Tips to Motivate Yourself Towards Learning

Posted on: October 10th, 2019

Have you been stalling sitting down and studying for that exam you have at the end of the week? It’s always the same story. One part of your mind says, “You’re having fun now, but you know you have to study for that exam.”
The other part of your brain says, “I still got time.” The reality is that you do not have much time. The learning matter is more than the time remaining. That is why you have these flashbacks.

student motivation for learning

Understanding the Excuses, We Make in Our Mind

If you want to remain happy in college, and pursuing your studies, you can only feel relaxed after you finish studying. According to psychologists, you can never have peace until you finish a task you started.
Once you prepare for the exam, complete the homework, or finish the book report, your mind will be relaxed. Let’s look at the excuses we often make to procrastinate.

Resistance Caused by Lack of Clarity

One of the reasons why we stall is because we are not completely clear on the instructions for the task. We understand the main objectives of the project, but there are some elements of uncertainty. Addressing these elements of ambiguity or doubts requires extra effort.
We are always ready to focus our determination to complete a task, in which we have a complete understanding of the instructions. We often hesitate to start if we need to ask questions or get help from somebody to understand the directions. We only cause damage to ourselves with this attitude of wavering. Out of all the excuses, this is one of the easiest to overcome.

Inertia Due to Overconfidence

Overconfidence is a person’s subjective or biased judgment that their decisions or answers are correct regarding a particular topic. Due to this overconfidence, the individual will begin to consider themselves more dependable than the actual accuracy of those judgments. Overconfidence and the feeling of being in control go hand in hand.
Students feel overconfident when the results of an assessment are not given to them instantly. If you think that you will be able to complete the exercise at the last minute without breaking a sweat, why wait? It is a good thing to have confidence in your abilities, but numerous studies have shown that overconfident students perform dreadfully. Persuading an overconfident pupil is more complicated.

Slacking Off Because of Being Unorganized

Some students have all their stationery lined up neatly in their pouch, with all the pencils and pens facing the same way. They have organized their textbooks from their notebooks. Some students throw their entire backpack anywhere in their room, like a load off their back. You can ask them about a particular book, and they will not even know they were supposed to bring it.
When unorganized students confront the obstacle of having to complete a substantial academic project, they get confused. They know they have to retrieve their books from one of their friends, and the printer needs repairing. In the end, they complete the project, but it does not reflect their best performance.

Persuading Yourself To Be Productive

We are not going to lie to you. Starting to be productive is not easy. In the beginning, it does take a little effort. But the exertion is no more than you would have to face if you had to complete the exercise by yourself anyways.
Once you get used to the idea of it, being productive becomes easier. As the rewards of an improved performance come in, being energetic and dynamic becomes routine.

Controlling Your Anxiety

We tend to get anxious whenever faced with an assignment in which our performance has dire consequences. Anxiety is a mental attribute which can also have physical manifestations. An upset stomach, sleeplessness, blurred vision, and an inability to concentrate properly are just some of the symptoms of anxiety. An upcoming academic test or a book report deadline is enough to spark apprehension.
Instead of panicking, remind yourself that you can do this. Think of the circumstances you need to achieve your goal. Most importantly, break down the entire exercise into easily accomplishable assignments. Focus on a single objective keeping in mind the deadline. Try to give each activity your utmost dedication. Avoid soda cans, caffeine, or any other stimulants which can make you even more nervous.

Visualize Your Goals

Visualization is one of the most powerful tools to help achieve better academic performance. In the beginning, the entire project might seem overwhelming. Just because you have thought about the problem from every angle is not going to make it any smaller. It will, however, help you to break down the entire activity into smaller, easily achievable objectives.
Appoint deadlines for each of the smaller projects. Breaking down your academic project into smaller goals has two effects. The first is that it becomes easier to achieve. The second effect is that you get to focus on a detailed level; this ensures that you complete the task proficiently. The final deadline you assign yourself should be earlier than the actual deadline. You can use this time to proofread.

Concentrating Without Disturbances

Some students believe they can study sitting in the living room with the TV. These pupils understand the significance of physical education with studies, but working in social settings has direct consequences on performance. At the time of completing the academic undertaking, it might seem to them that they have achieved everything precisely. On second observation, learners might notice that they have inadvertently made silly mistakes.
Whether you are studying alone or working in a group, you must work in an environment without disturbances. Design your workspace to incorporate the ambiance you find productive for working. The location should be free of audio and visual interruptions, including loud music and any form of a screen.

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

Even after following these recommendations, there is a possibility that a student does not achieve an acceptable grade. Instead of putting their best foot forward, some students try to cut corners to speed up the process of completing the assignment. They do finish faster, but the outcome of their performance is seldom worth the haste.
An academic assignment is accomplished following the instructions of the lecturer and subject. After breaking down the academic task into smaller chunks, give full concentration to each portion of the project. What this does is that it ensures that the final product will be a comprehensively correct production. The evaluators will not be able to find a single portion of the assignment as incorrect.

Performing to Meet Deadlines

Academic reports, projects, and assignments submitted after the deadline has passed will not have any educational significance. It is just like trying to catch a flight that has already departed. It cannot happen. After getting a handle over anxiety, the first thing students need to do is to associate a deadline for the entire task.
Ideally, the designated deadline needs to include a cushion with the authorized deadline. The cushion period exists because if there are any setbacks or emergencies, you will still have time to complete your project. Another reason why the cushion period exists is that, if by accident, you have made mistakes in the project, you have the time to correct them.