Nikhil – MyMajors Student Intern

School demands a lot from a student, and sometimes my resolve isn’t equal to the task. The problem, however, did not lie with the subject matter but rather the way I studied. Once I sat down to study, I would deviate my attention to social media and pointless websites (yes, I’ve seen the cat photos). Almost paradoxically, I wouldn’t take a single real break, and thus find myself laboring to finish at 11. Hardly a recipe for success.

I recently watched a video on motivation given by a psychologist (my life is sad), and he proposed a radical notion. He said that unrestricted free time in the middle of a directed activity yields better results. In English, by taking a break in the midst of homework to do whatever you really enjoy leads to better focus, work, and eventually, grades. At first, I raised my eyebrows, but he presented a very good argument (I’ll share the link to the video to those interested). He said that everyone yearns for self-autonomy (the ability to have control over their own lives), and when we are directed to do work, it doesn’t feed our souls. If we instead spent our time doing just what we wanted to do, we’d probably do a better job. Convinced, I tried his method.

It really works. When I’m writing poetry or blogging, I lose track of time. I found that taking half an hour off to engage in my nerdy hobbies led to increased focus for hours on end. I strongly encourage anyone with a daily avalanche of homework to try this out.

One word of caution though: don’t spend that free time doing something pointless. The Facebook notifications, as plenty as there may be, don’t really give you joy (except maybe that special someone liking your profile picture..yeah, that’s legitimate joy). Try doing something you have a passion for. I know a guy who loves claymation, and he spends hours doing it on his weekends. I’d say there’s not much risk in following your heart for half an hour a day.

I don’t find school all that captivating. It can be interesting at times, but it is quite a feat to ask Spanish homework to be interesting when you’ve been pouring over other homework for three hours. I just excuse myself for a little break, snuggle up in my beanbag and read Harry Potter. Once I’m back, I can weave my own wand and finish my with with an increased gusto. Expecto productivio

Nikhil

I like to think I'm an interesting character. I love listening to movie soundtracks as much as I love listening to Eminem, and I hate chocolate almost as much as I hate cake. Most importantly however, I like to write. Whether it be poetry, a column, or a blog, I lose track of time doing it. I hope I can give similar joy to my readers :D

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