Staying motivated during downtime

Throughout your studies there will be busy and quiet periods and after assessments especially it can often feel like a big relief and time to take a break. Queue the music for a 2 minute dance party.* 

Whilst breaks are rewarding and often well deserved it can also be a good time to reflect on what has gone well and what can be improved for next time, setting yourself new goals and targets along the way.  

In this blog you will find five tips from the Student Life Team to help you stay motivated:  

1. Setting goals  

Whether you have a goal to wake up early, to start an exercise routine, to read a book or to succeed in your next assessment, you will find it helpful to create measurable goals.  

Top tips: 

• Make sure to write them down.  
• Make sure they are achievable. 

For support on setting goals, visit the Personal Growth section of the Skills Hub, to complete the Goal setting strategies course.   

2. Breaking tasks into smaller steps  

Once you have your goal set make sure to break it down into achievable chunks.  

For example: If your goal is to start waking up earlier, a small goal could be to go to bed 15 – 30 minutes earlier each night and to set your alarm that 15 - 30 minutes earlier in the morning. Over time your body and sleeping pattern should adjust to the new timings. 

3. Creating a routine, making your goal a habit 

If you find yourself having no specific structure to a day, doing things as they happen or forgetting to do things entirely, it might be best to create a routine to help you stay motivated.  

It has been said that doing things in a habitual manner can help to create new habits over time. Using your goals as a basis can help to be the building blocks to a maintained routine. Remember that you can’t finish a race before you have started. 

For example: Waking up early each day might give you more time in the morning to do a 5-minute meditation or to begin training for a run. 

4. Tracking your progress  

Monitoring your progress allows you to see your improvements and track how far you have come. Setting target dates or small milestones can help you feel more successful and help you to stay motivated.  

5. Celebrating milestones 

Reward the little wins as they lead to big wins! After completing a goal, no matter how small, you should celebrate it, this will create a positive outlook and keep you on track and motivated. If you keep going towards your goal, it is only a matter of time before it is achieved.  

Tip – When trying to stay motivated, remember to be kind to yourself.  

*If you are looking to have a 2-minute dance party, as mentioned above, our suggestions are to pick one song with a quick beat. It doesn’t need to have words, but just something to help you tune out for a small while.  

Close off all distractions and let yourself go! Sway along in a chair, stand tall and shake out your arms and/or legs or bop your head along to the beat – whatever type of movement works for you.