Strategies to Stay Motivated in an Online Course:

  • Think about the reasons you are in school….
  • Create realistic goals….
  • Visualize the outcome….
  • Create a sensible schedule and stick to it….
  • Sit down and start one small thing…
  • Reward yourself…
  • Aim for balance….
  • Stay positive..
  • Seek help if you are struggling….

Motivation

What is motivation?

Motivation is what causes you to take the necessary steps to achieve a goal. According to experts, motivation and procrastination are faces of the same coin. By reading this you have already shown motivation. Good for you, and that Is not a false compliment. Experts have found that motivation is like a muscle; it can be strengthened. All you need to do is to keep showing up, like you just did here. We have also canvassed SIDES students who are succeeding at online learning. What is SUCCESS? Their success is realized when they complete one online course. Once you can do this, you will have demonstrated: DISCIPLINE, COMMITMENT and GRIT—the exact opposite of procrastination. You will be proud of your tremendous achievement. Just remember you are at a school whose business is learning. So, we are going to support you along the way. Your focus is to just show up and keep showing up. Learning comes in chunks, so you are going to focus all your energies on the first chunk, which is called the START. Once you get the hang of this learning, you will see the benefits of having to work through the content entirely at your pace. My goal, and challenge to you, is for you to enjoy your learning journey. There is tremendous fun involved in learning although it is not the type of fun on a video game. No, this type of fun is the kind that is embedded in the challenge. Embrace the competition. It is now time to take your first step.

Step 1:  Set up your workspace.

Find yourself a space where you will show up for the daily challenge. Your designated workspace. Everything you need must be at this workplace, and nobody better mess with it. This is where you have your paper, pencils, printer and computer. It is a workout, and this space will be your gym. You instinctively know the benefits of it. Listen I do not want to cause you stress. If ANXIETY is part of your motivation challenge, you need to set it up so you're your anxiety is reduced in order to help you show up. Our counsellors are all here to support you fully in your learning. We have your back. Now let's look at how you are going to show up. 

Step 2:  Set up your support structure.

You are going to need a coach or home facilitator in this challenge. When your mind is telling you a thousand different things to do, or the alarm clock is not waking you up, then your coach is going to remind you of what you need to do. In the online learning world, the role of the coach or home facilitator is fundamental to your learning process. The coach's role is not to enforce rules but rather to motivate you. When your coach needs help coaching, they can reach out to us, the counsellors. We are all working on the same challenge. What you need next is a plan.

Step 3:  Make a plan.

So, now let's write your implementation intentions. These are the specific details of your plan. A plan which is designed to make it more likely that you will succeed and reach your goal. It is your Manifesto, your DECLARATION, and the motivation to get you to show up. Start with A and bring yourself to be guided by option B.

A. On this day, during this week, at this time and in this place, I will try to complete at least 20 minutes of learning.

B. On this day, during this week, at this time and in this place, I will try to finish an assignment for ____________________

By making this declaration, you are putting into practice the key influence to get you to your computer and open your SIDES courses. This is routine and routine has its benefit if practiced consistently over time. It leads to what are known as tiny gains. Tiny gains are the small steps that you make in order to move you forward towards your goal. These small steps can tehn add up to something huge!

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." Bruce Lee

 Step 4: Leveraging the START – Let’s make motivation a habit.

The 3 R's of motivational habits are: Reminder, Routine and Reward. So, you have a workspace, you have a coach, you have a plan and now you have a purpose: These are your reminders, your triggers that will cause the formation of other positive habits such as grit, commitment, and discipline or your keystone habits. The routine is something you need do consistently every day. This is your pen to paper time. First start at 20 minutes and then build yourself up to completing assignments, then units and finally exams. The inevitable reward, the golden reward, is the benefit you gain from meeting your daily goals. It is something to be proud of and celebrated. Experts indicate there is a two-minute rule when you are trying to do something you may not want to do (Procrastination). It goes something like this: There is no habit that is going to go away in just two minutes. However, one can start new habits in under two minutes. It is within these two minutes that procrastination is at its loudest and strongest. If you can sustain it for two minutes, you will find that it soon will lead to 5 minutes, which will then lead to 20 minutes and so on and this will ultimately lead to success.

