Motivation; A Losing Battle

LiamMcGee

Over Junior Cycle, I noticed a rather awful pattern.

During the first few months of the year, I'm super-motivated, super excited and ready to take on the next year, study every night, sleep early, wake up early, everything's exciting and nothing can go wrong.

That all changed in November, roughly, everything slows down, the alarm clock's set later, the study isn't getting done, even homework's being skipped fairly often. I'm irritable in class and I just don't have the willpower to do anything.

What's the secret? How do you keep that streak going, that urge to take on the whole Leaving Cert?
I've just gone into 5th year and felt the beginnings of my usual cycle, super-motivation, study done. But when I start to lose my streak, how is it kept going?

icanplaydrums

You're in 5th year. So long as you do our homework and keep on top of tests etc. you'll be fine for the year. By the sixth year you should be motivated to study a lot more

Mr. G

Don't over-burn your self in the beginning.

You cover a lot of the course if 5th year. Keep handy on homework and do your absolute best on tests as above.

Gryffindor

You know it's funny I have never had this problem. I'd always be unbelievably unmotivated at the start of the year and only start really working at the last minute. It worked for me though. For jc I got obscene grades for the work I put in!

This year though I'm completely different. So motivated and enthusiastic that I'm wondering how long it'll last. A bit nervous if I'm being honest. Any tips to stay focused?

Taking breaks is all I can recommend. Some weeks I will have studied 5-6 days in a row and on the 7th day I would try study but would be so fed up that even after sitting down for 4 hours; nothing would be done.
Those 4 hours could have easily been spent relaxing instead. I found that when I took 1-3 days off after a long period of studying daily, it refreshed me a lot

thegreatescape

Don't work yourself too hard in 5th year. Study properly for your class tests, do all of your homework when you get it and stay on top of essays etc. A lot of people take it easy in 5th year and end up freaking out in 6th year when they realise they did nothing all year. Just make sure you're organised and keep on top of everything.