I find that aerobic exercise improves my focus and appetite for mental effort. The key is to never miss a day (as little as 30 mins of moderate effort every day works wonders for me).
Sleep quality is important. Iām lucky enough to enjoy good sleep on most nights, and melatonin also proves efficient on the few problematic occasions.
There are other tricks too. Finding a āsparring partnerā, for example. Someone with similar interests. I was recently invited to join Duolingo by a friend, and we motivate each other a lot, even though weāre studying different languages. Not everyone needs it though, some people are lone wolves.
For some, teaching others what theyāve just learned is another way of staying motivated. Maybe find yourself a pupil?
Also, minimize distractions and energy suckers. E.g. doom scrolling on social media causes eye fatigue and brain rot. Bad posture (hunched back), poorly-lit room, insufficient water intakeā¦ the list goes on.
I am a master of procrastination, shamefully. Donāt be like me
@Andrey thank you for the tips, the pressure is palpable for me atm lol. I think thatās what it is, I will keep trying - just terrified of the hard work I have to put into it
Itās funny this time last year I dropped out of the MPhys course (integrated masters version of the same course). I have to find ways to motivate myself beyond getting a job because at the moment thatās my main motivation and itās not enough I reckon lol. I tell myself be patient for the more interesting topics
Working on my mood. This is the only avenue I have for employment, regardless of what I do in the end, I need the option to at least progress from my current situation as my current degree is 300 credits and not 360 credits.
I have to understand, accept and come to terms with the fact that first year doesnāt count. And thatās itās okay to work hard at something, even if the grades are not high you know you didnāt waste time. You did your best sincerely, that being sincere is a good thing.
I stopped trying with everything in life when I developed schizophrenia. I donāt want that for life; it feels empty and worthless for me. I want to feel like Iāve put myself into something to find my own meaningfulness in the struggle.
Music distracts me a lot. And caffeine reliance stops me a lot. Unless I get a fix, I feel obsessed with both.
Edit: I need inspiration, a lot of it. But I donāt know where and how to go about getting it.
I recommend to have others involved. Is it no option to participate in offline classes? I found that the talks inbetween classes with fellow students helped understanding and fueled motivation. Although motivation is typically not so much an issue for me nowadays, I always find myself more motivated and inspired after discussing with peers.
Just scored 15/18 in a computer assignment, thatās 83%.
I think thatās the highest computer assignment Iāve done so far.
The maths modules are fine for me, itās the stats that really brings me down, both motivationally and academically.
Will do the tutor marked assignment now, number 3 out of 5 I think. Not due till next month, but want to get it out the way so I can revise more and under less pressure
Edit: Iāll leave it to later, Iām too stressed at the moment lol
Still working on the problem sheet due for early days next month. Cambridge is the goal for PhD but Imperial is now the goal for MA, because they offer a disability scholarship thatās hard to beat. That being said, the grade asked for, is still the highest grade - 1st class division.
My goal this year was to get 90+ (Itās still possible) but Iām expecting a narrow miss and in the low 80ās. Therefore missing the 85 required for the first class in this module.
My mum puts me down a fair bit, she says iām doing the degree for attention seeking. Whilst itās true I want to be known as a degree holder and successful academic with schizophrenia, itās for the illness - like Elyn Saks did. Not for me at all
What I am doing for myself though, is trying to alleviate risk of no income. Whatās bad about that? So offensive of her. Imo, she ruined my fathers life, and comes close to managing to ruin mine too. So much to say/vent, but so little reason to be angry because itās not worth it.
Does your mom hold a degree?
If she doesnāt she got no business telling you not to pursue one.
If she does, ask her if she wanted it for attention seeking.
My mom was pressuring me to keep getting good grades at uni. Later on a few years into my career she insisted I went back to school.
I concur, mothers hold power over us. How they use it matters a lot. In my case she always seemed oblivious of my own wants and needs, always pushing her own agenda, until I got sz. Then she began to reconsider everything.
My mum never cared about my academic performance. She never celebrated it, then when things went downhill she started to suggest I was wasted. That I wasnāt talented but just wasted effort. How can you waste hardwork? You canāt. It materialises in some way or another even if not in grades.
Yeah I hear you bro, my mum has reconsidered a lot but she doesnāt want me to be successful unless the story looks good for her. She knows I donāt fully like her and so unless I was her little punchbag like I was growing up, my success means bad publicity to her.
We might have similar mothers lol A little bit ātooā conditional with their love or lack of it fr
