Discipline Archives - Daniel Wong

How to Get Motivated to Study: 23 Tips for Students Who Procrastinate

Updated on December 5, 2018 By Daniel Wong 39 Comments

Is it hard for you to get motivated to study?

Let’s face it…

It’s so easy to watch just one more YouTube video, or to scroll through your social media feed just one more time.

But your exams are approaching. They’re getting nearer by the day.

You have a rising sense of panic, but you don’t know where to begin. The more you panic, the harder it is to get to work.

If this is the situation you’re in, keep reading.

In this article, I’m going to explain 23 proven strategies that successful students use to motivate themselves to study.

Get ready to say goodbye to procrastination!

FREE BONUS: This article is 3,000 words long, so I’ve created a PDF summary for your convenience. Download it here for free. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus 7 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

1. Discover why you procrastinate

Procrastination is a complex problem that can have many different causes.

Here are some of the most common:

You’ve convinced yourself that your homework is beyond your abilities
Putting off your homework is a way of rebelling against your parents or teachers
You’ve decided the topic is boring
You’re waiting for the “perfect” time to start
The task has become so overwhelming that you don’t know where to start

Understanding why you procrastinate is a key first step to getting motivated.

Spend some time reflecting on what makes you procrastinate. This will enable you to identify which of the following tips will help you the most.

2. Break the material down into chunks

A major cause of procrastination is that the task ahead seems overwhelming.

That’s when you need to “chunk down”.

Break down each task into small chunks.

Assign yourself a certain number of those chunks each day. Suddenly, you’re no longer faced with a scary task, but rather a series of manageable chunks.

A chunk might be reading three pages of your textbook, completing five multiple-choice questions, or finding three reference articles on the Internet for your paper.

3. Reward yourself

Every time you complete one or two chunks, reward yourself with a short period of relaxation.

It could be five minutes on your favourite smartphone game, a short walk, or playing the guitar.

Rewarding yourself with short and enjoyable breaks is a key part of the “chunking down” technique. [Read more…]

40 Ways to Be Successful in School: Practical Tips for Students

Updated on December 5, 2018 By Daniel Wong 48 Comments

Do you think of yourself as a smart student?

Probably not.

If you’re like most students, you probably feel as if you take a while to grasp new concepts.

Or that you don’t perform up to expectations because of exam stress.

I know… It seems as if successful students are born smart. No matter what else is going on in their personal lives or extracurricular activities, they always get good grades.

I was a straight-A student throughout my academic career, but I’ll be the first to declare that grades aren’t everything. Grades are only one part of your education.

I’ve come to realise that successful students aren’t more intelligent than other students.

They’re just more disciplined and focused, and they’ve developed winning habits.

So even if you don’t feel as if you’re a smart student, don’t worry.

In this article, I’m going to share with you how to be successful in school, even if you don’t think of yourself as a good student. (Download the free bonus below to learn 10 bonus tips too!)

BONUS: This article is 3,500 words long, so I’ve created a PDF summary for your convenience. Download it here for free. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus 10 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

1. Rely on systems, not motivation

Students who do well in school don’t wait until they’re in the mood to study before they get down to work.

Neither do they wait until they feel motivated before they start preparing for an exam.

Instead, successful students rely on systems to ensure that they get the work done, even when they don’t feel like it.

(Keep on reading to find out what some of these systems are.)

2. Review any new information you’ve learned on the same day

This daily review won’t take long to complete, but it’s a vital step that ensures you stay on top of the material.

Applying this tip will also help you to move the information to your long-term memory more quickly. [Read more…]

45 Time Management Tips for Students (Advice From a Lifelong Straight-A Student)

Updated on February 21, 2018 By Daniel Wong 17 Comments

Everyone gets the same 24 hours each day.

Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Isaac Newton, Eleanor Roosevelt, Leonardo da Vinci – they all had 24 hours a day, just like you and me.

What enabled them to lead such significant lives?

They managed their time well.

This article is all about effective time management tips for students.

