Unlocking Motivation
Organization
The environment where you work is just as important as how you work. Research has shown that a cluttered workplace “inhibits our ability to concentrate and focus” which affects the ability and quality of our work (“Why Being Organized Matters”). To save time and reduce stress, it is important that students know how to be well organized for school. So, over the summer, take the time to declutter your workspace and enter the next academic year with a clear desk and mind.
Planning
Students also need to ensure that they plan their time well to ensure they can complete all of their work on time. Assignment deadlines are a very large contributor to student stress, so planning for that work in advance will help alleviate some of that stress and make you feel more motivated to work.
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One method of planning for success is goal setting. Goal setting is a form of extrinsic motivation that is often used in academic settings and you can take advantage of this method to not only keep on track with your work, but also feel motivated to do so.
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However, it is not enough to just create a goal you want to accomplish. In fact, people who have a strong desire to accomplish a goal are ironically the ones who are least likely to complete it because they often neglect the plan-making stage that gives them the framework to achieve their goals. Plan-making is an essential step in this process as it helps increase people’s follow-through on a task. Plan-making helps increase follow-through on two levels: a mechanical level and a cognitive level (Rogers et al.).
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Mechanical level: Plan-making encourages people to take the physical actions necessary to complete that plan and overcome procrastination.
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Cognitive level: Having a well-structured plan helps people remember what they need to do and motivates them to do it.
The table below from the Harvard Business School explains how to create a good plan and how plan-making helps.
(Rogers et al.)
If you are unsure of how to start planning out your work, there are many resources you can look to. Calendars, both digital and physical, are a great way to help keep track of your tasks and goals and keep yourself accountable for them. Here are some of the most commonly recommended options that you can explore to see what works best for you:
Easy to learn, offers the ability to set reminders and make to-do lists and has calendars that can be shared.
More complex than others but includes many features that help with planning and note-taking that can be customized to fit your needs.
Can’t go wrong with a classic. There are millions of planners to choose from. Here there is a link to the top planners recommended by teachers.
References​
Rogers, Todd, et al. Making the Best Laid Plans Better: How Plan-Making Increases Follow-Through. scholar.harvard.edu/files/todd_rogers/files/making_the_best_laid_plans_better._how_plan-making_increases_follow-through.pdf.
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“The Power of a Plan.” Psychology Today, 2017, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dont-delay/201111/the-power-plan.
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"Why Being Organized Matters.” Psychology Today, 2019, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/wild-connections/201908/why-being-organized-matters.
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