Tengo una problema. Advice?

[starsthatshine]

I think I have a problem. With school and whatnot. I have so many crazy things I need to finish (read: uni and scholarship applications and my school project) but for some reason I never get it done. Sometimes I lack that extra kick in the back to get me going. I tend to feel that spending ten hours or more at school (sometimes 12) I feel as though I need to indulge in something. Usually TV shows.

But in a way, that's bad because even though I take a breather the stuff still's there. I want to finish it and everything but... Panic! My Baader-Meinhof essay is more than stuck; I can't write anything. I'm beginning to doubt what I want to study, what I want to work with. My fandom documentary is going sloooooow. Extremely so.

I need tips: How do you get yourself motivated enough to do something without completely stressing yourself out to the point of a mental breakdown?

Comments

[justbolognese.livejournal.com]

I don't really have a method but I can really relate to you, school is taking all my time lately and as much as I love what I do, I feel like I'm going to explode.
Doubt is not the answer though, you should try to relax and not begin to wonder if you should stop. You don't want to stop. Just take a little break, have some fun, watch some tv. Then, come back on your studies and I'm sure you'll find that writing and thinking will be easier. And try not to see yourself flooded by homework, take it one at a time instead of trying to do everything at once :)

[aliasagent.livejournal.com]

The problem with me is that when I decide that I'm going to take a break, it's really difficult for me to get started again. Thankfully I have a few friends and we have it as a tradition to help each other with essays (or well, I help most of them and I usually work on my own but at least we work with them together) and I know we talked about having an extra study session next week on Tuesday. *keeps fingers crossed* I really need it.

Now I'm going to use this 'I'm studying' mix in the background while I'm trying to work on this essay. Maybe something will fall loose and I can finish it :D And whenever I take a break from stressing on something, there's always someone who's stressing me up again and thinks that I'm not taking things too seriously. *sigh*

[geeky-webmaster.livejournal.com]

Finding a place where you can concentrate on your work is essential.
- I go to the university library because it is a studious atmosphere and if other people are working, I can work. It is also nice and quite, and I have access to both books, the Internet and other sources without being tempted to Facebook the entire time.

Then, if you have a lot of work to get done, don't bring all your work to your study place. This will just stress you out. Make a list of everything you need to do and when it's due and bring only what needs to get done first.

Sometimes I try to do the "I work for an hour, I get to watch one show"-thing, but that usually backfires if I've got a bigger piece of work.

Also remember that you can ask other people for help! Even if you don't want to ask your teacher or parents, there are always friends and other people online who are more than willing to help out, or get a bunch of people from your class on MSN and when you find that you do need to sit up all night, you're not alone.

[aliasagent.livejournal.com]

I actually stay behind at school with a few friends at least once a week and that's usually pretty useful. Even if I might not exactly write everything, we get to vent about things and after that, things always get easier. But I know what you mean. Working environment is very important. Today is the first time I have to work at home with an essay because it's not finished, so it'll be interesting.

For me, if I decide that there's a new show that I want to watch I think 'well, after I've done this and this I'll watch one episode' and then I end up watching the entire thing if I don't stop myself. Sometimes I think I have a problem that things that I think are funny to do are difficult to quit, like watching a really good show.

[ingalunda.livejournal.com]

I just have the usual advice: break it down.

Do a list of what is urgent.
what is less urgent.
Not urgent. etc.

[aliasagent.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's probably true. But for example with the applications, I don't know if that's considered "urgent" or not. It's pretty close so I guess but still...