Tips For Finding The Motivation To Study

Whether you’re in pursuit of a degree, training for a job, reentering the academic world after time away, or simply looking to learn a new skill or a trade, studying will likely play a significant role in your overall success. Regardless of the long-term rewards or accomplishments that studying can lead to, finding the motivation to do so regularly can be a difficult task for many. In this article, we’ll offer an overview of procrastination and why it happens as well as short- and long-term solutions for overcoming it so you can learn to better focus on your studies.

What is procrastination?

Many of us have, at some time or another, found ourselves scrambling to finish a task mere hours or even minutes before a deadline. Once you do complete the task at hand, you may feel a sense of relief and vow to never put yourself in a situation like that again—only to find yourself scrambling to meet another deadline later on. This is procrastination: the act of postponing or delaying a task that must be done. 

No one can be perfectly on task one hundred percent of the time; there are many factors that go into allowing us to be productive, and there will be times when they’re simply not all present. However, if you’d like to find a bit more consistency in your ability to get your studying done, it can be helpful to recognize the patterns that may be contributing to your tendency toward procrastination. According to an article published by Business Insider, accountability coaches notice four main types of procrastinators: the performer, the self-deprecator, the overbooker, and the novelty seeker. Determining which of these patterns you might follow can help you learn how to manage procrastination in your life.

The performer

The performer is someone who believes that they work best under pressure and often sets unreasonable or unrealistic goals. Typically, the biggest issue for these types of procrastinators is simply getting started. A possible solution here is to focus on a start date rather than a due date. For example, if you have a test on the horizon, you might set a specific date to begin studying, rather than focusing on the date of the test alone.

The self-deprecator

The self-deprecator tends to believe that their procrastination stems from laziness, when in reality, it likely stems from doing too much. These types of procrastinators tend to be extra hard on themselves when they’re not accomplishing tasks, neglecting the fact that rest and relaxation are vital to productivity, not to mention to overall health and well-being. A possible solution here is to schedule regular, restorative study breaks and sufficient rest into your routine.

The overbooker

The overbooker is someone who tends to commit to too many things. Overbooking tends to lead to overwhelm, and will often then serve as an excuse as to why certain tasks or studying cannot be accomplished. While busy schedules are fairly common today, overbooking as a form of procrastination often stems from avoidance. A possible solution here is to think about what you might be truly avoiding—whether it be a fear of failure, a lack of understanding, etc.—and address that root issue.

The novelty seeker

The novelty seeker is someone who tends to be easily distracted or has trouble staying on task. Novelty seekers may have an easy time starting new projects but a difficult time finishing them. For example, they might begin their study process but soon find themselves studying an unrelated topic they came across along the way. A possible solution here is to make a note of interesting topics or other to-dos that pop into your head so you can come back to them after you’ve completed what’s in front of you.

Procrastination and mental health

A therapist or other mental health professional can help identify the difference between general procrastination and symptoms of a mental illness and equip you with coping mechanisms to manage them.

Short-term solutions for managing procrastination

Getting over that initial hesitation or resistance to studying is often the most difficult part. While identifying root causes or patterns of procrastination can be helpful in the long term, it will likely take time and effort to meaningfully shift your habits. As you work on this, you can also consider implementing some of the following shorter-term strategies to help you complete the studies in front of you.

Try the “low-effort” trick

Sometimes, the reason we put off starting a task like studying is because we hold ourselves to an impossible standard. We might think that if we’re not prepared to engage in depth and with full concentration each time, there’s no point in beginning at all. That’s where the “low-effort” approach can be helpful. For example, rather than telling yourself you have to read or memorize an entire chapter, you might open your textbook with the intention of skimming the content or noting the points you’d like to explore further when you’re at your full capacity.

This trick can be effective because having something to come back to or fix is often far easier to do than starting from scratch. It can also get you over the most difficult hurdle: getting started at all. Plus, in many cases, this trick can help you get into a groove where you end up doing more than you initially planned anyway.

Focus on one specific topic

While multitasking can be tempting when you have a lot to do, “single-tasking”—or focusing on one thing at a time—is often a more productive approach. Working on one task, topic, or class material until you complete it before moving on can make you feel more productive and boost your motivation to continue. It can also help you get started in the first place since looking at your to-do or to-study list as a whole can be overwhelming. Plus, narrowing in on one task or topic can increase the likelihood that you’ll enter a “flow state”, which can help you get more done.

Take a walk

While removing yourself from your studies in order to accomplish more may seem counterintuitive, research suggests that walking is associated with an increase in activity in the areas of the brain responsible for focus and attention. It can also help improve mood, which can be useful if you’re feeling frustrated or stressed about the studying you still have left to do. So next time you’re having trouble getting started or staying on task, you might take a brief walk to give yourself a boost.

Long-term solutions for managing procrastination

While short-term strategies can help you get your studying done today, long-term strategies can help make it less of a battle to do so over the long run. Working on the following, for example, could help make staying on task easier for you over time.

Reframe negative self-talk

When you have trouble accomplishing what you need to, you may find that you beat yourself up or think of yourself as lazy or bad. Learning to recognize and then reframe this kind of negative self-talk can be helpful in terms of productivity and may even help improve your mental health in general. For example, rather than telling yourself, “I’m lazy and can’t get anything done”, you might say, “I’m worthy of rest, and I will accomplish what I need to when I’m energized and refreshed”.

Take an inventory of your accomplishments

Many of us tend to undervalue or underestimate the things we actually do accomplish each day or over time. Taking note of what you have already achieved can help increase your motivation to do the next task on your list. When taking this kind of inventory, you might want to look at all kinds of accomplishments—both big and small. Even doing laundry or eating a healthy breakfast could go on your list, since self-care and maintenance are vital to both overall well-being and productivity. You might also look at all the tests you’ve studied for, papers you’ve completed, or other study-related tasks you’ve already achieved in the past to remind yourself that you can do this.

Practice good sleep hygiene

Whether you're working, studying, or even taking part in leisurely activities, setting out to do any task when you’re feeling fatigued or exhausted can be extra challenging—and a lack of good rest can also lead to long-term health problems. That’s why practicing good sleep hygiene can be so important. According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep hygiene includes practices such as waking and sleeping at the same time every day, making sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet, avoiding caffeine and large meals before bed, and getting regular physical exercise.

Speak with a therapist

Connecting with a therapist can help those who are facing challenges related to study procrastination. If a mental health condition is contributing to a tendency toward procrastination, they can help you address your symptoms. Otherwise, they can assist you in learning strategies to improve your self-talk, manage your time, and balance your routine with enough rest, along with other practices that may help.

If you have a busy school schedule and lots of studying to do, it might be difficult to find the time to travel to and from in-person therapy appointments. In that case, you might find it easier to meet with a therapist virtually. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist whom you can meet with via phone, video call, and/or online chat to address the challenges you may be facing. A review of research on the topic suggests that there’s “no difference in effectiveness” between online and in-person therapy formats, so you can typically choose the one that works best for you.