Career Advice

Tips for Getting Out of A Mid-Semester Slump

posted on November 12, 2019 | by Hannah DiBella

If you’re reading this, you must be in a slump. October and November call for midterms and cozy weather which, for me, isn’t the greatest mix. The gloomy weather always makes me crave binge-watching way too many Netflix series and naps even more than I already do. Once the temperature starts to drop, leaves start falling and peppermint mochas start calling your name, school tends to become less and less appealing. If you are experiencing this too, then I have a few tips and tricks that will make your slump slightly easier (not promising it’ll go away completely).

Use a Planner

Now I know most of us own a planner, but do we REALLY use it? If you’re like me, buying planners and leaving them to collect dust is a habit. I got my planner for the school year and have actually written in it maybe a total of 10 times… oops. BUT, as I noticed myself getting lazier and procrastinating way too often, I felt compelled to open it up and give planning my days out another shot.

Writing down what your day will consist of, hour by hour, not only provides structure but adds somewhat of a guilt factor. Funny, right? It holds you accountable for the tasks you need to complete and there is nothing more satisfying than checking it off by the end of the day. Even if you are already in the routine of doing something day-to-day, it’s still helpful to write it down so that you’re able to clearly see the amount of time you have. Plan when you’re going to wake up (or try to), mark when you are going to classes, and fill up your free time with productive activities. That way you don’t waste the day!

BTW, the planner I currently use and absolutely LOVE is from this site. You’re able to customize it to fit your needs and add in pages that conform to your personal goals! If you aren’t the biggest fan of paper planners, Google Calendar is ALWAYS a great way to plan out your days, too.

Get Active

One of the hardest things to do when you’re in a slump is getting active. With so much on your plate and not having the desire to do much of anything, getting active always falls to the last on the list. But we all know how good it actually makes us feel (plus it inspires motivation in other areas of life, at least for me).

When planning out your day, try to set out at least 30 minutes to get your body moving. Not only does it make you physically feel better, but it also wakes your mind up. I always try to get active in the morning that way I don’t have time to make excuses as to why I shouldn’t go.

Once you get out of bed, put on your workout gear, slip on some running shoes and get out there! Whether you go run on the treadmill, lift some weights, or even go take your dog on a walk it will get you inspired to be productive for the rest of the day. This article should help too!

Limit Your Screen Time

There is truly nothing better than sitting on the couch, all cozied up, watching TV or messing around on your phone. When fall rolls around I always seem to spend hours upon hours a week doing exactly that, then HIGHLY regretting it at night time when I am drowning in all of the work I put off. It’s so easy to get lost in your screen when you are procrastinating tasks. I always tell myself, “Alright, 20 more minutes and then I will turn my phone off.” But those 20 minutes always seem to turn in to 40 minutes, then an hour, so on and so forth.

Something that has really helped me reduce my screen time is setting limitations on my phone. It notifies me when I have spent over an hour on Instagram that day or if I have spent over a total 3 hours using my phone in general. Being able to see the actual amount of time I have spent wasting time on my phone makes me want to put it down because I realize I could have been using that time doing something much more productive. I have set a goal for myself to NOT get those notifications and when I don’t, I feel SO much better and realize how much I have actually gotten done! Phones, computers and TV’s really are a black hole and are a huge reason we fall into slumps…especially when you have the attention span of an ant. Lessening your screen time could lead to much more productive days!

Trust me, I get it. It’s hard to be as energetic and motivated when the weather is gloomy and you’re diving head-on into midterm season. It’s weird how when work piles up, your bed just seems THAT much more appealing. BUT, using these tips you will conquer the mid-semester slump and make this fall your b*tch!

What helps you get through the mid-semester blues?