Happy Wednesday, everyone! It feels like forever since I have written a college post, but with finals coming up I wanted to write something a little bit different for this week.
The time between Thanksgiving and finals week can be pretty overwhelming. I’m not sure if it is like this for everyone, but at my school, this is usually when all of the papers, presentations, and projects are due. It can be pretty stressful to go from a relaxing break to a full to-do list in just a matter of days. However, in today’s post, I will share a few tips that have helped me over the years. I hope they help you to mitigate some of your stress during this busy time and help you to finish your semester strong!
- Exercise Whenever Possible: Whether you go for a walk around the block, run, do some yoga, etc., stepping away from your screen for a little while (even if it is just for 10-15 minutes) can make a difference in your day! That small change of scenery will allow you to clear your head and keep you from feeling burnt out. It will also give you a little bit of an energy/motivation boost when you sit down to work again!
- Get Enough Sleep: This may seem like a challenge when you have a mile long to-do list that seems to keep on growing! However, I have found that my stress levels increase when I do not get enough rest. When it gets close to 9:30-10pm, I know that I have hit my personal limit and should start winding down. Sometimes it is better to work with a clear mind rather than to force an assignment late at night. For this reason, I personally prefer to study and do my work early in the morning. This will look different for everyone, but try your best to give yourself a cutoff time to get the amount of sleep that works best for you!
- Time Block : Time blocking is a strategy that you can implement at any point, but is especially helpful during these busy times of the semester. It doesn’t have to be planned down to the exact hour, but breaking up your day into things like “after lunch: write three pages of my paper” can definitely help you to manage your time and not feel as overwhelmed.
- Eliminate Distractions: With everything being online, this may be a little difficult, but it may help to turn off notifications on your phone, computer, tablet, etc. during those designated working times!
- Treat Yourself: In the midst of all of the work to be done, it is still important to treat yourself every now and then! Whether you want to watch the latest episode of Grey’s Anatomy, read the next chapter of your new book, or FaceTime a friend, having something small to look forward to at the end of each night can help you feel more motivated to complete your assignments during the day. As tempting as it can be to keep working, it’s ok to give your brain a break 🙂
I hope you found these tips to be helpful! By no means am I an expert, but I figured that I would share some strategies that I like to implement when I have a lot on my plate. Good luck with finals – you’ve got this!! We are almost to Christmas Break!
Have a great rest of your day!
