Motivation is one of the biggest issues for students and it is always great to find a few things that can keep you feeling inspired. Here are my top ten ideas:
start small – set yourself a challenge to work for five to ten minutes. Yes, just five minutes can be enough to get started! If you can get through that five minutes, you will start breaking down that feeling of disinterest and begin to get more into working. A fantastic application that will keep you from using your phone and on a time limit of between 10 minutes and two hours is Forest! However, here are some free alternatives.
plan tomorrow today – I find planning my day – or at least writing down a couple of tasks – before bed is extremely beneficial. In the morning I wake up with intent and get see my main priorities. They don’t have to full-fledged plans or written nicely in my planner but even just small reminders on a post-it note are enough for me to feel more organised.
give yourself a bit of structure – as mentioned, having a plan is a great way to start the day. You might use a planner, a bullet journal or a free printable from me to organise! Set yourself up with 3 key things to finish or do during the day. Give yourself a goal and a reward upon completion. Put time limits on tasks and use a schedule to stay on track.
utilise a studygram/studyblr – basically, the communities on Tumblr and Instagram act as amazing accountability partners! I am constantly motivated by my blog and being able to share my day to day life on Instagram or Snapchat. I definitely have become incredibly motivated and disciplined because of these two communities. If you’re thinking about starting a studyblr, read this. If you’re thinking about starting a studygram, read this. If you already have either, here is how you can use it to further motivate yourself!
set up an inspiring workplace – dedicating a space to work, and only work, is a great way to build a mindset of motivation which kicks in when you sit down. This Pinterest board has loads of inspiration for setups and organisation! You can also add a cute plant, a bright study lamp and some motivational printables for added encouragement!
externalise your short and long-term goals – by making a verbal or written commitment to your goals, you are much more likely to take steps to follow them through. You might want to have a really productive week catching up on all your work, improve your GPA or pass your semester with flying colours. At the start of each week think of the ways you can put your goals into actions. Then at the end of the week reflect on how you did. Track your progress and keep up your motivation by seeing things get a step closer each time!
listen to some music – putting on my favourite songs always put me in a better mindset and feeling more positive. Before a study session or during a break, I will sometimes put on a few songs I’m loving and take a moment to refocus.
don’t force it – if you’re feeling unmotivated to study, try doing something else for a short amount of time. Avoid things that could distract you like browsing Facebook or Instagram. Instead, try tidying your bedroom, organising your upcoming week, read a chapter of a book, or get a drink of water. Alternatively, make an action plan for what you need to do with your next few tasks. That way you’re still making progress with your work but aren’t sitting feeling too unmotivated to actually study.
find some inspiration – there is no shortage of amazing people with incredible stories of success! Podcasts such as The Daily Boost, The Tony Robbins Podcast and The School of Greatness are great examples. Ted Talks are often incredibly insightful and motivating! Search for quotes or stories from your favourite people!
change your mindset – one of the biggest challenges in motivation is adjusting your own perspective. For instance, instead of thinking “I am terrible at this” think “How can I learn this differently to really understand?”. “I made a mistake” think “What can I take away from making this mistake?”. “It isn’t perfect” think “These perfectionist tendencies are only making this more difficult, I can be content with my work”. Having a more positive outcome to each situation should help boost your confidence and motivation!
I hope these few tips are useful and help improve your motivation! If it helps, I would love to hear about it 🙂
hey guys! today we’re talking about eating disorder recovery. this has been highly requested for some time. i’m going to share a little bit about what to expect from recovery and how to cope, as well as what my personal experience was like. so without further ado, let’s get into it!
your metabolism is not dead. your body is very smart, so it will adapt to whatever you put it through…
as you begin to eat more, your metabolism will adjust to your higher calorie intake. you will gain a bit of weight at first, but eventually your body will function normally again and your bmr (basal metabolic rate- the amount of calories you burn each day) will also return to normal.
stretchmarksmay appear on your body. this does not mean you’re fat! it means that your body is growing quickly, as you’re likely eating a lot of calories in recovery. i have stretchmarks on my thighs and breasts from recovery, and i’m still underweight. stretchmarks do not = fat. stretchmarks = growth.
