Motivate

I would have in no way gotten through the leaving cert if it wasn't for the outside motivational factors! When you are stuck in a seemingly endless rut of constant work and exhaustion it can be hard to remember that it is all for a greater purpose. While of course there is an end goal, I personally found it more beneficial to break the overwhelming future into smaller more realistic chunks, these then seemed easier to grasp! In my study room I had a countdown blackboard to any future event of which I was looking forward to, these included simple nights out with friends or holidays away. Honestly I lived for seeing the number of days get closer to zero...heheh sad but anything that helps! 

I hung this board right in front of me through all of last year. It helped keep me motivated, organised and sane!

Make It Bearable 

I am hand on heart, the biggest stationary and organisation freak!  I could honestly spend hours in a Tupperware or stationary shop, preferably buying everything in pink lol! Entering into my study after school with the heating on, candles lit, a warm big cup of tea and writing down three things I am grateful for makes the studying process a billion times more bearable for me. I used certain apps, techniques and rewards that further made learning more enjoyable for me (I will talk about these more in my next post). What is something you can do, create or add to your work life that will make it more bearable?

Get Into A Routine

Routine is essential to get you through such a demanding time. My morning yoga, nighttime mediation, after school walks and 4 pm cups of tea became my saviours last year. No matter how good or bad the day was going, once I accomplished those tasks and lived through my outline for that day, I knew I would be ok. Try asking yourself what habits are essential to your daily life, happiness and health, while also figuring out what works best for you. Some people create a study routine of an hour per subject at random points during the day, others attend supervised study sessions, some students get up early or work during the night. I used to prefer ensuring I was sitting at desk at 4:45 pm and in bed by 9:30 pm, with the in-between filled with consistent hard work and ticking off my to-do lists. I have written a post already about my Morning Routine which may help you to define your own personal schedule, you can read it here.

Balance It Out

All work and no play is a recipe for disaster. Honestly, 6th year for me was probably the most balanced year of my education so far! If you are working and studying non stop, not only will you burn out but you will also just drive yourself insane! Go out with your friends at the weekend, finish studying early for a yummy cup of tea on a Monday night, have a movie evening with your boyfriend/girlfriend on a Friday, go to Zumba class on a Wednesday...you get the drift! I went away a few times during the school year at which at the thought of I felt so guilty and nervous for, but, I realise now just how beneficial such breaks were...plus learning Sraith's in the sunshine is a million times easier heheh. Once you have worked hard, you can then relax and enjoy such time out of the books, guilt and stress free.

Know Your Limits

I think everyone hits an extreme wave of overwhelm, exhaustion and stress at one point or another during a stressful work year. This tsunami may overhaul your efforts and objectives at the beginning, middle or end of the term yet no matter when, the feeling of sheer burn out is terrifying. I almost drowned in such exhaustion in March of this year and it was so scary, I thought that that was it, no matter how hard I tried I could not find the energy, motivation or will to study. My body and mind had me convinced that I would feel like that forever and my only option was to fail the Leaving Cert. Thankfully I listened to my rational family, friends in similar situations and also trusted google to realise that the only solution was to actually listen to my body and mind and to rest. Did you know that our brains enter a saturation point at which no more information can be processed? Struggling through the ache of exhaustion and pushing yourself to continue to study and work and learn is not only dangerous for your health, it is also counterproductive. I know it can be so hard if you are perhaps a perfectionist to just say, 'No, I'm not going to open a book tonight!' and to see all of your friends working hard or to feel lazy or unambitious, but I promise you, if there is one thing I took away from this final year in school, it is the benefit of rest and recovery. After about two weeks of taking half days, sleeping and studying only until I hit my safe limit (even if that meant just five minutes), I felt so rejuvenated, refreshed and ready to study, work and try again!

Be Strict

'The most effective way to do it, is to just do it'. Of course there will always be a part in us, some a lot greater in others, that says, 'My groove is just to not study or work at all...and so, I'm not going to'. No great achievements are amounted or dreams are reached without self discipline, determination, hard work and maybe even at times, a lot of stressful tears. I don't think there is a soul out there who enjoys sitting down for hours on end reading and writing...yet more often than not we must do the things we have to do until we can do what we want to do. You have to be strict with yourself and question how much you really want to commit to working towards your own definition of success in any aspect of your life. You will have to be the one who ensures you get up at 6am or who forces yourself to turn off your phone. Yet you will also be the one who shall reap the rewards of your efforts and hard work! 

Find Your Groove

I once heard a teacher say that we must study for ten hours over the weekend, never revise on weekdays and work until 10:30 pm at least...if I personally followed that advice I honestly think I would have broken in half by now! You are unique and so the way in which you best work will be unique to you too. For me, I could start studying at 7 am on a Saturday but I would never ever open a book on a Sunday or Friday until about a month before the Leaving Cert. I found working at home and early mornings worked best for me while midnight sessions and library settings may work better for others! Against all advice, I never sat any mock exams as deep down I knew they would be a bigger worry and burden for me than they would ever be of help. I was in bed every weeknight no matter what for 9:30 pm, I savoured that time to myself watching youtube videos or reading blogposts. Find out what works best for you and adapt your study life around that!

'The most effective way to do it, is to just do it.'

I hope you enjoyed this post and that you were able to take something, everything or maybe even nothing from it! What helps you to work or study? Feel free to let me know in the comments below or anonymously in the ASK section of my blog (it makes my day getting such kind lovely messages from you, it means the world that these posts are helping people). I hope this post has helped you to understand the importance of caring for yourself while filling you with inspiration of how to too!

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I hope you enjoyed!

lots of love & peace & happiness


Lauren x