22 December 2023

Best 5 Ways to Overcome Procrastination and Boost Productivity in Studying

Procrastination is like a silent epidemic that hampers the productivity of students worldwide. Whether it's the allure of social media, the comfort of your bed, or simply the lack of motivation, procrastination can severely impact your study routine. However, there are effective strategies to combat this challenge and boost productivity. Here, we explore the five best ways to overcome procrastination and enhance your study sessions.

1. Set Realistic Goals

The journey to overcoming procrastination begins with setting achievable and clear goals. When your study objectives are vague and ambitious, you easily feel overwhelmed and put off starting. Break down your study material into smaller, manageable chunks. For instance, instead of aiming to complete an entire chapter in one sitting, focus on understanding a particular section or concept. This approach makes your goals more attainable and provides a sense of accomplishment as you tick off each small target. If you find it challenging to set these goals on your own, consider seeking help from a professional writer at GrabMyEssay, who can assist in helping with your academic tasks. Remember, success in small steps can fuel your motivation to tackle bigger challenges.

2. Eliminate Distractions

In our digitally-driven world, distractions are just a click away. The key to productive studying is creating an environment that minimizes these distractions. Start by identifying your main sources of distraction, whether it's your phone, social media, or a noisy environment. Once identified, take proactive steps to eliminate them. This might mean turning off your phone or using apps that block social media during study hours. If noise is an issue, consider using earplugs or noise-canceling headphones. Remember, a distraction-free environment is conducive to better focus and higher efficiency in studying.

3. Create a Structured Schedule

A structured schedule is a cornerstone of productive studying. With a plan, it's easier to save time deciding what to study and avoid distractions. Allocate specific time slots for each subject or topic in your study plan. This method not only organizes your day but also helps in creating a routine. Additionally, you can enhance your understanding of complex topics by considering services where you can pay for a research paper. Using such a paper as an example can provide insights into structuring and formatting scholarly work, aiding your tasks. Ensure to include short breaks in your schedule to avoid burnout. For instance, after 45 minutes of focused study, take a 10-minute break to refresh yourself. This technique, known as the Pomodoro Technique, has proven to be highly effective in maintaining concentration and preventing fatigue.

4. Seek Active Learning Methods

Active learning is about engaging with the material, not just passively reading or listening. This approach helps in better retention of information and keeps procrastination at bay. Try techniques like summarizing what you’ve read in your own words, teaching the concept to someone else, or creating mind maps. These methods force you to process the information actively and make the learning experience more dynamic and less monotonous. Active learning not only combats boredom but also enhances your understanding of the subject, making your study sessions more productive.

5. Reward Yourself

Positive reinforcement can be a powerful tool in overcoming procrastination. Set up a reward system for yourself for each study goal you achieve. This could be something small like a snack, a short walk, or some time on social media after completing a study session. These rewards motivate and give you something to look forward to, making the task at hand less daunting. It’s important, however, to keep these rewards reasonable and not let them become a source of further procrastination.

Conclusion

Overcoming procrastination and boosting productivity in studying is achievable through practical and consistent strategies. You can transform your study habits by setting realistic goals, creating a structured schedule, eliminating distractions, engaging in active learning, and rewarding yourself. Remember, the key is to start small and stay consistent. With these strategies in hand, you’re well on your way to making your study sessions more effective and fulfilling.

Bio

Ammie Barger is a seasoned author and blogger with a focus on educational strategies and productivity techniques. She has garnered acclaim for her insightful articles that blend practical advice with an understanding of the challenges faced by students today. Ammie's work is characterized by her ability to translate complex educational concepts into easy-to-understand, actionable tips, helping readers enhance their learning efficiency and overcome common obstacles like procrastination.

Image Credit

17 December 2023

Viridian


A little girl owns a magical necklace. Knowing this you think she might take better care of it but she allows it to be stolen by an errant cat! The result is shown in this wordless animation by a group of students from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

I love the colors used in this animation - as well as the full attention given to both the way the characters look and move. It is pretty difficult to make a silhouette interesting, but these students pull it off with panache! The movie was directed by Doug B Horak and produced by Harshit Desai. The animation was supervised by Colin Byrd with a team of animator comprising of Kris Vaughan, Phyllis Zhu and Chris Cheresnowski. Music was provided by Doug Perry. Altogether this is an outstanding group project. It will be interesting to see what they come up in the future!

Snowdrifter


This is the story of an impossibly cute young snowman (snowbaby?) wandering the arctic wastes.  It has been shown at a number of festivals and won the TAIS Showcase 2012 Official Selection for Best Canadian Short Film.  Don’t get too cosy though – the little guy may not be quite what you think!

It was created by Mark Carruthers, a professional animator since 2007, who has worked on television productions such as Nickelodeon's Emmy Award winning 'The Backyardigans' and Disney Jr. Canada's 'Justin Time'.  He is currently pursuing a filmmaking career by creating independent animated short films specializing in character performances and comedy.  He has an eye to the future, and has directorial ambition which will allow his passion for the creative process to be fully unleashed (we think he’s done it here already!).