As a student, I got straight A’s while sleeping eight hours a night, and graduated from Duke University with a GPA of 3.98/4.0.

(I don’t say this to boast, because education definitely isn’t only about getting straight A’s!)

But given that so many students ask me to share time management tips with them, I decided to compile the best ones I know.

By putting the tips in this article into practice, you’ll become more focused and less stressed.

You’ll have more time to do meaningful things outside of school too!

So let’s take a look at the 45 tips.

BONUS: Download a free PDF summary of this article. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus 5 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

1. Take a study break every 40 to 50 minutes

Research shows that working in blocks of 40 to 50 minutes is optimal for productivity.

If you feel as if you can’t focus for that long, try out the Pomodoro Technique for a start.

2. If you’re feeling unmotivated, set a timer for two minutes

If you don’t feel like doing work, set a timer for two minutes. Then tell yourself that you just need to focus for that amount of time.

Chances are that once you’ve started work, you’ll continue even after the two minutes are up.

3. Make good use of your travel time

It’s tempting to use your commute time to surf the Internet or go through your social media feeds.

But you can use the time to think about a concept you haven’t grasped, write in your gratitude journal, or listen to an audiobook.

This is a simple time management tip that goes a long way in helping you become a successful student! [Read more…]

How to Get Organised for School: 30 Simple Tips for Students

Updated on January 17, 2019 By Daniel Wong 11 Comments

Note: I’ve received comments and messages telling me that the word “organised” in the title should be spelled as “organized”. But I write in British English, where the word really is spelled as “organised”. 🙂

Life as a student is busy. There’s so much going on.

If you’re not organised and you feel like you’re not on top of things, stress can build up.

You might end up working late and sleeping less to try to catch up, but this isn’t a good habit.

Getting organised for school is all about developing good habits and systems.

Through my experiences, I’ve come up with these 30 simple tips that will help students to become organised, productive, and effective.

BONUS: Download a free PDF summary of this article. The PDF contains all the tips found here, plus 3 exclusive bonus tips that you’ll only find in the PDF.

1. Develop a routine

Consistency is the key to student success. So write down your general weekly schedule and create a routine.

Include things like when you’ll do your homework, when you’ll review the things you’ve learned, when you’ll exercise, and so on.

It’s not possible to stick to a routine 100% of the time, but at least set up the framework to keep you focused and on track.

2. Set rules for yourself

Set some very specific rules for yourself. These could be things like “complete all projects and assignments at least two days before they are due” or “start studying for tests at least one week in advance”.

Review your rules once a month and adjust them if necessary.

3. Write everything down

No one has a perfect memory, and trying to remember everything is stressful. So make a habit of writing down all your events, meetings, ideas, and things you need to do.

Use a notebook or planner, or try an app like Google Keep or Any.do that you can use on your phone and computer.

When you write everything down, you’ll be less anxious because you won’t be relying on your brain as a storage device. [Read more…]

How to Stop Procrastinating on Homework: 30 Powerful Tips That Work

Updated on December 5, 2018 By Daniel Wong 17 Comments

You know what it feels like when everything hits you at once, right?

You have three tests to study for. You have a math assignment due tomorrow. And then you’ve got a history report due the day after.

You tell yourself to get down to work.

But with so much to do, you feel overwhelmed.

And so you procrastinate.

You check Facebook, watch a few YouTube videos, and grab yourself a drink.

But you know that none of this is bringing you closer to getting the work done.

Sound familiar?

Don’t worry – you’re not alone. Procrastination is a problem that everyone faces, but there are ways around it.

By following the tips in this article, you’ll be able to overcome it.

So read on to discover 30 powerful tips to help you stop procrastinating on your homework.

FREE BONUS: Handy PDF summary of this article, which includes 3 bonus tips.

Enter your email in the box below to download the PDF file.

Get your FREE summary and 3 bonus tips

1. Take a quiz to see how much you procrastinate.

The first step to changing your behavior is to become more self-aware.

