Picture this: It’s Wednesday night. You’re eating dinner. Suddenly you remember you have a 4-page paper due tomorrow and it was assigned 2 weeks ago. Where did the time go?
As you think back, you realize every night you would think, “I have time. I’ll work on that paper later.” Then you would scroll on your phone.
If only you had been more disciplined and hadn't waited for motivation to strike! You could have had a first draft done!
Fortunately, discipline is something you can develop now.
1. Connect School to Your Long-Term Goal
To tap into your discipline, connect school to your long-term goal(s). This is why discipline is important and why you should care about your schoolwork. Be specific with your goals. Some examples include:
Get a high school diploma so you don't have to take the GED later on (United States)
Earn a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering so you can get an engineering job
Complete bookkeeping classes at the community college because you're starting your own business
You want to be the first in your family to graduate
Keep your goal in sight!
Consider displaying your goal where you'll see it every day to keep you focused like:
A sticky note on your mirror in your room or bathroom
On your computer background
On the current page of your planner
2. View School as a Job
Have you ever worked a part-time or full-time job? You know it isn't always fun or exciting. Sometimes there are tasks you have to do to keep things running smoothly.
Just like a job, your teachers expect you to do the work assigned to you. This is why discipline is important! To treat school as a job, set a schedule for working the stuff you have to do outside of class like:
Homework
Reading your textbook and taking notes
Working on papers and/or projects
Studying for tests
3. Build Good Habits And Do A Little Everyday
It’s easier to be disciplined when something becomes a habit.
Even if you don’t have homework due tomorrow, try doing a little school work each day. Use this time to get a head start on a project or paper or make flashcards for one of your classes.
Discipline is important because it makes it less likely that things will pile up later. Check out 3 good habits for students to improve your study routinefor even more tips!
Quiz
You normally do homework after dinner but you realized you don't have any homework due tomorrow. What should you do? Select all that apply:
4. Know Your Optimal Stress
Not all stress is bad!
Too little stress and your motivation to do things will be low.
Too much stress and you’ll feel panic as you’re trying to get things done.
But just the right amount of stress will give you the motivation and a sense of urgency to get things done.
If you constantly feel “stressed out” when studying for a test or finishing homework, try starting a little sooner. See if you can find your sweet spot. You want just enough urgency to feel motivated but not overwhelmed.
Illustration by Abbey Berkebile with elements from Microsoft 365
5. Think of Studying as Practice Time
You wouldn’t expect to perform a solo in choir perfectly without practicing! It's the same for performing well on a test.
Types of practice:
When you study, think about what you’ll have to do on the test.
Do you have to solve math problems?
Keep practicing those types of math problems until you can do them without looking at your resources.
Do you have to write an essay? Practice:
Outlining your ideas
Bulleting evidence
Writing your thesis
This is why discipline is important! It gives you time to better prepare for exams than just re-reading your notes and textbook and it'll be more interesting!
Quiz
You need to study for your German class. What would be effective ways to practice what you are learning? Select all that apply:
6. Put Away Distractions
It’s so easy to get distracted even when you follow the tips above! When working on your schoolwork, put away anything that might distract you, including your phone.
If you use your laptop to take notes during class or need it to do your homework, turn off notifications until you’re done.
Consider working at your kitchen table or going to the library if your room has too many distractions.
Take Action
Now that you know why discipline is important and how to tap into it, it's time to improve your self-discipline!
Your feedback matters to us.
This Byte helped me better understand the topic.