Falling asleep during class?

Incomplete homework?

Everyday is a lazy day?

Welcome to the club. During this abnormal time, everyday might feel like the same routine. Get up, log into class, eat, class, eat, homework, eat, sleep. It’s easy to lose motivation and fall into bad habits, but here are some psychologically proven tips and tricks to help stay on track. 

First, remember your end goal.

If it’s earning good grades to get into college or  graduating from high school and finding a job, you still need to stay focused. A simple way to start is to keep a planner with you (if you don’t want to buy a planner, use the calendar app on your phone or an app called “Do!”). This encourages you to plan out your day and set time aside to rest or participate in something you enjoy. For example, I write down the dates of my tests, quizzes, and projects. I am a visual learner, which is why keeping a planner helps me remember important dates and stay organized.  

Second, stay focused to minimize your distractions.

This is nearly impossible with distractions such as your phone and family constantly around you. Although some distractions are inevitable, your phone isn’t. When sitting down to do homework or study, put your phone in another room; out of sight, out of mind. This also brings in the Pomodoro Technique, a proven way to increase productivity. To begin, you set a goal and work diligently for 25 minutes, then in between each set, you take a five minute break (phone, food, bathroom etc). Most of the time, you’ll find that tasks don’t take as long as you think they do when you minimize your distractions. 

Mrs. Eeg, Lincoln’s History and AP Psychology teacher, agreed saying that, “writing down and prioritizing things that you need to get done…” will relieve stress because we tend to overthink how much work we have to complete. 

She also says, “talk to somebody who’s been through the experience”. For example, she suggested talking to a classmate who’s experiencing the same stress and work together to finish and help guide each other through.

Lastly, think about your fitness.

Staying healthy physically isn’t as simple as everyone makes it sound, but it’s as important as everyone says it is. Start out slow; take a walk around the block during a break or find an easy 10 minute yoga video on YouTube. Your body needs to stay active for your mind to stay active as well. This includes diet choices too. When waking up, drink a glass of water instead of going straight for coffee or soda. Try and eat vegetables with every meal and if you can’t, try investing in some vitamins. 

Hopefully you’re able to use some of these tips to help you get off the couch and become productive. Remember that taking small steps is better than throwing yourself into something, so get something done today!