As a student, I find that it’s really easy to feel demotivated to study. For me, I get demotivated when things get hard, I can hardly understand what’s being thought in class and all I want to do is just crash onto my bed and do nothing. Now, I know it’s not smart to do that because when things are hard, it means I have to get up and start doing some research to understand what’ being thought.

So here are my 10 ways to get motivated and inspired to study.

1: Set your goal

Writing down your goals or things you want to accomplish, like whether you want to improve your grades or read more books or wake up early for class, is going to make you a lot more productive.
Whereas writing your long-term goals, like finishing your studies on time or becoming a top student, will help to inspire you to sit down at your desk and work towards something you want and can achieve.

I usually set new short-term goals every new semester and paste them on my wall. Looking at them while I’m feeling demotivated helps to remind myself that I only get to work a little bit harder for a few months to get what I want.

2: Ideal study space

Make sure your study space is tidy and well-organised. It would also be helpful to paste some motivational quotes around your study area. If you are not the tidy type or if your bed is too inviting, study at the library instead. Having a clean and tidy study space allows you to think clearly and is more inviting so that you will have the desire to sit at your table and get your work done.

3 : Study plans

I know we have heard this a lot, but coming up with study plans is really important. Getting organized with your studies not only give you the satisfaction of being productive, it also gives you the idea of where to start studying so that you don’t miss any subjects or topics.
As for me, I focus on revising one subject each day after my class (2pm-6pm) and on weekdays, I will take time to do some exercises and solving-problems practice.

4: Set time for your chores

If you are like me, than most likely that you will keep thinking about your to-dos list while you are studying. So instead of getting them done after studying, schedule some time before you start studying to get your to-dos list done and out of way. This habit is going to help you to not procrastinate your work and I usually get more motivated after I get this all done.

5: Music

Lacking of motivation can be the result of stressing over your studies so listening to calm music can really help. While I don’t have any specific playlist to go to while I study, I often opt for instrumental music. Not only it is calming, it also helps me to concentrate longer. I try not to listen to songs with lyrics because it can really distracts me.

6: Motivational videos

Whenever I feel less motivated, I often watch motivational or organizational videos just to remind myself of my goals. My favorite Youtuber would be Thomas Frank. These videos help me in pointing out what I’m doing wrong in my routines and also making sure I’m using the right techniques for studying. But do remember not to spend hours and hours watching motivational videos without doing anything because that’s just you procrastinating.

7: Pep-talk

Thinking that “I can’t do this” or “I’m bad at this” or “it’s too hard” not only leads to lack of motivation, but also leads to lack of self-confidence in your ability. Try to get rid of the negative thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk instead, such as “I can do this” or “It’s only for few months, I can get through this”. The more that you tell yourself that you can do it, you will be able to not let your mood to affect your ability to get work done. This has really work for me, because thinking that I only need 3 months to work hard for the test and that 3 months isn't long, really spikes up motivation to study.

8: Peer pressure

What I notice about myself is that I tend to feel more motivated to study when I see my friends or classmates study. I guess it reminds me that if I want to get good grades, I shouldn’t waste my time. The best way is of course to study in a group, where you have to set a time to study and also contribute to the group. But since I prefer to study alone in the comfort of my room, my friends and I often text each other to remind us that we should be studying at that time. For me this works because while I’m reminding my friends to study, I should do the same too.

9: Rewards

For me, holidays serve as a reward after putting a lot of effort on studying. So planning my holiday at the end of each semester gives me the motivation to study and get through my exams smoothly so I won’t have to think about them while I’m away. Going on a vacation also works as a de-stress in preparation for the upcoming new semester.

10 : Exercise daily

When you sit down all day at school, and then sit down all day to study, your brain can feel saturated and your body can feel restless. So making sure that you get some sort of physical activities or even just a walk is really important. Like I have said before, exercise can helps to lift up the mood and a good mood leads to better productivity.

Alright, those were my ways to motivate myself to study. Hopefully these tips can help you to get your motivation to study and pass the exams.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. I hope you like it and if you do, do poke the upvote button!!
P/S: All pictures are taken with my Sony A6000
With Love,
Vael Riey