How often do you procrastinate? What kinds of tasks do you tend to put off? Is procrastination a small or big problem for you?

To answer these questions, I suggest that you take this online quiz designed by Psychology Today.

2. Figure out why you’re procrastinating.

Procrastination is a complex issue that involves multiple factors.

Are you procrastinating because:

You’re not sure you’ll be able to solve all the homework problems?
You’re subconsciously rebelling against your teachers or parents?
You’re not interested in the subject or topic?
You’re physically or mentally tired?
You’re waiting for the perfect time to start?
You don’t know where to start?

Once you’ve identified exactly why you’re procrastinating, you can pick out the tips in this article that will get to the root of the problem.

3. Write down what you’re procrastinating on.

Students tend to procrastinate when they’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed.

But you might be surprised to discover that simply by writing down the specific tasks you’re putting off, the situation will feel more manageable.

It’s a quick solution, and it makes a real difference.

Give it a try and you’ll be less likely to procrastinate. [Read more…]

15 Ways to Overcome Smartphone Addiction

Updated on December 5, 2018 By Daniel Wong 11 Comments

Nomophobia is short for “no-mobile-phone phobia.”

It’s the fear of being away from your smartphone or not having network coverage.

And it’s on the rise.

87% of young adults say their smartphone never leaves their side, while 80% of smartphone users check their phone within 15 minutes of waking up.

Smartphone addiction is becoming a big problem. Here are some signs of addiction:

You frequently use your phone at mealtimes.
You spend more time on your phone than interacting with others in person.
You frequently use your phone when you know you should be doing something else more productive.
You frequently use your phone while performing tasks that require focus, such as completing an assignment, writing a report, or driving.
You feel uncomfortable when your phone isn’t with you.
You sometimes check your phone in the middle of the night.

Are you an addict, or do you know someone who is?

No matter how mild or severe the addiction is, here are 15 ways to help you overcome it.

If you implement the tips, I guarantee you’ll break this habit.

Here are the 15 tips:

1. Turn off notifications.

Many people get distracted by the endless notifications they receive from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, and other apps.

You don’t need to know right away if someone “likes” your status update, follows you on Instagram, or sends you an email.

The more often you check your phone, the more it becomes an ingrained habit. So turn off notifications and you’ll feel less compelled to use your phone.

The only apps for which you don’t turn off notifications might be your text messaging app and your calendar app. This is because sometimes you’re urgently waiting for a text, or your calendar app notifications keep you on schedule. [Read more…]

8 Truths That Successful Students Understand

Updated on March 15, 2017 By Daniel Wong 7 Comments

Student Through my work with 15,000 students so far, I’ve begun to see what separates successful students from not-so-successful ones.

And I’m not just talking about academic performance. I’m talking about their overall development, and their willingness to learn and grow, even through disappointments.

The key doesn’t lie in successful students’ innate intelligence or talent. Instead, the foundation of their success lies in their beliefs — the truths they take to heart.

These are the eight most important truths that successful students both understand and embrace:

1. Life is challenging

Many students expect life to be relatively easy. They know that hard work is important, but they don’t believe they’ll need to work that hard to get what they want.

For example, I once gave a talk to an auditorium filled with 18-year-old students. At the end of the talk, a student came up to me and said, “Thank you for the talk, Daniel! I’m feeling inspired. I’d like to ask you: What can I do to ensure that I find a fulfilling career in the future?”

After telling him that I appreciated his enthusiasm, I recommended that he start by reading two books, Do What You Are and What Color is Your Parachute?.

In an instant, a puzzled look washed over his face. He said dejectedly, “Oh, but I don’t like reading. I won’t be able to make it through two books…”

This student wanted to find a fulfilling career that would last him a few decades, but he wasn’t willing to read two books. Somehow, he believed that building a rewarding career shouldn’t take too much effort.

Unfortunately, this mindset is prevalent among students.

Successful students, on the other hand, understand that life is tough, but that overcoming challenges makes life more meaningful. [Read more…]