School and exams

[Viaxoxo]

Hi!

I'm in high school. I often feel overloaded with some of my assignments all being at the same time and I am a master procrastinator so I get stressed and leave my assignments to the last minute and then get more stressed. Do you have any strategies for studying and how to work consistently? I've tried a few things but they don't really work...
Thanks💗 

[Beeee]

Hi Viaxoxo,

When I was in high school I would also get overwhelmed when I'd have multiple assignments due at the same time. Sometimes the workload can be crazy! In my 4th year of uni now, I feel like I have got a few good strategies in place to help me get work done on time. 

The first is keeping a diary. I like having a physical one, but a calendar on your phone or computer works just as well. My diary helps me keep organised and see visually, how much time I have to complete an assignment. In my diary, I like to break big assignments into small tasks I can tick off each day, leading up to the due date. For example, if it's Monday and I have an essay due on Sunday, on Monday I would aim to research and come up with an idea, on Tuesday write the introduction, on Thursday complete a first draft, on Friday have a friend proofread it etc...

I also ensure I schedule in time for breaks. Taking breaks is important for your mental wellbeing and can be a motivator to look forward to once you complete your designated tasks for the day. I usually plan to stop studying by a certain time in the day e.g. stop studying by 8pm, then spend an hour before bed reading or watching a show. 

Also, ask for help if you need it! Work together with your friends, it might makes assignments less daunting when you have friends to study with or help proofread your work. I always ask my teachers or peers for help if I'm stuck on an assignment and don't know what to do. 

Please let me know if any of these strategies help! Or if you need more advice!

Beeee

[Sophie_M]

Hi Viaxoxo

Thanks for posting and welcome to the forum! We love that you've found your way here and that you're joining in on some wonderful discussions already! 

Before our beautiful online community start to join in on your conversation and start giving you their thoughts, ideas, wisdom and support, can we ask you what some of the things you have tried are, and what about them did and/or didn't suit you, etc? We'd love to know more so we don't offer suggestions you've already tried?

Please also don't forget you can call us anytime for support (24/7) on 1300 22 4636, or via webchat here. There's no issue to big or too small.

There's also our friends over at Kids Help Line. You can call them on 1800 55 1800, or chat with them by using their online chat as well (also 24/7). They're pretty awesome, so don't hesitate to reach out and contact them anytime if you need a chat as well.... 

Looking forward to hearing more from you!

Kind regards, 

Sophie M

[Viaxoxo]

Thank you so much Beeee! I will try this out and I think it will really help 🙂

thanks for the support💗

[Viaxoxo]

Thanks Sophie! 

I was recently looking at some of the resources on the Kids Helpline website and they were really helpful:). I tried getting a small thing done, like a few paragraphs of an essay or a unit of maths, but I always end up getting distracted and then doing something completely different. I had been thinking about doing that, but then motivating myself to get it done, for example if I was to do a unit of maths homework, when I'd finish, I would maybe play a round of a game on my laptop or go outside and spend time with my dogs, and then go back and do more work, rather than just getting distracted in the middle of work, because then it doesn't get done and I stress, etc. What do you think? 

I do write down everything I have to do in a checklist and then tick it off, and that is super helpful too. I think it's mostly about not switching to something else or getting distracted by literally anything else. 

I think I should work on consistency, but I don't know how... Do you have any suggestions for that?

Thanks!

Viaxoxo❤

[Summer Rose]

Hi Viaxoxo

I really liked Bree’s suggestion for “chunking down” assignments and scheduling study/work time leading up to the due date in a diary. It really helps to have a bird’s eye view of what you need to do and when.

I’d like to add that it may help to build some ambit into your scheduling to give you some wiggle room should you encounter challenges along the way. So, if something is due Friday plan to have it done Wednesday or Thursday, so you have a built in buffer.

Another idea is turn your phone off or put it on silent when you are studying. Checking your phone could become something to look forward to in a break.
The idea of working in short sharp bursts and rewarding yourself is a good one.

Kind thoughts to you