It's not very physically demanding to sit at a desk and write an essay, but as you probably know, it can be exhausting. Your mind requires energy and it takes effort to focus and think.
As it turns out, it has been shown that we only possess a limited amount of mental energy/willpower each day. It's neither in infinite supply (don't just "try harder") and you don't lack it (everybody has willpower, even if it might be low from time to time).
This willpower/mental energy is replenished during the night when we sleep (one of the many reasons why good sleep is an important part of studying. More on that in a another article). So, if you feel like you should study, but can't bear it, it may be because you have already spent your daily amount.
Of course, It's possible to increase your total amount of mental energy with practice, healthy food and good sleep. But it's usually easier to first cut unnecessary spending. These hacks will quickly let you become more productive and, more importantly, make you feel better.
Decision-making is a real drain for mental energy, consuming it fast. Some decisions are of course important, but we also make lots of lesser decisions each day, such as:
“Would I like tea or coffee for breakfast?”
"Should I ride a bike or take the bus today?"
“What should I pack in my bag?”
If we eliminate small decisions such as these, by creating routines, we can quickly regain more energy. It's a strategy that has worked for several successful people, including Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, who even wore/wear the same clothes every day to save their energy for bigger and more important decisions.
By creating your own routines, you can let certain tasks go on autopilot, not requiring your effort. It' can be things such as:
- Having the same thing for breakfast every day
- Always cycling to school (regardless of weather)
- Having a pre-packed school bag with all pens, books, etc.
Think about it and see what you can simplify in your everyday life, and create new habits.
Another example that many people recognize would be going to the gym. Imagine if you have to pack a new bag each and every time, involving searching for your stuff from all over the place. Maybe you even have to go out of your way to get there, if it's in another part of town. Then going becomes a whole project, and hard to implement as a habit as it's too tiring.
What could have been done instead? Well, In this case you might choose to have a pre-packed bag in the hallway, always ready for you to just grab and go, and also start going to a gym that's already along your daily commute. A no-brainer to stop by and do your thing. Much easier, right?
Getting too many impressions in a day (social media, news, chats, etc.) also takes away from your daily mental energy. It easily becomes a vicious circle, as these things may seem even more appealing when you're tired. It's in human nature to seek information, but historically it has been in short supply (unlike now). If you limit the amount of impressions you seek out, you will be able to think more clearly and have get more inner peace.
Why not try a week without social media and news, just to try it out and see how it feels? Don't worry, you'll still hear the most important news anyway, from word of mouth. After the week, as a nice reset, you can find the level of information flow that suits you.
There are studies that show that our human brain cannot think about several things at once (multitasking). But we get the illusion that we can, as the brain is quick to switch between its tasks, back and forth. However, this takes time and energy. It is therefore more efficient to finish one thing at a time. Focused work requires less energy.
So what does your day look like? Is there something you put energy into without thinking about it? Is there anything you can automate? Also think about how you plan your study day, so that you have energy left. A tactic is therefore to study in the morning when you have the most energy. And enjoy your afternoon-free time. Good luck and have more fun!