gotta live that cheeseburger and kbbq life from time to time

so just cut out the meat like 1 or 2 days a week

and no mutton and beef and pork and turkey if u can help it

save and recycle paper pls !!11!1

use both sides!

recycle don’t trash!

buy recycled paper and notebooks!

that is all kiddos if u have more ways to save the earth pls inbox me here!! and check out my other study tips too:

on types of learners // my top tips // on exam prep // on sleep // on e-devices // on chinese resources // on notes

[athenastudying-deactivated20220]

destroy the idea that intermediate goals aren’t important. maybe you can’t play the entire piano piece yet, but you can play the right hand and that’s good. maybe you haven’t figured out your major yet, but your minor or your field and that’s progress. maybe you can’t hold a full conversation in your target language yet, but you can ask for directions and that’s fine. setting high goals is good, but don’t diminish the small goals you achieve on your way there. they are just as important.

[realpassionlife-deactivated2019]

You can never achieve the big goals without the small goals first. The big goals are made up of small goals put together.

[studyspire]

This process really helped me when I wrote my IB extended essay earlier this month. I hope you all find it just as useful as I did!

[lierdumoa]

[whatyouwanted-whatyougot]

I reblog this every time I see it, because it’s one of life’s hardest lessons.

[celestudials]

for a lot of students, myself included, it can be really hard to figure out how to set goals! often, things like new year’s resolutions are made with the best of intentions, followed for a week, and then forgotten. here’s my personal step-by-step on setting and sticking to a goal!

think about why you are setting this each goal. if you have a concrete reason, it’s much easier to remind yourself of that later and stay motivated.

set realistic goals. if what you are trying to do is impossible, you simply can’t meet your goals, and you will become discouraged!

make quantifiable goals. this is, in my opinion, the most important step! you need to be able to keep definite track of your progress. if your goal is just “smile more” or “be nicer,” how will you know that you are succeeding? however, if your goal is “smile at least 5 times a day” or “compliment my friends at least 3 times a week,” that’s something you can measure. if you have trouble coming up with these, check out my list of them here! 

set a time limit. this isn’t applicable to all types of goals, but it’s important for some. if your goal is something that can be completed, like writing a novel or finishing an assignment, know when you want it done by, instead of just “someday.”

break down your goal into smaller goals. “writing a book” is a daunting task, but if you have smaller, daily goals of “write 1000 words,” it becomes much less intimidating. it’s easier to hold yourself accountable. this also prevents procrastination, because if you are making regular progress, you can avoid doing it all right before the deadline.

account for time. make sure to include goals in your schedule, especially if it’s something like “work out for half an hour every day.” set aside time to achieve your goals, otherwise you might find yourself scrambling.

set reminders. sometimes the easiest way to not achieve a goal is to forget to complete it! i use phone alarms with a unique sound and a label, but sometimes all you need is a daily checklist.

have a way to track progress. keep all your information about a goal in one spot, and don’t lose it! bullet journals, google docs, and printables are great for this. at the end of every day, consider: did you meet your goal for the day? write down the answer, and maybe a reason why. it’s a great way to hold yourself accountable.

tell others. another way to hold yourself accountable is with a little help! personally, if i’m the only one who knows about my goal, i’m less likely to achieve it because if i fail, i don’t feel like i’m letting anyone down. sometimes that extra pressure is useful.

reward success. sometimes success can be its own reward, but sometimes you need a little extra motivation. this is where having an outside party helping can come in handy: if you have a partner who you’re working with, they can reward you if and ONLY if you’ve achieved your goal! it might be hard to restrain yourself from taking the reward anyway if you’re the only one calling the shots, so having an outside voice of reason can be really useful.

don’t let failure make you quit. sometimes, it takes a lot of work and a lot of tries to get something right. if it seems like you won’t get it on the first try, see if you can on your second.

work hard! in the end, only you can get yourself there.

good luck with your goals, and feel free to add to this post if you have any other tips! if you end up using my method, tag me with #celestudial. you can do it!

