I Lack Motivation To Study

Dear Miss Know It All,

I don't like to study as it's not really anybody's favourite thing to do. I'm sure my friends are bored with learning and studying too. I sometimes just feel lazy to study although I know I have to because I want to get into top universities like Oxford or Cambridge. I know I should motivate myself, but I don't know how to. Do you have any ideas?

- Massive Laziness.

Hey there, Massive Laziness!

Ah, to a point, it's uncanny how we're going through the same thing. I'm figuring this out too, and I'm going to tell you how I'm dealing with this.  It's not fun to study. It's not easy either. Everyone's annoyed with having to study -- there's a very tiny percentage of people who actually like to sit down and study. I also understand that it's hard to be able to sit down and study, and make any progress, because there seems to be a thousand other things that you can do that are way, way more fun than studying. I struggle a lot with building up motivation for myself, because it's really hard. But, like me, you can't keep avoiding your books forever. And I'm here to help you how to get started.  We both know that it's important to get really, really good grades -- especially if you want to get in somewhere that's as high ranked as Oxford and Cambridge, and no doubt has cut throat competition to get in. It's like the academic Hunger Games, y'know what I mean? But there's nothing we can't get through.  It's important to know that starting a task is the hardest thing to do. I've deduced that this usually stems from a fear of doing work, or having to sit through something that you don't enjoy for a long period of time. For me, it's this mental block that pops up whenever I think of sitting at a chair and not being able to move. It's really hard to push yourself to your desk and plop yourself down on a chair and even attempt to study. If you can do that much, I'm already proud of you.  The next step you need to take -- pick up your book and study. If your brain isn't particularly wired for studying, don't. Simply read through it. You don't even have to do it for a long time, just a short period of 20-30 minutes. Take a break after that. Draw, listen to music, do whatever makes you feel at ease. Remember to go easy on yourself. Appreciate yourself if you've done even a small task, even if it's just a single page.  What you need to remember is, it's impossible to bring about a lot of change in a day. Start slow, and work your way up. The most important part is starting :)  How can you create motivation to study? Here's something I do when I have to study, but I really want to -- I create a list of all the fun things I can do after I finish studying: the movies I want to watch, the books I want to read, stuff I'd like to draw, stories I'd like to write. I keep that list in front of me and look at it from time to time, and think about how I can indulge in things I like to do after I'm completely done with my work, so I can have uninterrupted fun without having to worry about all the stuff I have piled up. Set up a reward system -- promise yourself a special treat after you've gotten a significant chunk of work done (maybe something to eat?). I do this thing where, for every chunk of notes I finish, I read a 30 page comic and then get back to my work -- I'm able to balance fun and productivity together :) That brings me to my next point -- divide your work into manageable chunks. Don't try to get everything done in one go, be it notes, homework, or chapters to study. Before you begin getting something done -- a chapter, for example -- cut it up into small parts. You'll find your work less overwhelming, and it also creates a sense of productivity and makes you feel like you're actually getting work done.  It also helps to organize homework and notes for each subject into separate binders, so that your work isn't a scrambled mess. This leaves you feeling less confused and reluctant to get on with your school work, because I find it hard to start working when all of my stuff is a mess!  It would be a good idea to start a planner or a bullet journal, where you can properly note down tasks you need to get through. Like using binders organizes your school work, a planner can help you organize your mind. It can help you visualize your tasks, which helps you get on with it easier, because you know what to tackle and by when you need to do it (helps you visualize deadlines and stuff). Use it to schedule test dates and study plans. If you are, for some reason, unable to get hold of a physical paper planner, there are always several you can find online, in the form of apps or websites -- both of which can be free!  I also use this website called Habitica (https://habitica.com/), which has helped me keep track of my life a lot after I've begun to use it. It might help you too!  If you still need further advice, feel free to reach back to me whenever you want to -- I'll be here to help! Love, Miss Know It All