don’t refuse to eat because then you’ll get tubed, and it’s not pleasant. a feeding tube will give you the same amount of calories that the food will… so if you can (i know it might be too hard but please try), choose to eat! take this time to enjoy the food you have been deprived of for so long. having a tube shoved through your nose is not fun.
if you are allowed to do so, take up strength training! i cannot emphasise enough how much lifting weights helped me get through recovery. it’s a fantastic way to cope. turn some of those extra calories into muscle! i used to think that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” but boy i was wrong… food tastes pretty dang amazing, and being strong is so much better than being skinny!
strength training is also a good way to eat more calories while remaining relatively lean. i personally gained a lot of fat back in the stomach area, but lifting weights completely changed my body’s composition- now i have abs while eating 2000+ calories a day.
if you’re not allowed to exercise, try doing some yoga or taking walks. exercise has so many benefits and can help you cope with the stress of recovery. but if you aren’t able to be active, don’t worry! right now is a time for rest and healing.
a lot of the weight you will gain is recovery is not actual fat. it’s water, food, or waste that’s contributing to the number on the scale. after leaving recovery it’s very likely that you’ll notice a large drop in your weight. this is mostly because of water retention. the purpose of recovery isn’t to make you fat, i promise.
binging:
during this time, you may start to experience binge eating. this is completely normal after a period of severe food restriction. your brain is sending signals to your body to eat as much as possible, because it doesn’t know when the next period of starvation will be.
once you reach a healthy weight and/or replenish any nutrient deficiencies, you will stop binging. it is not forever. try to go with the flow and allow your body to restore itself.
many people who have a restrictive eating disorder like anorexia will eventually develop binge eating disorder. so if it happens to you, don’t feel bad about yourself. you’re not a failure or a pig or someone with no self control. it happens to lots of people! it happened to me. your pain and struggles are completely valid.
however, if binging becomes a lasting problem that is causing you a lot of distress, it may be time to seek help. for tips on how to deal with and prevent binging,check out my masterpost on binge eating here.
bloating:
it’s common knowledge that bloating can be intense during recovery. your digestive system is having to adjust to your higher food intake. your stomach actually shrinks when you’re starving, so right now it’s expanding back to a normal size. (please note that the shrinkage of your stomach does not affect how flat your belly looks. there is nothing positive about stomach shrinkage. your stomach is an organ.)
one of my biggest tips to avoid bloating is to eat liquid foods, or foods high in calories. a lot of people in recovery eat around 3000 calories a day… that’s a lotta food! eat things like avocado, nuts + nut butters, granola, and other high-cal things. or you can choose to drink your calories in shakes or smoothies. this helps you hit your calorie target without eating so much food you feel sick.
the usual tips: drink hot tea to settle your stomach, or use a heating pad. lying down in bed can also help. take your time eating your food.
you shouldn’t be ashamed of your belly, but the bloating may make you self-conscious and that’s okay. if you feel more comfortable, wear baggy shirts and hoodies. everyone will understand. i practically lived in big sweaters during the first few months of recovery… just remember that this won’t last forever. once your stomach gets used to food, the bloating will stop.
bloating is not fat!
(i’ll probably make a more in-depth post on dealing with bloating, so stay tuned for that.)
appearance:
an eating disorder can cause your appearance to suffer. your hair becomes damaged and falls out in clumps, your teeth rot, your skin and nails become brittle… and so on. the first step to looking healthy, of course, is eating enough food. but here’s a few more tips to repair some of that damage.
hair– don’t wash your hair with shampoo every day, as this can strip your hair of its natural oils. try to wear your hair up when you can to minimize breakage. take a multivitamin designed for replenishing hair- and stay hydrated! you can also try a keratin spray, which is a protein to repair damaged hair. i use one (just found at my local drugstore) and it is a total game changer.
nails– take off all your nail polish and let your poor nails breathe. then soak them in warm water. there are also vitamins out there for healthy nails.