[just-shower-thoughts]

My ability to proofread increases by 1000% after I hit “Submit”.

[greaseonmymouth]

this is often because when you’ve submitted something (like fanfiction to ao3) it will be in a different font, size and framing than in your word processor. The text will look different in the new environment so your brain stops skipping what looks familiar (like a typo that has been there since the beginning).

So, tip: revise your work in a different font and size. I guarantee you’ll catch more typos and mistakes than otherwise.

[halespecterwinchester]

For all my writers (ones I follow and the ones that thankfully follow me)

[emeraldscholar]

OH MY FUCKING GOD

[catchupgirl]

doing this can be hard on it’s own without things like depression, anxiety, etc. weighing you down so some of these tips will be general and others more specific to certain disorders or situations.

staying focused:

easier for some than others, depending on your particular illness. these tips will remain a little vague but take them at the intensity you need.

have a routine

it doesn’t have to be followed perfectly each and every day and it doesn’t have to be a super detailed plan either. write down somewhere (word document, sheet of loose leaf) what you want your days to look like. for example, on thursdays i only have one class and it’s later in the day so i will plan to wake up at ___ and do ____ until my class starts then, after class, i will ___… so on and so forth. once you get into the swing of things, it will be a lot easier to stay on track.

sticky notes, everywhere

if you can never seem to remember what you have due next week or what you’re supposed to be doing that very second, write it down on a post it and stick it somewhere you’ll see it often. 

make a weekly/daily study schedule

sit down at your laptop or take out a sheet of paper and schedule out when you want to start completing what assignment. it’s easier to do things when you have a set idea on what you’re actually going to be doing day to day. this is different from planning a routine. a routine will say “start studying at 9 a.m.” but your study plan will say “study history/math/etc.” i usually set up a small week calendar and do bullet points with what i have start doing on what day and when that’s due.

let your friends know when you have something you’re supposed to be doing.

if you try to make plans or try spending the day on your phone, it’s good to have someone who will catch you and remind you that, “hey, aren’t you supposed to be doing ___ right now?”

go to a quiet study environment

this could be the library, a café, anywhere really that you find to be designated for studying when you bring your stuff with you. give yourself no other option other than doing what you’re supposed to be doing.

make a study playlist

find music that pumps you up or keeps you relaxed and ready to study. there’s also a lot of different apps you can try for background noise if you don’t want to listen to music.

try different techniques

if you find it helpful to use a pomodoro timer so you stay more on track, do it! do some research into other study techniques that you might not know much about and test them out during a relaxed study session. 

staying motivated:

have purpose

this one is tough for those who have trouble seeing or wanting a future for themselves. for you, i’d say have the mindset of wanting to do something not because your studies will take you to, say, your dream career but they’ll put you in a better position once you get to your future. it seems unsure and unstable but focusing on something that could propel you forward can really do some good. 

work with friends!

having someone motivated around can certainly rub off on you. take a dedicated friend with you to the library to help you and keep you motivated when you start slacking off or feeling like you’re “done with your work.” if you have no one to go with, again going to a study environment like the library can be quite motivating on it’s own. try setting a timer for the minimum time you have to stay and challenge yourself to stay past the time.

reward yourself

work can be tough and exhausting, make sure at the end of the day you do something nice for yourself. this can motivate you to push yourself during your studies to get this reward. it’s easy to say “well, i sort of did something today so i should get something” but you have to get around that and know that if you’re doing it all the time even when you don’t do the work, it’s no longer a reward. try choosing something you wouldn’t have on hand like starbucks or a visit to your favorite store. 

make it into a game

similar to rewarding yourself, try doing this to make things more entertaining. like timing yourself in the library, see how long you can stay (within a reasonable amount) and how much you can get done. do flashcards with a friend in the same class as you and turn it into a trivia game to see who can get the most right. you might as well make it fun if you can!

remember to always keep your mental health and yourself in mind before all else. school can wait so make sure you’re taking care of yourself but any assignment or any course. also, talk to the disability services at your school and see what they can do for you. best of luck!

[bebinsnndrk-deactivated20180403]