How to stay motivated in your studies

Motivation in your studies

Motivation in general is hard in today’s rat race. Motivating oneself to further progress can be challenging when you try juggling a career, possibly children and family, let alone studies and exams.

Some tips to stay motivated:

  • Set clear goals – Having clear goals to achieve in your studies and career can help you stay motivated.
  • Goals must be specific, measurable and achievable.
  • Pause and celebrate your successes. Celebrating your successes, no matter how small they are, can help you stay motivated.  So take time out and celebrate these.
  • Find inspiration. Look for people who inspire you and read about their success stories.  This can give you the motivation to work towards your goals.
  • Surround yourself with positive influences. Ensure the people around you are positive people who will support and encourage you.
  • Take breaks. Taking breaks is essential to staying motivated. Recharging your batteries, so to speak, help you to come back to your work with renewed energy.
  • Stay organized. This is an important one, as it reduces stress and makes it easier to focus. It also helps with planning for exam days and submission days to avoid last minute submissions.
  • Stay committed – Remember the goal you set out in the beginning and the reason why you are studying. Don’t let setbacks discourage you from working towards your dreams.

The Power of Small Wins according to Harvard

” What is the best way to motivate employees to do creative work? Help them take a step forward every day. In an analysis of knowledge workers’ diaries, the authors found that nothing contributed more to a positive inner work life (the mix of emotions, motivations, and perceptions that is critical to performance) than making progress in meaningful work. If a person is motivated and happy at the end of the workday, it’s a good bet that he or she achieved something, however small. If the person drags out of the office disengaged and joyless, a setback is likely to blame.

This progress principle suggests that managers have more influence than they may realize over employees’ well-being, motivation, and creative output. The key is to learn which actions support progress—such as setting clear goals, providing sufficient time and resources, and offering recognition—and which have the opposite effect.

Even small wins can boost inner work life tremendously. On the flip side, small losses or setbacks can have an extremely negative effect. And the work doesn’t need to involve curing cancer in order to be meaningful. It simply must matter to the person doing it.

The actions that set in motion the positive feedback loop between progress and inner work life may sound like Management 101, but it takes discipline to establish new habits. The authors provide a checklist that managers can use on a daily basis to monitor their progress-enhancing behaviors.”

Read the full article here.

Resources to assist with motivation

Remember, motivation comes and goes, but with consistent effort and determination you can stay focused – as such achieving your goals.

TED Talks are a series of short talks, usually around 15 – 20 minutes, that cover a wide range of topics  from science and technology to art and culture. The talks are given by experts in their fields and are intended to inspire and educate viewers.

Below are just a few TED Talks that you might find helpful:

  • The Power of Vulnerability by Brene’Brown.
  • How to make Stress your friend by Kelly McGonigal
  • The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer
  • The Puzzle of Motivation by Dan Pink
  • How Great Leaders Inspire Action by Simon Sinek

These are just a few examples of the many inspiring and thought provoking TED Talks available. You will find more talks on the TED website or on their YouTube channel.

Feel Vulnerable or you don’t think you have time?

Then this is for you!

  • If you feel vulnerable, the best is to invest in yourself.
  • Think you don’t have the time to invest in yourself? You have more than you think. Read here where you can find that time.
  • Lastly, if you are in the Finance and Accounting Sector, this is a MUST read – How to build your resilience to withstand the rigours of all the pressures placed on you.

Why ICB as a consideration?

  • Options where to study – Distance, Face to Face or at a College
  • No Matric – Grade 10 is a minimum criteria for some programmes. See what options are available, even if you don’t have a matric.
  • Incomplete Qualification? Fast track with our Recognition of Prior Learning programme. Click here to get recognition for what you know.
  • Flexible studies – you choose when you want to write exams.
  • Selection of programmes and Qualifications. You can choose between Financial Accounting, Business Management and Office Administration.

Credible options to study

  • Articulation paths to Degree’s
  • ICB – Internationally Recognised, Locally Essential

 

 

 

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