Actually Getting Stuff Done is Not So Easy

Hey All,

So this is my first weekend of the new semester with homework, and it's not even a lot of work, but I just couldn't get it done.

I think I discovered that there are just too many distractions in my own room and apartment, what with my roommates being close by, the TV on, food to buy and cook and eat, chores to do, things to clean, doors to paint, rooms and drawers and desks to reorganize...again.
There were just too many better options than doing my homework.

So I packed up my stuff and headed to campus. I've been sitting in the library for a while now, and I'm actually really hungry, so I'm about to go get some food and go home, but before that, here's how I figured out how to get my work done:

1. Figure out the ranking of the work by which is hardest to easiest.
2. Start with the second easiest piece of work to ease you into getting into the right frame of mind to really concentrate and focus on the work.
3. Do the hardest work next. Get it out of the way as soon as you are in the right frame of mind to work.
4. Steadily work down the hard line until you arrive at the easiest piece of work you have, and end on a high note! It's easy, right?

I know this doesn't sound very appealing because it's still not fun, but I like to work on a reward system.

Obviously for a class's worth of homework, it's not going to be a reward like a shopping spree or anything, but it could come out to a scale kind of like this:

1 Easiest: listening to two songs to rest your eyes and relax your brain

2nd Easiest: 10 minutes on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest; try not to lose focus, but you've earned a short break

2nd Hardest: something sweet, if there's a vending machine nearby or you just happen to have a little candy/chocolate in your backpack/purse. Studies have shown that chocolate helps you recall what you've learned, so this is as much a treat as it is a study mechanism

1st Hardest: a short walk around the library/study area you're occupying. rest your eyes and hands, as well as relax your brain by getting up and stretching your legs a bit.

This is assuming you have four classes that each give you homework for the weekend like my classes do. you can switch up the rewards to your preferred degree of homework, but remember not to overdo it. These rewards are meant to help encourage you to finish your work, not help distract you.


That's all for today,
Thanks for reading!
Amy Liz