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By Kawa
Studying a subject related to your work, studies, or maybe just because of a passion you have, can be very exciting when first starting out. However, it takes a lot of time and effort to commit to studying consistently. This can be especially hard on days when you are tired or low on energy. It’s important to keep that initial spark since excitement and motivation fluctuate.
That’s why I prepared some tips for you based on personal experience so you can continue studying even when things are tough and overwhelming.
Take time for yourself and have a break.
Have a moment and figure out why you’re low on energy.
Did you drink enough water? Are you mentally tired? Or is your body simply exhausted?
It’s better to take a break when you notice these issues to avoid larger problems. Allocate time for yourself to rest and recover. Here’s an article explaining the 7 types of rest and how to do them.
Find an activity that takes 5 to 10 minutes to do.
Oftentimes I find myself scared to start studying because I think I won’t have enough time or it feels like I’m not progressing much. Starting out with 5 - 10 minutes a day isn’t a big task and can be done during a break or while you grab a cup of coffee. You can also do this before going to bed, or if it doesn’t take active effort, even while brushing your teeth. At first, it might not seem like much, but studying consistently even for a bit daily builds up and makes you excited to learn more.
This tip helped me a lot when it comes to language learning, but it can be applied to other subjects too. I use this for learning Japanese words in their Kanji form. After a month of doing a 5 minute lesson every morning, I can recognize words easier.
Integrate studying in your daily routine.
Find a spot to include studying in your routine. If you commute, maybe learn something while travelling. If you go for a walk, try some form of audio learning. Identify a time slot or an activity where you can slip in some study time.
Since I use timers to stay focused on the job, sometimes I choose to study during the breaks. I also replaced scrolling on social media in the morning and evening with 10 minutes of reading.
Use immersion or passive content.
Think of an activity you want to do anyway to unwind and find a way to integrate studying in it. This works best for language learning; however, maybe you can apply it to other fields too. For example, if you’re studying a language, watch a show or use subtitles in that language. If you like playing games, try listening to something in the background as you play or use gamification to study.
A way to apply this for other fields would be to find a podcast or news outlet that makes content easy to understand. Just listening or reading a short article can keep you in the loop.
Look for a community to talk with and find people studying similar things.
Depending on what you’re studying, joining a community with shared interests helps with motivation and passive learning. As you chat with others, you can get inspired and also learn more about the topic. Sharing your knowledge also helps in solidifying what you know. And who knows? Maybe you start a collaborative project or find new friends.
Switch up your study methods.
When you start dreading to actually sit down and study, it may be time to switch things up. Perhaps you feel stuck, you can’t see your progress, or you simply can’t focus. Either way it’s helpful to change and try new methods regularly. If you don’t know what methods to try, ask your friends or have a look at what other people do online. We post study tips on our Social Media pages, so have a look there too if you’re in a slump.
For now, here’s some ideas that you can try:
Change the place you study in or take a walk to clear your head
Have a journal where you write whatever comes to mind
Use a timer like Pomodoro
Explain to someone what you learned
Attend an event related to what you’re studying
Make a reward system for the time you spend studying
Look back to what you achieved and appreciate yourself.
Most of the time we’re too focused on making progress and forget to take a look at what we achieved. In times when you doubt yourself and feel down, list out your achievements no matter how small they may seem. Appreciate yourself for taking the time to work on yourself and study. If that’s difficult to do, imagine you’re talking to a friend and reminding them of all they achieved. Being kind to yourself goes a long way.
Stay hydrated and nourished.
Drinking enough water and eating nutritious food is a big factor in your ability to think and stay focused. If you’re like me and you forget to do that, here’s two tips that drastically changed things:
Always keep a water bottle next to you. I have one on my table and one in the fridge. Bonus points if you add lemon or orange juice in it for extra vitamins and flavor.
Cook a filling and nutritious porridge. Every 2-3 days, I cook up what I like to call “my slop”. While it doesn’t have an appetising name, it tastes great and has a lot of things my body and brain need. I basically add things like milk, chia seeds, flax seeds, dried fruit, jam, peanut butter, maca powder, chopped fruits, raw sugar and cinnamon on top of oats. This only needs 5-10 minutes on the stove, enough time for you to do the activity you picked on point 1. You can put whatever you want in it and store it for a few days in the fridge. If you don’t like porridge, you can make cereal bars instead, and the milk can be substituted for water.
The right combination is uniquely yours, you just have to discover it.
Also, what works one time might not work the next, so keep a list of things to do when you’re not feeling that great. Just remember to recharge yourself and pay attention to your health in the process. Taking things at your own pace is better than rushing.
About Kawa
A Digital Media graduate passionate about languages, games, books, and art. Kawa is a native Romanian speaker fluent in English and German and learning Korean and Hungarian. When she’s not at work doing marketing, she still does marketing for Language Cafe and other personal projects all while drinking her 3rd cup of coffee. This explains the huge stash of tea and coffee.