How to Stay Motivated as an Online Student

How to Stay Motivated as an Online Student

Sometimes earning your degree online can feel like a slow process. Graduation can feel like a far-off goal when you’re trying to fulfill your academic assignments while also attending to your personal responsibilities. It can be difficult to keep the same level of motivation and excitement you had when just starting your degree. Being able to stay motivated in the face of any hardships and complacency will be important when trying to keep up with your studies. Having the right tools and strategies in place can help mitigate any negative thoughts and maintain a productive state of mind. Here are six tips on how to stay motivated while enrolled in an online degree program.

Motivation Tip #1: Create a Schedule and Stick to It

The ability to make an efficient schedule is a powerful time management skill. Being able to judge what needs to be done in a day while acknowledging how much of that work you will be able to actually complete is a necessary skill to have when working in a professional environment. Cultivating this skill can also help keep you motivated by showing a progression of how much work you have accomplished. It can also help by making large tasks more achievable by breaking them up into smaller amounts of work. You will have a larger feeling of accomplishment and be more motivated to do more this way than if you looked at the project as a whole.

Motivation Tip #2: Realistic (but Challenging) Expectations

When making goals for your studies, it can be easy to overestimate what you think can be done in a day. Starting with the highest goals in mind but only getting parts of it done due to responsibilities needing immediate attention. Making goals that will match up with what you are realistically capable of completing in a day will make you feel more accomplished when you meet these expectations. Instead of feeling defeated, you will be in a better position to succeed.

Motivation Tip #3: Short-term and Long-term Goals

Making both short-term and long-term goals for yourself is a great way to keep yourself motivated. Long-term goals like receiving a coveted promotion or a complete change in careers can provide strong reasons to complete your studies. However, these far-off goals are not the only ones you should have. Short-term goals like making a good grade on a test or completing assignments within a specific period can give more immediate gratification.

Motivation Tip #4: Create a Study Group

Online school is difficult to go at it alone. Everyone needs some kind of support while embarking on their education journey, and no one else has the insight into what kind of help you need like your fellow students. Being able to see you are not alone and that you have a group of people you can rely upon can be a great help in providing the motivation you need to succeed. You can help and encourage others in this same way, creating a feedback loop of positive energy.

Motivation Tip #5: Take Care of Yourself

Your emotional wellbeing can easily be overlooked when working toward your education goals. It is often said that we are our own worst critics. It can be easy to look at yourself and criticize every little thing that others may or may not observe about yourself. Practicing positive self-talk and reflection creates a kinder mindset. A positive mental state to tackle assignments can be created through the power of positive reinforcement. If you do well on an assignment or test, treat yourself with a special reward. This can give a faster and more tangible gratification than a good grade on a single task, thereby increasing your motivation. Even if you do not meet your goals, it is still worth giving yourself some kind of reward. Preventing burnout and lack of motivation is important when trying to achieve a long-term goal.

Find What Motivates You with LSU Online

LSU Online is just as motivated to see you succeed as you are. With our dedicated staff ready to assist you and answer any questions you may have, a new beginning for your education is ready to begin. Take a look at the options available to you here at LSU Online.