Remember, motivation can only come after you have started something and not before.

Resources

SIDES students indicated that part of their routine is watching an MOTIVATIONAL videos. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj7oStGLkU&t=286s

Useful Apps for getting you organized with your homework.
https://myhomeworkapp.com/

Useful App to help you write down TO DO lists.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alsedi.abcnotes&hl=en_CA&gl=US

Useful App to help you with your math (Basic Math & Pre-Algebra).
cliffsnotes.com

Math/Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/math

How to teach your brain to to like doing hard things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7w5r5PfBKo

What is procrastination?

 Procrastination is something that everyone is challenged with at one time or another in their life.  Procrastination involves the delaying of working on an important task or goal you have committed to doing, with no valid reason for delaying it. Instead, you choose to do something else of lesser importance, despite the negative consequences that can result.  You simply cannot persuade yourself to start the task you need to complete.  Why can it be so hard to follow through?

Why do we procrastinate?

What is going on in our brains that prevents us from doing what we know we should?  One problem is that the human brain tends to value immediate rewards (instant gratification) over future rewards (delayed gratification).  As a result, people will do something they want to do instead of something they know they have to do. This leads to the feeling of instant gratification which makes us feel good for a moment.  However, if you can resist the temptation to go for the instant gratification activity, you will be able to get a long-lasting and important reward (the delayed gratification).

Some people may experience what is known as decision paralysis.  Decision paralysis comes with having the freedom to make your own decisions about the many choices and opportunities available to you but being overwhelmed or confused about what is essential for you to get done.  This can lead to you being unable to decide what to do and, therefore, not being able to do anything at all. The biggest hurdle to finishing a task can be getting started on it in the first place.

Decision paralysis can also result when an individual has the desire to complete tasks and goals perfectly. They can fear failure or success on a task.  It is critical that you realize it is tough to make things perfect the first time you are doing them.  You may need to go back and do some revisions. So you need to start on something so that you are able to revise it.

There can also be a lack of motivation, or the correct motivation, available to make you realize that every second you waste is gone forever.

How do you procrastinate?

What do you do to procrastinate?  Do you watch TV, go out with friends, sleep or go shopping? Do you excuse procrastination and say that you will get it done tomorrow?  It is important to figure out the types of activities you do that will keep you from completing an important task or goal.   We all need enjoyable things in our life to maintain good mental health, but these need to be in balance with getting essential things done.  Without this balance, the act of procrastination can actually lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. 

So what can be done about procrastination?

There are a number of different things you can do to break your habit of procrastination.  Reading about how to stop procrastination is a start but it will only get you so far.  You need to learn how to make it a habit to get things done.  Here are some strategies you can use to develop your habit of completing tasks and reaching goals.

  • Plan to work on your task or goal for a small amount of time, such as 5-10 minutes, at the time of day you are most productive. For some people that is at the start of the day when they are feeling rested but for the others it is in the evening. Spending a small amount of time on it will make it seem more manageable, achievable and less like a chore. The idea is to increase the time you spend on your goal or task as you get better at working on it. This will get you started on the task which is the biggest hurdle to completing it.
  • Create a daily To-Do list. This can help you to determine what the most important tasks to do are so that you can get going on them first.  Focussing on what you need to accomplish in a day will lead to improved work productivity. A To-Do list is also a good visual reminder of what you need to focus on what you need to accomplish. You can quickly refer to it when you feel yourself starting to procrastinate so you can get back on track.  For some people, completing a few of the smaller tasks first, can help to motivate them to start working on the harder tasks.  You will need to figure out what works best for you.
  • Be accountable for your actions. Take responsibility for the fact that there are just things you need to get done. You may benefit from having a friend keep you on track or reminders in your calendar that let you know of deadlines that are coming up.
  • Give yourself a reward for working towards and completing a task or goal. You may listen to your favourite music as you exercise or once you finish a task, you watch TV. Taking a short break is good and you can then start up again later feeling refreshed and more energized to continue working.
  • Make the consequences more immediate for procrastination. Tell yourself that if you don't complete a certain amount of work, then you cannot do something later that day that you enjoy. This helps to build self-discipline which will take you far in life.
  • Be consistent. If you work on breaking the habit of procrastination every day, eventually it will become easier for you to do.  

