As I sit down to write this article for the fourth or fifth time, I can't help but wonder how many other people are discouraged each day by their lack of productivity. The first time I sat down, I was ready to get it done. My fingers tingling with the anticipation of typing important words, my brain surging as those words ran around in there, to the front then back around my entire head. Everything was going great...until I started to type. Once I put my fingers to the keys, my brain began to think of the 918377382 other things I need to do before tomorrow, next week, the end of the semester, and suddenly, I couldn't think of anything to write. It's happening again as I type this. My brain is trying to get me to go blowdry my hair for a wedding I am attending later this evening (a full 7 hours from now). I gave in to that pull. My hair is dry, but now I have lost my place in what I was writing. I should probably go ahead and curl it as well. And I still need to read some sources and write annotations for my literature review bibliography that is due Thursday. My stomach is growling: maybe I should eat first? Drink water maybe.
What you can see in that first paragraph is a typical day in the mind of Brittany. My brain sometimes struggles to focus on just one thing. I will have the thought "I need to do this," and start to complete that task, but before I finish (sometimes even before I actually start it), I think of something else I need to do. This is why I am a list person. I make at least one to-do every day. Without a concrete list of things to do, I will wander aimlessly to Youtube or Netflix and get nothing done. With a list, I can see exactly what needs to be done, and then do it.
The problem arises, however, when my to-do list grows and my motivation wanes. It comes in waves, really. One day I can sit down and write 6 pages of a research paper with no interruptions except going to the bathroom, the next day I could sit at my computer for hours with the paper pulled up and my mind wandering to every corner of the universe except my paper.
Why? Why does it do that? Why can't I just do things consistently every day?
In my case, I must sit down (alone) with some water in a quiet place where I won't have any interruptions. Sometimes I have to put in headphones with random music playing loudly so I can't hear anything else. I have to turn my phone on silent and put it in my backpack or across the room. I have to take deep breaths and clear my mind of everything except what I'm working on. And only then will anything get done.
When I find myself in a productive mood, I take out my trusty to-do lists and try to blaze through and get as much done as possible, because I know it's only a matter of time before the motivation tide pulls back out and leaves my brain dry. Can it be helped? Maybe. Do I know how to help it? Only a little. If you have any ideas on how to be productive all the time, please let me know.
Remember back in elementary school? After a few hours in school, we would all be fidgety and bursting at the seams with contained energy. That's why classes have recess: to let all that energy out in free time so that when the kids come back in the classroom, they can calm back down and focus. My brain is just a small first-grader. I have to schedule idle time where I can safely watch an episode of "The Office" or peruse Youtube for videos of cats getting scared of cucumbers. When my brain gets time to rest from the stress of school, I find that my motivation comes back pretty quickly.
Lots of people have this problem: productivity one minute, aimless idle-ness the next. If you see a friend struggling with their motivation, step in. A small "Hey, you got this. It's just a paper," can do wonders when said at the right time. (I know my butt has been whipped into gear by someone telling me to get with it.)
Brains need rest too. don't forget to sleep enough, drink water, and get some exercise to keep your brain alert and ready to go.
