How To Stay Motivated at University

University is one of the most exciting, enthralling, and challenging times in your life. You’ll move to a new town or city, expand your mind with study, meet new people and make new friends. To make sure that you make the most of the entire experience, it is important that you remain focused on your studies.

Learning how to stay motivated at university is a skill that you must learn quickly if you want to achieve good grades at university while also enjoying other aspects of your life.

Achieving a work-life balance is an important lesson that will stand you in good stead for your future career and life post-university. We’ve put together some tips on how to stay motivated at university.

Tips for staying motivated

Here are some simple tips that you can easily implement into your life at university, helping you to stay motivated.

1. Plan ahead

Learning how to stay motivated at university starts with a simple premise – good planning. Planning each day, and week ahead, is a great way to help you achieve your goals and remained focused. Many students find it helpful to write plans down and daily tasks and goals in a physical notebook.

You can also transfer this into reminders and calendar events in your phone if this helps. Seeing a clear structure for the day and days ahead is a fantastic way to keep focus and motivation.

2. Stick to a routine

Wherever possible, stick to a routine that works for you. When you find the right time of the night to go to sleep, try and stick to that most nights.

The same with getting up and finding a morning routine that leaves you feeling fresh and motivated, whether that’s a certain time and type of breakfast, a walk before university or even making sure you have an hour to chill out and relax before you do anything with your day.

This also includes study time, so build it into your routine to always know there is a set time to get your work done.

3. Have clear deadlines

Create clear deadlines that are your own personal targets for finishing work but also make sure that you know your university deadlines for coursework and exams.

Add them to your phone calendar or write it on Post-it notes to stick on your desk, whatever works for you.

Once you have the deadlines clear in your mind, you can work backwards to create a plan of action to tackle each date, as every task will require different thought and planning.

4. Be open to support

We all have times where we are feeling the pressure of university and need support.

Understanding when you need to ask for support is important.

Confide in friends and family if you are feeling overwhelmed or seek out support from your tutors or university staff if you need extra support.

Knowing that support is there always helps to maintain motivation, and you will definitely get through rough patches and get to where you need to be.

5. Manageable chunks of work

When you are planning for an upcoming deadline or task, think about ways in which you can break the larger work down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

This could involve setting aside one afternoon to research a topic for an upcoming essay, another chunk of time to write the introduction, to write other parts, and then a block of time to proofread, add and check references etc.

Instead of studying the whole day in your student accommodation, setting smaller achievable goals to tackle can help you stay motivated.

6. Incentivise your work

Breaking down a large task into smaller parts not only makes it more manageable but also allows you to set milestones with rewards along the way.

Taking regular breaks and treating yourself to small incentives can keep you motivated throughout the process. For example, after an hour of focused work, reward yourself with a sweet treat and a 15-minute break before moving on to the next section.

At the end of the day, once you’ve completed everything on your task list, celebrate with something bigger, watch a movie you’ve been meaning to see or spend time with a friend to relax and unwind.

This structured approach keeps you productive while ensuring you stay motivated and enjoy the process.

7. Limit your device time

It’s really easy to get distracted when you are working. Our phones and other devices are around us all the time, so it is important that you put them away when you are going to get work done.

Doomscrolling on TikTok and Instagram is a sure-fire way to get demotivated and not to stay motivated, so put the phone away and don’t check anything until you’re at a break time.

8. Eat well, stay hydrated and exercise

To stay motivated and keep your mind sharp, it’s essential to take care of your body. Eating the right foods at the right times throughout the day can make a significant difference. Consider how you can nourish your body with the best fuel to maintain energy, focus, and overall well-being while you work.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day to remain hydrated (and don’t be distracted by energy drinks and fizzy drinks full of sugar), have set meals that are balanced and healthy and try to lay off the crisps and sweet snacks that can leave you crashing before the end of the day.

Also implement regular exercise into your routine to maintain good mental health, from going to the gym or playing team sports to just a daily walk at some point during your day.

9. Stick to instrumental music

If you like listening to music, you might think that having your favourite bangers playing while you study is a good idea to keep you upbeat and motivated. This might not actually be the best idea however, as instead of focusing on the work you’re more likely to be singing along, maybe dancing rather than the work itself.

Playing instrumental or ambient music is a great way to maintain focus and motivation, any songs that are calming, soothing, and don’t have lyrics to distract you.

There are many different facets to living a fulfilling life as a student. We’re always happy to offer advice and guidance to our students, whether it’s giving advice on the best places to eat in a certain city, how to remain a sustainable yet fashionable student on a budget, or how to balance your life to remain focused and motivated throughout your course.

How do you keep a good level of focus on your studies without impacting your social life and other areas of your life? We are always keen to hear from you.