Snow Rollers: Nature’s Winter Treat

If you live in one of world’s colder, snowier regions you may have seen them – but even then the chances are remote.  A rare and seemingly mysterious treat of nature, the snow roller is a natural phenomenon created without human intervention.  They are known by other names too: snow donuts, snow cylinders or even snow bales. Whatever you prefer to call them, it seems that nature, at least, is trying to make the most of the snow and have a little fun.

Doctor Who Meets Disney: When Worlds Collide

A young girl, frightened and alone save for her small animal companions, comes across a strange blue box in a forest clearing.  She is wary of the this new addition to the woodland but senses that inside there could be something or someone wonderful: perhaps she will find more questions than answers but she is still drawn towards it....

Hang on... Snow White and the Tardis? Wait a second, Ariel, the Little Mermaid and the Tardis? What's going on here?

10 December 2023

Darth Vader's Christmas Wish List

More Stuff!


Want to know the true definition of Christmas?  Why, more stuff of course!  This joyous animation by Blue Zoo, a multi BAFTA award winning animation studio in central London takes us to Santa’s Sweatshop where the elves are just about to revolt in the most amusing way.  I’ve heard of people taking off their clothes for peace but never to dissuade people from being too greedy at Christmas. Nice.

The Pink Robin: The Gloriously Pink-breasted Bird

The robin, both European and American is famous for its red breast.  The subject of nursery rhymes and Christmas cards the male of the species is resplendent in red. Australia, too, has a robin.  One might, of course, expect this particular country to produce something a little different: it has form, after all.  So, step forward the pink robin, Australia’s passerine of pulchritudinous pinkness.  Our sibling site, the Ark in Space has the full story.

GCSE English Language at Christmas


GCSE English Language and Christmas? It allows teachers to approach the creative writing aspect of the course from a slightly different perspective. There is always a picture stimulus in the exams, but these images can be something of a chore to gather. These two sets of pictures, each containing 30 different Christmassy narrative or description writing prompts, can take the pain out the advent of numerous Google searches for them. 

Plus, they are all ethically sourced – all of the pictures have been made available by their creators, so there are no copyright issues to worry about either. 

Before I go on, you can find the links here:

If you are not in the know, in GCSE English students are given a picture and asked to create a narrative or descriptive response suggested by it. This comes right at the end of Paper 1 – Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing: this is where the writing comes in! They have around 45 minutes (if they have timed the exam properly) in order to do this question. This may sound easy peasy but there are twelve things that examiners look for in the responses – and I won’t list them here but they are classified firstly under “Content and Organisation” which is how the response is structured, the language used in it (and so on!). The second is “Technical Accuracy” which, very broadly speaking is spelling and grammar. 

I hope that these two packs of pictures will enable teachers to have a ready-made selection of Christmas-focused pictures to give a class a certain theme and to draw even the most reluctant learner into the story-making process. As such the pictures differ in tone and composition so the right picture can be chosen for the right student! 



Each question is formatted so that it includes the picture and the question on a single A4 sheet -  you can see an example above. In this way, learners can keep it next to them on their desk while working through their story – they don’t have to keep flapping back and forth. I have included PDFs of the sets and also a file with just the pictures (with each source credited) if picture-only is the preferred method – that is, without the question. 

I have used both sets with my students and they do like them!

Krampus: Santa's Sadistic Sidekick

The song lyrics have never been truer.  Oh You better watch out,  You better not cry,  You better not pout, I'm telling you why.  Yet it isn’t Santa Claus that you have to watch out for – it is his sinister and somewhat sadistic sidekick – Krampus. He has a whip – and he is going to use it.

What on earth has this creature of the night – more orc than elf – to do with Christmas?  If you have children you may well be aware of the mantra – if you don’t behave then Father Christmas won’t bring you anything.  The idea behind Krampus is similar – only the threat is not that Santa won’t bring them anything but that Krampus will whip them in to the New Year.

The Curious Copyright Case of It's A Wonderful Life


It’s A Wonderful Life did not make a major mark on the box office when it was released and won a single Oscar for its special effects.  However, when its copyright lapsed it became a massive Christmas favorite beloved of millions.  Yet this was not the end of the story – or really the beginning.  FilmmakerIQ here gives us the most comprehensive video account of the story of the movie – ever!

The Poor Little Match Boy


Once upon a Christmas time there was a poor little match boy.  To make his miserable life a little more bearable the poor boy began to light his remaining few matches. When they were lit he seemed to be able to hear the sounds of Christmas...

Sounds miserable?

Then take a look at this video by David Lea and it will give you, we hope, an alternative Christmas chuckle! But watch out for the snowm..... aaaarghh!