teeth– go to the dentist and get your teeth cleaned and checked for any cavities. that’s always the first step. eating disorders can cause your teeth enamel to weaken, resulting in inflamed gums and yellow or crooked teeth… that may even fall out. you should floss and brush daily. avoid acidic foods and drinks! and try a baking soda toothpaste and/or a flouride mouth rinse to help restore your enamel.
skin– the important thing here is to drink lots of water. your skin may be dry and patchy, covered in acne, or easily irritated as a result of your disorder. once again i suggest taking a vitamin. some other tips are to avoid hot showers, try not to touch your face, and use a gentle facial cleanser at night. i personally love cetaphil because it’s so gentle but effective. if you have acne, medication can help if needed, but you should avoid using tons of products on your skin. (a cleanser and a moisturizer will suffice.)
don’t worry about eating healthy right now. just worry about eating. also, eating “bad” foods- like ice cream and burgers and pizza- is actually encouraged during recovery. it’s exposure therapy, in a way, and it helps to rewire your brain and improve your relationship with food. where you get your calories from won’t affect how much weight you gain… a calorie is a calorie.
have a support system! this is extremely important. having loved ones by your side throughout this hard time will make it much more bearable. don’t underestimate the power of company. it will motivate and comfort you. no one should be alone when they’re going through recovery.
to any teens out there: remember that teenagers burn a ton of calories, since they’re growing like crazy. the recommended amount for a sedentary teen girl is 1800. for active teens, the number is definitely over 2000 and sometimes even around 3000. teen boys need even more calories! there are a lot of low-cal diets out there that are total bullshit, but are just straight-up dangerous for teenagers. by not eating enough, you are stunting your growth and slowing down your metabolism. my maintenance calories are around 2000, and i’m only about 100 lbs. a vast majority of teens really underestimate the amount of cals that they actually need!
never be afraid to ask for help if you’re concerned about your mental health. even if you think you’re not sick enough or don’t deserve help. you do. i promise.
and remember that you are not your disorder. you are not your intrusive thoughts, or a number on the scale. you are a unique and amazing and beautiful human with people who love you- and that’s the tea.
types of treatment:
inpatient– this is typically prescribed for those who have medical issues, are severely underweight, or are refusing to eat. you stay in a hospital setting, days and nights, where you can be monitored and treated by medical professionals. you can expect regular lab tests (blood draws, urine samples, scans), weigh-ins, and meetings with the hospital psychologist. exercise is usually not allowed. if you refuse to eat, you will be given a feeding tube. the main goal for inpatient treatment is weight restoration and resolving any health issues. it is a short term solution.
outpatient– there are a variety of outpatient programs out there, and this type of treatment is more convenient and less intrusive. you go to a treatment center for a few hours each day and work with a team of medical professionals, but you don’t stay overnight and you can live your life pretty much normally. however this is not recommended for people who live alone, because there’s no one to hold you accountable outside of the treatment center. this is the most commonly prescribed method of treatment.
residential– this is when you go to a group home to get treatment. you stay there full time, days and nights, and there’s more of a focus on therapy. it’s a good way to make friends and be around people who are struggling like you are. it’s also much more relaxed than inpatient hospitalization. residential treatment programs are recommended for more severe cases, when medical issues are resolved.
the family-based approach is very effective for teenagers with anorexia. you can find out more here.
click here to learn more about which type of recovery is right for you personally.
text 741-741 to chat with a trained counselor at any time. if you’re a person of color and would feel more comfortable talking to a counselor from a more multicultural group of people, text the word “STEVE” to this number.
do i have an eating disorder? quiz (a medical professional is the only one who can diagnose you, but this can help you recognize some of your symptoms.)
Hi guys! So a lot of our classes are starting today, even with the eclipse so I thought I’d share some tips my teacher sent out to help everyone get a better grade in the sciences classes, which may or may not be slightly trickier than others. It’s important to realize that no one can get through all of these, so pick what is most important to you.
1) Put in the time. Using the “three-to-one” rule, three hours of studying outside of class time per one credit hour. If your class is 3 credits, you should be studying independently an additional 9 hours. For 4 credits, 12 hours. Teachers expect you to treat studying as your job (even if you do have an actual job) meaning you should virtually be studying anytime outside of meals, class, sleep, work, etc.
