Staying Motivated During COVID-19

With the 1 year anniversary of online learning during the pandemic coming up soon, it’s about time we address the elephant in the room: the lack of motivation for students. Staring at computer screens all day isn’t fun, so it’s understandable that students are feeling burnout and a decrease in motivation. The pandemic has caused an increase in anxiety, potentially less structure in your life than usual, and less contact with others than you normally would have. Additionally, possible stress from personal/family concerns, social/political events, and financial issues make it even harder to stay motivated. It can feel like academics are the last thing that feels important when so much other stuff is going on.
    It’s important to know that these stress and anxiety factors are very much real and valid. We’re all still adjusting to the pandemic and our work will not be perfect. Give yourself and others extra breathing room, take time to relax, and know that standards of excellence look different during a time like this, so it’s OK not to feel like you’re on top of everything. This pandemic has taken away the structure and motivation we were all accustomed to. But there are a few ways to help with that.
   One way is to create your own structure customized to your own needs and hobbies. Try to get up and dressed at the same time every day, and schedule dedicated class time, study time, break time, and meal time. Make sure to include time for self care. Intentionally setting time aside for your favorite activities will help build your motivation and give you something to look forward to during your day. 
    In a remote environment, it’s even harder to avoid the trap of multitasking — as in listening to a lecture video and texting simultaneously, or participating in a class chat and checking email or being distracted by phone alerts. It turns out that multitasking actually decreases your productivity, so monotasking is more efficient to get work done. One way to effectively monotask is to chunk your studying. For example, spend 30 minutes working and then take a 10-minute break for stretching, taking a walk, chatting with a friend, grabbing a snack. You can also try the “pomodoro technique.”

• Pomodoro Technique:
  • The system operates on the belief that by dividing your work and breaks into regular, short increments you can avoid feeling overwhelmed by a looming task while also avoiding burn out. Here’s the basics:
    • Set a timer for 25 minutes, and start your task. 
    • If a distraction pops into your head, write it down on a piece of paper and return to your task.
    • When the buzzer rings, put a checkmark on your paper. You’ve completed one increment, also known as a pomodoro.
    • Take a five minute break. You can stretch, grab a cup of tea, meditate, etc.
    • After four pomodoros, take a thirty-minute break.
    • Repeat!

    It’s also much harder to avoid distractions while learning online. You can avoid distractions by putting your phone in another room while you’re working on your laptop or closing unnecessary tabs when watching lectures. You can also use distraction-blocking apps like “Freedom” to temporarily block certain websites and apps on your phone/laptop. Keeping a list of things to do will also keep you focused on your tasks for the day while also removing any stress you may have from trying to remember assignment deadlines. 
Finally, it’s important that you feel engaged in the classes you are taking. You can ask yourself some reflective questions to better understand the benefits you are getting from your classes. Some questions you may ask yourself are:
What do I find engaging or interesting about the courses I am taking this quarter?

• Find something that interests you the most so you can look forward to that everyday.
• This could be a small interactive class that allows you to interact with other students, a course within your favorite subject, a funny professor, or if your best friend is also taking that class. 

How can what I am learning this quarter benefit me down the road, in terms of…

• Developing my professional skills?
• Preparing me for future courses within my major?
• These questions will help you realize what you can gain from these courses and give you motivation to improve.

What am I doing to keep myself energized and take care of my well being?

• Exercising and eating right
• Practice mindfulness/meditation
• Practice journaling
• Improve your sleep hygiene
• Take breaks

    Am I reaching out for help when I’m feeling down?

• You can reach out to a friend or family member to just talk about things on your mind so you know someone is there to listen.
• Contacting CAPS or your healthcare provider can help you receive professional help dedicated to your needs.

We’re all struggling to find motivation during the pandemic due to several stress factors. But we have the power to make online learning a little more tolerable than it is. That’s why it’s important to practice some new techniques, create your own structure, and recognize some of the positives that you can get from your classes. Good luck this quarter, Gauchos!

- Jose, Mental Health Peer

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