Resources:

https://jamesclear.com/procrastination

https://procrastination.com/what-is-procrastination

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/featured/read-this-now-stop-procrastinating-and-get-stuff-done-or-else.html

What is perfectionism? 

Many people have high standards and this is not necessarily a bad thing. It can show you are striving to achieve a goal and that you have a good work ethic. It is good to push yourself to do your very best.

However, do you have the need to be perfect and appear perfect to others in order to be happy? Do you believe if people can see your flaws they will not like you? When you set standards, are they so high that they cannot be met, or met with great difficulty? Are you critical of yourself when you don’t achieve perfection in a task or meet a goal? If so, this is known as perfectionism and it can prevent you from accomplishing what you need to do. Perfectionism can cause you anxiety, frustration, anger and stress. It can also have a negative impact on your motivation, self-esteem, schoolwork, relationships and overall happiness with life. It can be exhausting as well. 

It is much healthier to become what is known as a high achiever rather than a perfectionist. How can you do this? The key is to determine where your focus lies. High achievers strive for excellence, are able to learn from their mistakes and celebrate their achievements. Perfectionists are far more critical of themselves and fearful of making a mistake. A good thing to remember is that if you lose your perfectionistic tendencies, you will actually excel at your given tasks. This is due to the increased motivation you will experience as a result of releasing yourself from the grip of perfectionism. You also will not be dealing with self-defeating behaviours such as procrastination.

How to Overcome Perfectionism – Be a high achiever instead. 

Step 1: Learn to recognize perfectionism. 

The first thing you need to do is determine if you are a perfectionist. Here are some questions you can ask yourself:

  • Do you have “all or nothing” thinking where being almost perfect is seen as failure? 
  • Are you highly critical of yourself and others? Do you have catastrophic thinking and react poorly if things do not go well? 
  • Do your standards prevent you from meeting deadlines and completing your work because they are unrealistic? 
  • Do you become embarrassed, fearful, angry, anxious, depressed or frustrated about making mistakes? Do you refuse to try new things for fear of failure or making a mistake? Do you think people will not like you if you make a mistake? 
  • Do you fall victim to “should” statements? Ie. I should never make a mistake in my schoolwork.
  • Are you overly focussed on reaching a goal? You see the goal and nothing else. 
  • Do you tend to procrastinate or give up easily when frustrated or overwhelmed?
  • Are you upset by not receiving 100% on a test or assignment? Do you constantly redo your work to improve it? 
  • Do you get defensive, or shut down, when a person gives you constructive criticism?
  • Do you worry excessively about your physical appearance? 

Step 2: Use tools to overcome perfectionism 

Tool Tip A: Change your perfectionistic thinking. Here are some things you can do: 

  1. Realistic thinking involves looking at all sides of a situation whether it is positive, negative or neutral, before reaching a conclusion. You will need to replace any critical and negative self-talk with positive statements. In other words, be kind to yourself. For example,  
  • Everyone makes mistakes, it is part of the learning process. 
  • Nobody is perfect, I can only do my best 
  • What is the worst that can happen? 

Identify thoughts that are not helpful to you and challenge them. Ask yourself if the thought is based on fact or just something you are thinking could happen. Are you confusing a possibility with a certainty? 

Tip: you can make flash cards of realistic statements and carry them around with you. These flashcards must consist of positive coping statements and kind words that will help you deal with stressful and uncertain situations. For example, tell yourself you CAN do it rather than you are going to fail. You can practice reciting these statements until they become second nature for you. Then, when you have a hard time thinking realistically they will be easier to recall. 

