Summary – Last resort method for student to get things done
The life of a student has always been like a tug war between being motivated and plain lazy. I know. I’ve been there. Some time, we become so motivated, we even seek for extra work just to enhance our learning. Another time, there are no motivational speech in the world that will make us wake up from that comfy bed.
When that laziness attacks and you have so many things to do, what would you do?
These are a few tricks that I tried as my last resort to get things done. Most of the time they worked. Try them and tell me how it goes.
1) Read standing up
Sometimes I have trouble waking up when I read my notes. So what I did was reading the notes while standing up. If you can walk that would be even more effective to combat those drowsiness. However I found out that my concentration deteriorates even faster walking.
2) One page at a time
This is my last resort to almost anything. If I have to read 20 pages of notes, I will force myself to read 1 page. That’s it. I promise myself that after that 1 page is done and I fully understand or memorize the page, I can stop studying altogether.
Usually by the time I understand the subject, I will be more in the studying mode and thus page 2 🙂
3) Report your failure to other people
This also should be used as the super last resort. Make yourself accountable. Not to anyone but to your parent. I know.. it may sound very childish reporting yourself to your parent but believe me it work.
All you need to do is to write an email (if your parent read email of course) reporting every assignment need to be done, and notes to be studied. And each day, you should HONESTLY write a progress email detailing your progress. If you didn’t touch anything on the subject, confess to your parent and give reason why.
If the shame of not doing anything didn’t move you to finish your work, I don’t know what will.
4) Bet with your lecturer
How about if you prepare one letter signed by you and give that letter to your lecturer when you started the semester.
Put it in writing that everytime you are unable to deliver your assignment in time, you will wash his car FOC. The lecturer will definitely make use of this offer. He will look for your assignment first everytime. And you will feel more driven to do your assignment.
5) Red card of wealth
This is a system I created just to give me an extra push with money. However, being a student I don’t have money. Not much anyway. So what I did is creating about 20 red cards per month. I put value to the card at about $10 per card. So if by the end of the month I still have 20 cards, that is like an extra $200 in my pocket.
Whenever I want to push myself to work, I will just warn myself that 1 card will be burnt down (literally burnt) if I didn’t do the work.
Where will the money come from, my current salary of course. Once I start working, I am entitled to spend the red cards guilt free 🙂
6) When motivated, do extra
There will be times when you just super motivated for no apparent reason. How? Still a mystery to me. What I did when I’m in that state is to do extra work. Maybe study those subject not yet covered by lecturers, do past year questions etc.
Why I do this? Because there will be times when I’m just super lazy and all the above will not change it. By doing extra work when I’m motivated, I will feel less guilty being lazy sometime later. 🙂
– I wonder –
What do you do as your last resort to get things done?
——– Personal Note ———
I still have a few more techniques, but a bit abstract to describe here. Maybe next time 🙂
Now that I work, I actually still practise some of the methods. I honestly give report to my manager on what I have done and what I still don’t do. He may not even care, but I am so ashame to report on task not completed, I usually will finish them all. Well most of them anyway 🙂
Photo Credit – Orangeacid
Related Post
nice tips banji..! even we’ve left school already, those tips will always be good for our children (other’s children too)..
btw, mana dapat mamat lego tu..?
That’s really interesting. I enjoyed this immensely. I am no longer a student but I have had a few problems in getting things done. I ended up doing pretty well, but it would have been nice to have a guide like this!
qemmal jadi student balik 😀
thanks banji for tips given!
great tips!i’ve done no. 1,2 and 3 last semester, and it works! no. 4, 5 and 6 will be applied this semester, InsyaAllah. hehehe.
my biggest problem is to disipline myself to be present to EACH and EVERY lecture. i am very very lazy in terms of going to classes that are boring to me. boring, meaning, classes with lots of tranparency with thousands of small words that must be copied down, lecturer who mumbles to himself/herself, and classes with too many students until the lecture hall looks and sounds like pasar mlm.
however, the downside of my action : i have to find someone who is kind enough to share his/her notes. i know this is not fair for my friends. i tried to change but in the end, i prefered studying in the library than going to the lecture.
my lecturer once said, ” if a lazy student gets bad marks, people say nothing.if he get good result, people say he’s a genious.. but if a hardworking student get bad marks, peopla say he’s stupid. study hard but still no effect.and if he gets good result, they will say “pity him, he have to struggle to get those marks.” hahaha.
HOWEVER, since this is my final year, i hope i can change.
oh, sorry. about your question : when i was soooo lazy and there’s so much things to do, i’ll take a blank paper and right down my schedules for the day (using marker), usually starting with kemas2 bilik, (when i start with some housechores, i will be excited to keep on following the schedule since my room is now cleared n tidy) then settling all the works, and never to forget to put a reward for me afterwards, for struggling hard to follow the schedule.i’ll hang the paper on the board for me to see and tick whenever i’ve done it. since i love Korean dramas, my reward is a night alone with my computer, watching the drama with some kerepek. hehehe. it works!
Bendul – InsyaAllah, hopefully it will at least help others 🙂 Mamat lego tu credit dari Orangeacid from flickr
Melanie – Thank you for reading 🙂
qemmal – Jadi student balik? wah sure amik master ni.. jgn lupa share pengalaman tu nanti… good luck!
Wilda – All the best on your final semester. Trust me this will be one of the busiest time and equally the best time of your life 🙂
I agree about the importance of coming to class. Even though I did skip a few of those very early ones.. For me, by going to class we are actually half way done with the studying
A blank paper and scheduling the day.. Keeping with the routine, that’s an excellent way to kickstart the studying. I usually will avoid cleaning up the room because I will always use the tiredness as an excuse to prolong the rest 🙂
Thank you for sharing wilda
nice tips you gave banji !! ^^
for the first point, standing up, i did it when i study till boring too haha !! Very effectiveness !! ^^
I would try other method as you gave next time if i study till boring again =)
study with your luved one!!
its practically a date and a study group,
two in one!! hahha…
if u can keep your hand off the skin that is,
and if u can keep the discussion to the topics studied ofcourse!!
heheheh, i just couldnt 🙂
Mak$ Mon$y Onlin$ – Always nice to know another friend actually use the tips 🙂 Good luck on the rest
DaPocket – That’s two irresistable IF.. I don’t think I am that strong either heheh.
Anyone ever succeeded studying with your better half?
[…] Do more when you’re motivated. – “Why I do this? Because there will be times when I’m just super lazy and nothing can change it. By doing extra work when I’m motivated, I will feel less guilty about being lazy sometime later… and I’ll get more done.” – via LessonInLife […]
[…] Do more work when you’re motivated. – “Why I do this? Because there will be times when I’m just super lazy and nothing can change it. By doing extra work when I’m motivated, I will feel less guilty about being lazy sometime later… and I’ll get more done.” – via LessonInLife […]
pretty interesting read, thanks for sharing.
Sleeping Disorders – Thanks for reading