2) NO cramming. It is MUCH more productive to study a little each day rather than 9 hours the day before a test. You will remember virtually nothing if you do and will not be as happy with the grade you recieve. Taking it in little bits stores it in long term memory and you will actually learn it rather than just regurgitating it onto a test.
3) Time management is crucial. Especially if you are someone who works or has kids or other priorities that also need attention. Make a schedule and. Stick. To. It.
4) Be prepared and organized. Do not be the person who lost their pencil and doesn’t have an extra, forgot a notebook or textbook, keys, etc. Give yourself enough time so you’re not rushing and make sure you have what you need! Your college professors are not here to attend to your personal needs when some of them have 800+ students a semester.
5) Use a calender. Write down your assignments, projects, class times, anything you need to remember. Use it religiously because it will be so much easier than trying to keep it all inside your head and that way you will not forget anything.
6) Use the book AND the notes. Most professors write things in a different way than the book and reading something in multiple different ways will better help you remember the concept rather than the sentence word for word.
7) Read ahead. Doing so helps you prepare for and not be lost in lecture and it will benefit you as well as the teacher.
8) Attend all/as many classes as you can and be an active listener. Sit up straight, face forward, don’t pay attention to what others around you are doing (I sit up front whenever possible). Keep an extra piece of paper near you in case you have questions so you can either ask or go back later and look it up yourself.
9) Take detailed notes. With permission, record the lecture so you can hear it again later, abbreviate whatever you are scribbling down, and then as soon as you can after class, rewrite it in a neater, nicer way and don’t be afraid to word things differently. A review shortly after class is proven to help it convert to long term memory.
10) Keep your phone off in class. I know we all love our phones and class is boring, but it’s also crucial information. We’ve all been through that period of regret where we wished we had paid attention. Don’t let that happen anymore. Use it only for emergencies and recording lectures.
11) Even if you don’t rewrite your notes after class, review them. Make sure to pay attention to anything the teacher may have repeated or any learning objectives they would like for you to know.
12) Study early and often! This goes along with no cramming but the sooner and more repetitively you relay information to your brain, the easier it will be to remember it. If you don’t look at the information for 2 weeks and then suddenly need to remember it all, not only will you be too stressed to retain it, you’ll also be wasting valuable time. Make your own study guides and test questions.
13) Make flashcards. Flashcards are only useful when you a) shuffle them occasionally and b) take the ones you’ve memorized out of the pile but still review them every now and then to make sure you still remember. Put any back in the pile that you missed.
14) Use mnemonic devices for lists of related terms.
15) Type or rewrite your notes. I’d recommend writing them again, because physical writing by hand is another way to help remember it.
16) Consolidate your material. This means: tables, lists, figures, concept maps. Reasonable chucks.
17) Teach it to someone else. The best way to tell if you have mastered something is that you are able to explain it to someone else correctly in a way that makes sense.
18) Pick a good place for effective studying. We all love our study groups, but let’s be honest. At most the first 20 minutes is talking, then 10 minutes of studying before half the group is surfing Tumblr and the other half is complaining they’re hungry. I prefer to study by myself for this reason. Find a quiet place with minimal distractions and get prepared to work your fucking ass off.
19) Get decent rest before the exam and be sure to get there early or on time, unpredictable situations included. Exams are important and your teacher will not care if there was a traffic jam. If you miss the exam, you miss the exam.
20) Learn from your mistakes. Review your incorrect exam answers and figure out why it was wrong and why the correct answer was correct. Talk to your teacher, TA, resource lab, anyone who may help you if you’re stuck.
21) Review the midterm and start preparing for finals. Most of the midterm material should be on the final, so it’s one of your best study guides.
22) Keep your textbooks and notes. I know we’re all broke as fuck and would like to sell them back, but you never know when that information will be useful in another class down the road.
23) Do NOT discuss grades, quizzes, tests, or exams with your class mates. Of course they’ll complain that they didn’t study, that chapter 6 was this, or chapter 8 said that and it was confusing. This type of conversation will only make you nervous so steer clear of all of it.
SugarFreePeach 