< studyrose: So my anxiety has really come to a... - l u n e
studyrose: “ So my anxiety has really come to a peak this last semester, and I’ve found it really hard to focus on my schoolwork, as well as motivate myself to get it done or even start in the first place. The overwhelming feeling you can get when...

studyrose:

So my anxiety has really come to a peak this last semester, and I’ve found it really hard to focus on my schoolwork, as well as motivate myself to get it done or even start in the first place. The overwhelming feeling you can get when you look at that blank word document, or that huge textbook you still have to rifle through can be really scary. I’ve developed a few little strategies over the past couple of months that really help me, so I thought I’d share them here with all of you!

1. Step away. Like I said, simply staring at that blank word document willing your essay to materialize while you sit and agonize over it can be a hard hurdle to overcome. So, instead, just walk away from the situation. Go make a cup of tea or a snack, watch a couple (just a couple!) of your favorite YouTube videos, or anything that calms you down and removes you from the stress just for a little while. (My personal favorite is to paint my nails — it’s a precise sort of doing, so it really calms me down, and it’s perfect if you’re reading or typing; neither of those activities will mess up your manicure!)

2. It will get done. Yes, you’re really freaking out over this assignment because it’s huge and it’s due tomorrow and you should have started working earlier and so on and so forth — but it must be done, so it will be done. Once you realize that it’s gonna get done, regardless of how late you’ll have to stay up or maybe how it won’t be your best work ever or any other factors, it becomes a much less daunting task. Simply acknowledging the do-ability and temporariness of the assignment makes it much easier to tackle, and makes it less behemoth-like.

3. You cannot fail. You are bright and brilliant and incredible. Failure is an impossibility. Even if that score on your last test/paper/etc tells you otherwise, you cannot fail. You are more than willing to put all your focus and energy into this assignment, and because of that, you will be okay. You are putting as much of yourself can forward into working on this, and that is all you can expect of yourself.

4. Choose excitement. You get to learn something new! How awesome is that! Whether it’s your favorite or most despised subject, any assignment can seem lame and trying. Try to change your perspective to get you a little excited about the work! Writing an 8 page paper about the history of tea or studying anatomy for 4 hours can become a lot more bearable if you put forth the energy to like your work. Think of Sisyphus, pushing that boulder up that hill for all eternity: you have no choice in whether or not to do this thing, so you might as well enjoy yourself!

4. Break it down. If you’re like me, and you spend weeks and weeks thinking and thinking about a paper while not actually writing anything down until the day before it’s due, assignments get scary real quick. Figure out how you work, and break down your work for the day accordingly. For instance, for my Honors paper that I have due tomorrow, I’m tackling as such:
    1) Word vomit. Write everything I know on the subject right now; don’t worry about sentence structure, prose, flow, anything. Just write it down.
     2) Refine. Start picking through the what you just threw down on the page; realize what actually sounds really good, and what can be nixed. Let the good bits inspire you to write even more good bits!
    3) Collect outside sources. I need just a minimum of 2 outsides sources for my paper, so now I go and find ones that support my argument, and quickly skim the abstracts and first couple of pages for little nuggets of gold to incorporate into my work.
    4) Take a break, and then repeat. Staring at one paper for a long time will make me go cross-eyed, so I step away, watch an episode of Friends or stare at gifs of Harry Styles for a while, and then come back and reassess what I’ve done. It gives me a fresh perspective.

5. Have a good study playlist. My favorite tunes to work to are usually acoustic (or classical if I’m reading, so there’s no lyrics to mess with what my eyes are seeing) — they give me good, calming vibes, with just enough of a beat and rhythm to keep me working. These are some of my favorite 8tracks playlists: x, x, x, x; and then some of my favorites on Spotify: x, x, x. Again, if you jive to really intense tunes, or more ambient stuff, find a good playlist and get in a groove! 

5b. Remove distractions. I love Self Control (free!) for my Mac — it lets you put in all your distracting websites, set a timer, and for that length of time, it will not let you access them, no matter what. Even if you restart your computer! I also like using Forest ($0.99) for my phone — watching the little tree grow and letting your forest build is really satisfying, and it really deters you from touching your smartphone. 

6. Find your zen element, and keep it near by. Find something that really calms you down almost instantaneously, and is easily accessible during your studies. For me, this is a cup of tea. Walking into my kitchen, boiling the water, measuring the honey, pouring the water into my favorite mug, and then just holding said mug - the whole entire ritual is instantly calming for me. And when I have my mug next to my workspace, I can just reach over and close my eyes and take a sip whenever I can feel the overwhelming thing start creeping up.

7. You are brilliant, regardless. At the end of the day, it is just one assignment. It will not dictate your life or your worth or anything else. Yes, work your hardest and do your best, as you should in everything in life, but remember that your precious mind and heart are more important than any silly school assignment. Take care of your excellent self so that you can continue your excellency, to infinity and beyond.

I really hope this helps; you are all so wonderful, and I wish you the best of luck with whatever you’re working on! You got this! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to ask. xoxo

- Cheyenne

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Posted on Monday, 14 March
Reblogged from: astro-princess
Posted by: studyrose
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