I'm bored of doing university work.?

Question

How can I make it more interesting to improve my productivity? I've got essays to do but get distracted too easily.

Answer 1

So don't do it.Simple.

Answer 2

Neil, my love, it is not meant to be entertainment ! Having said that, I got through my degree course by breaking studying into blocks of time, or things to do, never making myself do more than an hour without a break. So, promise yourself you will today - say - write an essay plan, with notes on where to get your quotes (or whatever, dunno what you're doing) anyway, a skeleton from which you can write the b*astard. Then watch a half hour vid or have a chat or something to eat. Then commit yourself to reading one chapter - just one - of some book you have to read. One chapter is enough, make notes if necessary, then get up and have a cuppa tea or go for a walk, think about how you'll tackle the essay. Come back and beat that bugger into submission with all the ideas from the walk. If it needs to be a long one, commit yourself to 2,000 words. After that you're entitled to a good long break, allow two hoours distraction time before reading another chapter.

I was a single mum when I did my degree, so all the time I was studying, I felt guilty about not doing housework. And all the time I was doing housework.... I got round this by alternating an hour of each. All I had for distraction in those days (I had no money) was fantastic sex, which I also recommend.

It's delayed gratification, love. Hard work but you get a degree at the end - take care

Answer 3

Right now, write just some draft of the essay on paper. It doesn't matter if you haven't read, write it.

Make sure the last thing you do before going to bed is uni related. Then your dreams will sort things out in your head for you, and your subconscious will work on it.

Now, first thing in the morning, write three pages of whatever is on your mind. Then, write what you've got to do that day.

Repeat this six days a week (you can take a day off for religious observance or to watch the football if you like, but you may want to do the morning pages seven days just the same).

Also, try to make jokes about what the people say, the big words, etc in your head. You don't have to write them, but it helps keep interest if you can make fun of the subject.

Answer 4

Don't listen to the people on here telling you not to be at a university. It is hard for many people and it is a skill that you can learn and get better at.

Here are a few suggestions:

First, try to choose topics that interest you. Also, you are not always going to like what you have to write about but you can learn to enjoy the process of writing. I am in graduate school and I have to write a lot. I will often set up contingencies for myself. So, I can only watch Grey's Anatomy if I accomplish X Y and Z before it comes on and I hold myself to it. I will also take short cleaning breaks when I am stuck.

I have friends who are worried about each sentence being perfect and they end up taking FOREVER to write anything. I suggested to them that they try writing down whatever they are thinking and then after a few paragraphs go back and edit. Get your momentum going first. They have told me this technique has been a lifesaver for them.

Also, it is sometimes helpful to write an outline first. I know, we all generally think of outlines as the useless thing our teachers make us do but it really can help you organize your thoughts. You can keep adding more and more detail to the outline until its almost an actual paper.

Good luck.

Answer 5

Stop looking on here for a start :) Easier said than done I know. I would recommend doing a little and often i.e. an hour a day. I usually do all my readin on the tube or during ad breaks etc. If you have to work longer hours make sure you take regular breaks i.e 20 mins every 4 hours and reward your self during this time.

Answer 6

You need to ask yourself why you're at uni? If you went just because you thought you should then its going to be hard to find the motivation. But, if you had a real desire to improve your chances of a better future then you need to keep that at the forefront. There are lots of graduates, with a myriad range of degrees looking for work out there. You need to make sure that yours is as good as it can be, and that you have a good record of handing things in to or before the deadlines.
I know you were probably looking for tricks and so on to break the work down into manageable chunks, but welcome to the real world... its meant to be difficult, if it was easy where would the value be?

Answer 7

Now's the time to consider useful alternatives to University training before the charges for your course begin to get out of hand! You would be well advised perhaps to look at taking up a trade, for which you can follow 'on the job' training.
Often in the UK, graduates can spend years looking for the right job. Tradesmen are rarely unemployed, and often go on to running their own companies. Much more productive than they would have been in may be the service industry.
Good Luck!

Answer 8

Group study always helped to motivate me to accomplish the tasks at hand. Also, set aside time each day for study and stick to your schedule. Many times the process of learning is challenging work and it is easy to get distracted and think of other things to do. Like any job, it is important to take breaks, but then get right back in to the task.

Answer 9

I have the same problem. Today i sat down to write an essay and 6 hours later I had written 3 sentences )

I think you need to enjoy what you are doing to be productive at it, that way time will fly and you will learn effectively. otherwise, its a question of willpower, you just need to force yourself to get it done.

Answer 10

Hey I am a mature student and house work is soso appealing, eveen though I hate it. I have 4 kids a house and a part time job if I can do it you bloody well can so concentrate and if you wanna talk [e-mail]

Answer 11

I am unfortunately going through the same thing. What keeps me productive is working on other assignments, then when I'm not frustrated I go back to the hard problem.