Chris
It's happening... the days are getting longer, assignments and responsibilities are piling up, you're exhausted and want nothing more than to sleep all day... you've hit the mid-semester slump.
We've all felt the mid-semester slump before. It slowly creeps up on you and completely wipes away your productivity and motivation. It almost makes it seem impossible to finish out the semester. Picking yourself up and getting out of a slump is not an easy thing to do, but here are some tips that will help you along the way:
Organize yourself. We all know what it feels like to be unorganized... looming due dates that you know are there, but don't know exactly when they are. Papers everywhere. Upcoming tests with no study plan. This is NOT a good place to be, and it's certainly not going to help you get out of a slump! You need to get yourself organized. For me, this means writing down everything that I have coming up, whether it's school-related, work-related, or personal. I use a good old-fashioned planner, but many of my friends and colleagues use Google Calendar and have nothing but good things to say about it. Regardless of what you choose to use, it is a must to have all of your responsibilities visible! From here, you can create to-do lists, study plans, or anything that will help you stay on track.
Take time for yourself. Breaking up your schoolwork with personal time is crucial in establishing a balance in your day-to-day life and preventing you from burning out. Personal time can be filled with whatever you enjoy most, whether it be watching Netflix, reading a book, listening to some music, cooking, or exercising– as long as it is NOT related to your schoolwork. You'd be surprise how much taking some time to unplug and relax can help in the long run. I recommend that you schedule your personal time so that you can enjoy time away while also staying organized and on track.
Be sure to socialize. Doing work for hours on end can make you feel really isolated, especially while most classes are online and so many of them are asynchronous! Loneliness will only contribute to the feeling of exhaustion and sluggishness, so it is important to socialize. FaceTime a friend or relative, go out for food, or just take a walk with someone. Whatever it may be, social interaction will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to work. Just make sure you're following COVID-19 safety guidelines!
Getting out of a slump can be extremely difficult, but it is most definitely doable. Follow these tips, keep your head up, and remember why you started in the first place! You're doing great and you got this!
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