Getting your focus back after the new year

It can be a tough old grind getting back into the swing of things after the Christmas break, not least for students across the United Kingdom. As millions of us look to get our momentum back and negotiate the usual dreariness that January and February tend to bring, it can be easier said than done to recapture that pre-Christmas focus and hit the ground running in 2017. Today we will be bringing you all the information you need to regain this focus and ensure that you are making the most of the early stages of the new year from an academic and personal perspective.

Regaining Momentum

Nearly two weeks away from lecture halls and seminars indulging oneself can take quite a toll, not just on the waistline but perhaps more crucially, on the grey matter. The change in sleep patterns, surroundings and day after day of watching silly movies rather than trawling through textbooks can kid your body into thinking that this is the norm; but the following tips will help you to find your “a-game” once more. If your new year resolution was to spend more time in the library and lectures, then this guide is a fantastic place to start with regard to getting your focus back after the new year. If you are a first-year student or even coming towards the end of your studies, there is a chance you could have got into bad habits when it comes to skipping lectures or rewarding yourself with a bit of extra personal study time. This is not a disaster and we have all been there, but the single best way to get your productivity back to where it should be is undoubtedly to get yourself back in front of your lecturers. It may seem daunting at first, but like many things in life it is just a case of getting back into your routine. In addition to this, you may find that these pointers help you with your productivity:

Stay off Social Media

A sure-fire way to ensure that your transition back into your studies is made all the more difficult, is going on social media. Although we all love to scour our favourite platforms, this will mean that you are not focused on the job in hand. Why not turn your notifications off when you are at lectures so you can make sure you are being as productive as possible? You may find you enjoy websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest so much more if you limit your use and also find you have abundantly more notes from your seminars and lectures than you are used to.

Set some goals

If you are about to embark on an arduous period of study or perhaps you are starting your dissertation? Either way, breaking your target down into manageable, bite-size chunks could be the ideal way to ensure you are being as productive as possible and crucially, achieving your potential academically. One of the main reasons for not being as productive as we can be, is feeling daunted at the volume and importance of the work ahead. So, by breaking this down into short, medium and long term goals you can start to chip away at things and make real inroads. You can take this a step further by rewarding yourself by successfully achieving these targets. You could buddy up with a friend on your course and set the same goals. This way, when you get an all-important piece of work in or finish some vital reading, you can treat yourselves to a night out or favourite meal.
Not only will this help you to achieve your short-term goals, but will also get you into a routine that for the remainder of the academic year.

Tell your friends and family

Linked to buddying up is being completely transparent about your goals this academic campaign. Many students who fail to make the grade, tend to do so because they suffer alone and get themselves into a rut. By adhering to our study tips and setting yourself goals, you can get yourself well and truly focused for 2017, but why not tell your nearest and dearest exactly what you need to achieve. Although you may not feel like you want to be micromanaged by your parents or friends, after all you are grown adult; but if those who care about you the most know what you want to succeed in, they can help more than you think. This will boost your productivity as you will have friends and family to confide in and the knowledge that you might be in for an earful, may just spur you onto completing that document in time rather than heading straight to the pub.

There are all sorts of predictable study tips out there, but we hope that by following our simple steps for success, you can get your focus back after the new year and look forward to a fantastic 2017 both at university and at home. Ultimately, it is all about time management, a good work ethic and ensuring that you also reward yourself for your hard work and take advantage of everything else that university life has to offer.