January has to be one of the worst months of the year, right?
The fun and festivities of Christmas and New Year are over, you’re back at uni with exams and coursework looming, and the cold wintery weather and dark evenings just seem to never end.
Thanks, but no thanks…
It can be really hard to motivate yourself, especially after the Christmas break, so just how exactly can you get yourself back into the swing of things?
Organisation is key to being productive, and if you’re struggling to get your head back into your uni workload, why not make a plan of action?
By planning what you want to achieve and get done each day, it can help motivate you to get the work done, and you’ll also feel a sense of achievement once you’ve completed it and ticked it off your list.
It can also help you stick to a schedule, and not under or over do it.
At first glance, that pile of coursework and revision might look daunting, leading you to think that you’re going to have to pull a few all nighters to get through everything (is anyone else already getting horrible flashbacks?).
Things can often look worse than they are, and by breaking down your tasks and setting realistic expectations, you can map out your progress and also reassure yourself that you’re on track with your work.
You might not need to cram that whole module in one night, when actually you can split it over a couple of days!
This should help to reduce stress and also increase productivity.
Self care was a big thing in 2020, and why shouldn’t that continue in 2021?
The thought of being stressed out, overworked and consumed by uni work might put you off wanting to start it, but there’s no reason why you can’t take some time for yourself and get your work done too.
Why not give yourself the evenings off, block out at least one day a week to have a film day in bed, or spend some quality time with your housemates?
Having something to look forward to can also help motivate you to get started, and make everything feel less doom and gloom!
You might be looking at your desk with disgust, already associating it with the stress of last semester.
A change of scenery may be needed!
Whilst you may not be able to move your desk, redecorating your study space can be a huge help. Who doesn’t love buying new stationary? Or maybe that’s just us…
A bit of retail therapy never hurt anyone, though.
It might be useful to think back to the work you did last semester, and reflect on what you felt went well and what didn’t.
Do you regret trying to write a whole essay in one night? That might be something to avoid doing again!
Making changes to ensure you avoid any mistakes you made last time round is key to ensuring everything is smooth sailing.
University might feel like it’s your whole life, but it’s important to remember it’s not. Whilst your workload might feel suffocating, you should make sure you carry pursuing your hobbies and interests too.
Having something else to also focus on can help make the work-life balance feel a lot more manageable, especially if it’s something you enjoy doing.
It’s always a tricky one coming back to university in January. Christmas is such a relaxed and joyful time, the contrast can be frankly off-putting. By following these few tips, hopefully you’ll be back into the swing of things in no time at all, and powering on through your workload.
Once you have some more headspace, why not consider getting your bills for next year sorted with Split The Bills? You can find out more about our shared student bill packages here.
Check out SplitTheBills now and make life easier for everyone in your shared student house.
We know your student loan has just dropped and you’re eager to go crazy and buy everything on your wish list, right? Well, before you go all out with the online shopping, check out our top tips for making your student loan last and stretch that extra mile…
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