Need some motivation for CW

[Deleted]

Hey all

So I am sitting in the library of my university (been in since 8.30) doing an eassy that's due for 2 weeks time. I have a lot of coursework due for then but I'm lacking some motivation. Anyone have any tips or tricks they use to motivate themselves, or a schedule where they allow themselves breaks at certain times, or anything really that helps you keep motivated to do your work

Cheers, Loafy

[Deleted]

I find listening to music helps. If you don't need it, I'd disconnect from the internet as well.

[Reeve]

I find listening to music helps. If you don't need it, I'd disconnect from the internet as well.

Agreed. I'd usually find that the type of music could influence the quality of my work, too. Simon and Garfunkel and Gorillaz (the Dare album) were really good for my quality of work, as was Billy Joel.

[Deleted]

I'll give that a go when i get home (should be leaving in an hour or so), and i think that having all my research online is currently one of my down falls, as mmo-champ keeps finding itself opening up along side my research

[Seirith]

I'll give that a go when i get home (should be leaving in an hour or so), and i think that having all my research online is currently one of my down falls, as mmo-champ keeps finding itself opening up along side my research

Just set your mind to getting the work done and resist looking at MMO.

Last Sunday I spent 8 hours writing a paper, I took a break for lunch and then one around 2, other than that I wrote and got the whole paper done. What keeps me motivated is knowing that as soon as I do the paper/work it is done and I don't have to worry about it. Right now I am 2 weeks from being done with my last full semester of graduate school and ALL my work is done. It is a great feeling to have everything done early so I can sit back and enjoy the last few weeks of classes without stress. Last semester I put work off and I was working on due dates to get some papers done.

If you can't do things all at one time take your paper and try something like after I write X pages I will take a half an hour break, then I will write X more and take a lunch break, then work until you are done.

[shadowmouse]

Know why you're writing the essay.

However narrow the assignment, you'll probably be putting your own twist on it. Just trying to write a "good essay" tends to produce something worth reading by accident. Know what your angle is, write down a short description, then write the body of the essay.

Don't muck around with trying to produce a perfect introduction, many people don't have the discipline to predict the way their paper will unfold. Just get something on the screen to get started and be prepared to delete it later. You *are* going to write this in time to do an effective revision, right? Those treasured thesis statements tend to bog people down. Once you have things written, it is much easier to go back and write something that effectively introduces what you really wrote.

Writing for a purpose, something more concrete than "a good grade", gives you more to work with. Instead of wondering what you're going to say that sounds clever, you can focus on your proofs. In turn, that can help you sort through your sources and use them more effectively.