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The Feeling of Being Stuck

Do you ever feel stuck staring at the ceiling, school work piling up, while your mind races with everything you should be doing? You’re not alone. Students are constantly bombarded with homework, reviews, exams, and readings. This can easily lead to getting overwhelmed and falling into the pit of procrastination.

This is exactly what I experienced when I enrolled in the demanding “classes préparatoires littéraires” program in France two years ago. A typical week involved at least 5 quizzes, 2 individual professor meetings, a 6-hour exam, and 2 books to read – an enormous workload. Back then, I’d push myself to meet this insane quota every week, thinking that it is productivity.

There’s a free resource waiting for you at the end of reading this post. Enjoy and get your download later!

But I’ve learned that true productivity isn’t about cramming in a million things; it’s about doing them with excellence and efficiency.

So, how do we break free from the cycle of overwhelm and actually get things done?

Tips for You to Study Smarter

💪 Set realistic goals.

It’s very important to set goals or to create a list of the things you need to do for your review or your schoolwork. However, you must set realistic goals based on your time and energy. Trying to do too much can lead to feeling overwhelmed. Realistic goals help you avoid burnout and focus on what matters most.

Remember, you’re not a machine that can do everything at once – prioritize the tasks that are most essential for your progress. 

💪 Write down your to-do list.

You can set your goals by writing it down through planners or post-it notes. Color-coding tasks and highlighting priorities can help you quickly identify what needs the most attention. Taking control of your schedule through planning can significantly reduce stress and improve overall productivity. 

My review plan during midterms exams in Classe Prépa (captured in May 2022)

💪 Set the stage for study sessions.

After compiling your weekly tasks, it’s helpful to prepare in advance. For instance, you could print out articles or mark the pages of your math book exercises the day before the review. This sets the stage to focus only for your study sessions, not wasting time to find your materials such as workbooks, papers, etc. Cleaning your desk the night before can also enhance your environment and facilitates your body to do it in action.

To minimize distractions, consider using a productivity app like Forest, which restricts phone usage until your study time is up. Tracking your progress with such tools can provide added motivation. 

My clean and cozy study table before I start studying (captured in April 2022)

💪 Break a big task down into smaller ones.

In preparing for exams, it’s beneficial to set smaller goals, such as reviewing a chapter each week. For example, you could read the entire chapter one day and then, on the following day, write down the important terms and their definitions. This approach helps to avoid cramming and procrastination, as you have a manageable task to accomplish within a given time frame.

Additionally, in reviewing, you can use the Pomodoro Technique where you take a 5 minute break after 30 mins of studying. This technique helps your mind to focus actively and cool down, as the mind can concentrate effectively for short periods of time. 

💪 Learn to love what you are studying.

We’ve all heard the cliché “love what you do” but learning to love what you do is a different thing. Sometimes, there are tasks within your goals that  you don’t usually love doing. For instance, you might want high grades, but studying some subjects doesn’t excite you. This can lead to hating the entire study process, causing information overload and hindering you from learning.

Teach yourself to find delight in the things you are studying, knowing that it will benefit you in the end. In French, we have a saying: “Chaque chose est un bénéfice“, meaning every little thing can benefit us in some way. 

💪 Give grace to yourself by taking care of yourself!

“You just need to live this day and nothing more” written in my planner. A reminder for myself to take things slowly (captured in March 2022) 

Sometimes, we get so absorbed in our tasks that we forget to take care of ourselves, which can lead to burnout. So ensure you get enough sleep, water, and food, this will make your mind clear and at rest so you are able to function well for a long period of time. Don’t ever feel guilty for resting. Remind yourself that you need it to nurture your fuels so you can run your human machine effectively. Don’t lose yourself in your dreams, be there alive!

Remember, the most successful people are lifelong learners who embrace the joy of discovery. Perfectionism is the enemy of productivity. Productivity is not about perfecting your grades but about making progress. It’s not about perfecting your homeworks while beating yourself up but championing your studies while doing it with a good heart.

As you continue to learn, you’ll realize that the more you know, the more you become aware of how much you don’t know, and this awareness will drive you to be more productive. 

There’s no one perfect formula for being efficient in what we do. They worked effectively on me. I hope you find them effective, too.

Get Your Free Worksheet

I have plenty of life tips and I can’t wait to share them all with you. Catch my upcoming posts! Here’s a worksheet that can help you reinforce one habit of being productive and that is having 3 fixed productivity goals per day. Check this freebie out!

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Jannah May Santos

Hi. I’m Jannah, a communication student and a Youth Leader in Paris.
I love expressing my thoughts through catalogues and photos. I am passionate about seeing dreams come to life and using words to inspire other young people like me.

https://www.snippetsofwonders.com

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