The International Baccalaureate is one of the most gruelling school curriculums, so don’t worry if you feel a bit burnt out from time to time. Finding your motivation can get difficult, especially as assignments pile up and assessments loom in the distance. So, here are a few tips to keep you motivated as the academic year progresses.
Find Your Study Style
Experimenting between various study styles and finding one that suits you can become one of the most motivating aspects of studying. If you are someone who likes study groups, meeting your friends in a library is something that you can look forward to. If you are someone who enjoys studying via flashcards, the process of making them would become less of a task and more of an activity. Even something like cramming! While this may not be the best method for everyone, some retain the most information the night before the exam, so that’s normally when he studies.
Finding a study style that gives you consistent results can take off so much pressure, as you know that you can trust yourself and your chosen method to work. Moreover, finding people with similar study styles to your own can help keep you accountable, and it acts as a great support system.
Be Enthusiastic About Your Subjects
This might seem exceptionally simple, but I’ve found that it is those changes that make the most difference. Although IB allows you to choose your own subjects, there are situations in which you may end up with something you do not want to study. In those cases, I would recommend finding little things in the syllabus or class that make you happy, and then capitalise on those.
For example, I had to take Environmental Systems and Societies to complete the Diploma requirements. I don’t particularly enjoy the science aspects, but learning about historical, albeit environmental, case studies is moreso my niche, and so I always include as many of those as possible for each topic. Taking similar steps for any subject you don’t love can encourage you to study it more often!
To-do Lists!
The backbone of organisation in the IB curriculum, to-do lists! For me, the one positive aspect of having a lot of work is the 5 minutes every day that I spent organising my tasks into subject-wise and colour-wise divisions. Getting to cross them off at the end of the day brings a level of delight I do not think I could explain. I suggest breaking down larger, more daunting projects into smaller tasks so that everytime you cross something off, you get a boost of energy, motivating you to keep working.
I further encourage you to find a style of to-do lists that suits you best. While I enjoy subject-wise lists, a friend of mine makes a new list every day. It’s reached the point that she has a collection of 200+ to-do lists per year, for the last 3 years. Now if looking back at all your finished tasks isn’t motivating, I don’t know what is.
Take a Break
Sometimes, taking a break from all your work is the best solution. Spend a weekend doing absolutely nothing. Watch your favourite shows, read some books or just sleep! Forget about your work for 48 hours and then come back refreshed for the week ahead. If that long a break isn’t possible, a shorter one of a few hours could be equally reinvigorating.
Additionally, talking to some friends and family during this break can be helpful! Everyone experiences slumps from time to time, and getting an idea of what others did to exist said slump could be extremely motivating.
Celebrate Achievements
There will be smaller wins along the way to receiving your diploma, and it is just as important to celebrate these to maintain morale and keep you ready for the next win. This is something I practise often with my friend group, and I’ve found that being able to share my success with others just makes me more interested in the next opportunity to do the same.
For example, we would often keep each other updated on how much of the TOK IA we’ve completed. Every time someone finished writing, we were happy because we knew just how many rounds of feedback and hours of work went into those words. Similarly, everytime I master a particularly difficult maths topic, be rest assured all my friends have heard of it!
Final Notes
The rigorous demands of the IB curriculum can be demotivating at times, so having a positive mindset when tackling the school year is vital. These tips, as well as any other strategies that work for you, can be the difference between an enjoyable and an unpleasant year.
You may also like…
- “Time Is Ticking”: Sahana’s Guide to Procrastination
- How to Self-Study in the IBDP