Having to do a lot of homework assignments and academic tasks that require writing and analytics is usually the worst thing for a student of any age. Things are even worse when all the stuff you have to do is difficult. Not only will you lack the will needed to do it, but also the motivation to even start. The harder it is the more time you will need to make yourself sit down and do it. And even if you do not often struggle with procrastination, it may take you hours to complete the job at hand due to the sheer volume or difficulty involved.
If these problems sound like something you experience on a weekly or monthly basis in your life, we have a very special guide for you. By the end of this article, you will have learned how best to complete difficult assignments faster and more efficiently. There will be enough tips and tricks to help you no matter if you are a college student or an employee who deals with accounting, statistics, or any type of data. You could always ask your friends and colleagues for help and advice, but you will still have to do the work yourself. If you wish to learn more about dealing with troublesome assignments, make sure to check out ThanksForTheHelp.
1. Start with a List
Although it sounds like the worst cliché imaginable regarding such issues, starting things off with a concise list will surely help you dearly. It will not really help you with the task itself per se. What it will help with is your mindset and how prepared you are in general. Having a step by step guide of all the stages and aspects that must take place before you have a finished project in your hands means that you know exactly what comes next. In addition, breaking stuff down into lesser tasks will allow you to feel accomplishments more often. It is hard when all you have is an unfinished task and a finished one in the end. Too much happens in between for you not to utilize it.
2. Try to Determine Time Frames
Right up there with making a list should be a form of a timetable or a schedule or at least a general guideline on how much time you need for specific things. Once you add it up you will roughly know how much of your day will be spent on your difficult assignment. From that point on, it will seem much easier because we tend to make a big deal out of tasks no matter how hard they actually are. When you write it down and look at the actual affair of things, you will clearly see that it is not nearly as bad as you previously thought.
3. Gather the Tools
Since it is an assignment, you will probably need quite a lot of gear to do it. If your workstation is not organized, more time will be spent on searching for things all over the desk and the room/office. The lack of organization within your immediate surroundings is the best way to remain unproductive throughout the whole assignment. Therefore, once you have the list and the general timeframe decided, gather all of the things you need in order to complete the task and have it at ready by your side. If that means a lot of papers and office supplies, have pens, pencils, rubbers, and rulers close by. If everything is done on the laptop, have it there plugged in, charged, with all of the tabs and programs open. A bottle of water within reach and you can start.
4. Isolate and Eliminate Distractions
If you stop for a second and think what usually prevents you from being more productive, you will clearly see that it is the things you enjoy doing in your free time. Since assignments always have due dates that measure in days or weeks, people give themselves a lot of freedom and leisure and then regret it as the date approaches. Once you have performed the above mentioned steps, it is time to go offline and unplug. Turn off the notifications, leave the smart devices in another room, and turn off the TV. Do not allow yourself to be easily distracted until you finish a full task from the list and the work will be done much faster.
5. Remember to Take Breaks
The fourth entry on the list does not mean that you should glue yourself to the chair until you finish everything. Far from it actually since you will grow tired of it and become annoyed with it, which are both extremely counterproductive. Taking regular breaks is important for a wide variety of reasons, from resting your eyes and stretching your legs to simply changing your environment for fifteen minutes or so and letting things settle and sink in. Just do not overdo it because it will be hard to go back to work. For example, the general rule of thumb is taking a break of fifteen minutes after sitting for one hour straight. A lot of work can be done in sixty minutes so a quarter of that to recharge your batteries is a nice reward and something to look forward to.
6. Actually Reward Yourself
A lot of people reward and treat themselves to things they enjoy after completing a challenging task. It does not have to be something big like an expensive gift to yourself. Not at all. What it should do is make you feel special and accomplished for completing something that you originally though would be impossible and very demanding. Since you are now done, it feels like an achievement and if you get yourself something nice the next time a similar assignment comes you will know that a reward will be waiting for you on the other side.
It is a system that works for so many busy people and there is a reason people use it for pets and when raising children. It brings motivation alongside the general positive feeling. Just like taking your regular breaks, however, it should not be overdone because that is how you can spoil yourself too much and start rewarding work that is barely finished.