  1. Perspective taking forces you to challenge your negative thoughts and negative self-talk. Try to see things from another person’s point of view. Is making a mistake really all that bad? In fact, mistakes can have value. They can give you new information that you did not have before and you can learn from these mistakes on how to improve for next time. A mistake does not equal failure. Try to silence that inner critical voice that says you and your work are not good enough as this wrecks havoc on your self-esteem.  
  2. Looking at the big picture means that you don’t worry about all of the small details of a task. Rather, focus on the end goal and how to achieve it. It is true, you don’t need to sweat the small stuff. Focus on the joy and process of learning something new. Celebrate any success you have as you move towards a goal. 
  3. Compromising allows you to develop flexible and realistic standards for yourself. Keep in mind that lowering your standards does not mean you have no standards at all. You just want to have realistic standards that will help you meet your goals without having a negative impact on your mental health. Don’t let perfectionism keep you from having a balanced and fulfilled life. The cost of having such high standards may be hurting you more than you realize. Some very real problems can be panic attacks, procrastination, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. 
  4. Learn to view criticism, or constructive criticism, as helpful feedback, rather than an attack on you and your work. It is just a way to help you learn and improve yourself. 
  5. It is okay to ask for help if you are unsure of how to change your way of thinking. 

Tool Tip B: Change Perfectionistic Behaviour 

  1. In order to change your behaviour, you need to change your way of thinking, so the strategies under Tool # 1 are key.  
  2. Perfectionists tend to have a fear of making mistakes and, as a result, are often very skilled at finding them. So, you will need to become comfortable with making mistakes. Focus on the positive work you have done and determine what level of imperfection you are willing to tolerate. 
  3. Stop yourself from setting unrealistic standards. Admit to yourself that it is hard to do something perfect the first time. So, make sure your goal is to complete the task first. You can always edit and refine it later. Also, ask yourself if the standard you are creating for a task is necessary. Is someone just looking for background information or a polished presentation? Accept the standards someone else has set for the task and just meet those.  
  4. Set appropriate time limits for tasks and stick to them. You may have to experiment a little with this but you should be able to come up with reasonable ones. For example, if you are looking up a few definitions and answering some questions, 30 minutes can be enough to complete this task. However, you may need 2 hours to write an essay. What you don’t want to do is spend 2 hours working on something that can be done in 30 minutes. This will only increase your stress, anxiety and desire to procrastinate.  

Tool Tip C: Overcome procrastination by creating a realistic schedule and setting priorities of what you need to get done during that time.  

  1. You can post a schedule for your school subjects on the wall. This way you can see when you need to be working on Math, Science, English or taking a break to have lunch.  
  2. You can also have a calendar with the due dates of assignments and tests written on it for your different subjects. This can allow you to see what is coming up and help you prioritize what you need to focus on for the day. 

Step 3: Reward yourself 

Be sure to maintain balance in your life. You need to have hobbies and things you do for fun as well as schoolwork. 

Perfectionists tend to lead very focussed and narrow lives since it is difficult to be perfect in a variety of activities. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Do something you enjoy after you try something new or notice that you are operating as a high achiever rather than a perfectionist. You can go for a walk, get together with friends or just relax when you have completed a task or reached a goal. This can be very motivating and help you enjoy your success. It will also move you further along the path to becoming a high achiever. 

Keep in mind, you will not be able to change your behaviour overnight. It may have taken years to develop perfectionism so it will take time and hard work to reform this behaviour. You will need to be patient with yourself as you take a number of small steps that will eventually lead you to high achiever status. 

RESOURCES: 

Anxiety Canada. “Help Your Child Overcome Perfectionism”. Here to Help. 2015.
https://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/infosheet/helping-your-child-overcome-perfectionism. 

Anxiety Canada. “How to Overcome Perfectionism.
https://www.anxietycanada.com/articles/how-to-overcome-perfectionism/ 

Scott, Elizabeth. “How to Overcome Perfectionism.” Verywellmind. September 27, 2020.
https://www.verywellmind.com/overcoming-perfectionism-how-to-work-past-perfectionism-3144700 

Scott, Elizabeth. “Perfectionist Traits: Do These Sound Familiar? Are Too-High Expectations Wrecking Your Inner Peace?” Verywellmind. February 22, 2020. 
https://www.verywellmind.com/signs-you-may-be-a-perfectionist-3145233