A day spent “wasted” playing video games or sleeping is the age-old concern of an undergraduate student. How do you prioritize your time so that you can meet the expectations of your friends but also unwind and keep yourself healthy? I attempt to answer some of these concerns here in a friendly and highly ‘not-professional’ capacity.
Is ‘Self-Discipline’ a Myth?
Yes. In 1996 Roy Baumeister and his Case Western Reserve University colleagues did a now infamous study on whether willpower was infinite. The result? It is not. Just like a mountain climber cannot keep climbing infinitely into the ether our minds cannot keep producing energy to ‘deal’ with unpleasant or challenging tasks. Most of the time our idea of a day well spent will include: an intense hour long workout, a clean diet (and if you fast, no eating for a portion of the day), presentable wardrobe choices, and 5 hours of a study session, bookended with work for clubs or societies. However, neither is this lifestyle healthy for everyone (mentally) or is it sustainable. Studying is enjoyable for a lot of students, but it takes a fresh, inquisitive mind.
If you want to make the most of the limited willpower you have per day, get your studying done early and in digestible chunks. My personal tutor suggested I allot 5 slots of 2 hours a week for a course. During the 2 hours I study and do nothing else. Thinking of studying as an allotted frame of time, will let you deal with it like a workout. Every session will not yield optimal results, but it is the habit which counts. And it is the discipline you exercise in sitting down at the same times in a week to study. This technique has helped me more than the pomodoro method (discussed below) because it lets me get those slots “out of the way” instead of letting my study time keep rolling on into the infinitesimal abyss.
Getting Help Prioritizing!
As a third year student, a lesson hard learnt is usually “Go to your personal tutor more often!” During the pandemic it is more important than ever, to take stock of any unhealthy study habits you have and any personal hindrances you are facing in getting the most from your education. Personal tutors are aware of your schedule, and your grades and are very supportive of your extra-curricular endeavors. They will help you come up with a study schedule which fits in with the rest of your timetable. In addition, go to your Making History Tutor as well! They know your project, ambitions and can guess what strikes your fancy most of the time. Let them know which aspects of history writing or blogging are particular challenges for you. Maybe you are like me and over-read and over-draft everything, or you are having trouble finding more resources. All of these are legitimate reasons to send your tutor an email! Finally, do not underestimate the power of timetabling with your team as well.
Some Strategies which help with Work Ethic:
- 5-2 hour slots early in the day: I have already elaborated on this. This is for students who get distracted after 40 or so minutes and cannot do long pomodoro studying sessions because of a burn out. This is also for those students whose 5-10 minute ‘break’ walk turns into a 10,000 step journey.
- Pomodoro Method: Forest is an old and loved app by almost all students! Dividing your focus up in 25 minute study and 5 minute break sessions can help you avoid fatiguing yourself or your mind. Start at the 25-5 method without jumping into the deep end. Notice how many sessions you can do before you eventually cannot focus effectively any longer. Stick to those amounts of sessions till you feel comfortable bumping it up in time slots.
- Long Engaged Study Sessions: Everyone has a study style, and some of us while reading get truly absorbed in the material. This is ideal, and as long as you maintain good posture, lighting and stay hydrated you can indulge in the material till you feel tired. This long session feels both wholesome and productive, but in order for it to work constantly checking your watch or emails may not be the best option. In order also for this to work, contrary to what we at UCL History may do, you will have to Read Slow! Reading slowly, engaging with the text and absorbing implications, meanings and historical context is a good way to enter a new course or topic. Once you have done this for one or two articles or pieces of work, your speed reading will leave you more satisfied because you will be familiar with what you engaged with!
What if I genuinely like the project, and my diversions!?
A problem I faced doing my Making History Project was that I truly loved everything I read about Trafalgar Square. I found lots to read about the square which would not feed into the project. And if that is the case with you, that is brilliant. Truly loving what you do will ensure you never feel like studying is a chore. Keep those articles to yourself in a file or elsewhere to read in the evenings or when you are done studying. Remember to ask yourself whether these articles will truly serve the direction the group’s project is going in! If you are unsure take their opinions and send them the link as well.
Finally: Do you ever truly ‘Waste’ your time?
No. Though I speak from personal experience and not professional advice, the truth of the matter is that the pressures of our lives and the turmoil we are going through as a society at the moment will take their toll on you. In such a climate, reading about colonialism or the slave trade can be difficult and draining. Most of the time students are recuperating from an exhausting week spent writing essays, and can think of time spent not studying as time wasted. This is part of the student experience and no point of shame. Studying is an interpersonal and group experience, and the students you may compare yourself too also compare themselves to other individuals who seem more productive than them. If you feel like the above talk to a trusted adult, a dear friend who can offer sound advice, go to your tutor for help prioritizing and developing goals or approach UCL’s Counselling Services at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/support-and-wellbeing/student-psychological-and-counselling-services
Try to economize your study time, and follow strategies which are sustainable for both your study goals, and mental health in the long term. And remember you are not alone on this journey, so never be afraid to ask for advice!
Good-luck studying!
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