engineeriblr

[engineeriblr]

Hi!

How to not feel dumb in college? When i was in school, i thought i was pretty smart but then i entered college and it feels like everyone is smarter than me. This is affecting my daily life and studies too. What should I do? How do i start studying again?

Hello 👋🏻😊 That’s a common feeling and it’s understandable that you’d feel that way considering you’re struggling academically, and surrounded by smart people. Understandable, but in need of re-framing.

Firstly, the fact that you care about studying is a great sign. The fact that you’re seeking advice is also a great sign. I’m guessing you’re someone who values personal growth; that trait alone will take you further than almost any other.

Second, it’s important to remember that feelings are not facts. Just because you feel like your peers are smarter or more capable, it doesn’t mean you’re right. I think you need to do some reflecting and figure out why you feel dumb.

Try to poke holes in your theory:

In your class, is everyone there above your level academically, or are they just less shy than you about contributing to class discussion?

Has anyone ever commented negatively on your academic ability or intelligence?

Do you have a history of feeling dumb in other areas of your life, such as perceived social inadequacy?

Is your self-esteem low in general?

Were you ever bullied for anything, therefore expect to be attacked or ridiculed when you show “weakness?”

Do you come from a family that values academic achievement and their praise was your incentive, but now you aren’t being praised by the people around you?

Do you feel over-shadowed by a sibling? When siblings compete for the approval of a parent, it can greatly affect the self-worth of all siblings involved, because parental approval meant life or death when we were young — and that conditioning is hard to re-wire, if not impossible; our parent’s opinions will likely always matter.

Another way to phrase this question might be, “what makes me feel smart?”

The arena you play in makes a difference:

High school is generalized, college is specialized. You’re here with people who are passionate about the subject, and likely know a lot about it. In high school, you were with a bunch of people who A) most likely did not want to be there and therefore tried less, B) did not choose (most) of the classes they took, and C) may have been bad at those subjects because they didn’t care about them.

High school doesn’t do a very good job of preparing students for post-secondary. It’s possible you just haven’t yet developed the skills required to excel in post-secondary. You might still be in a learning curve.

Reasons why feeling less intelligent than others isn’t necessarily a bad thing:

Lack of knowledge implies opportunity. What you don’t know, is out there waiting for you to learn it. Not knowing can be an exciting place if you adopt a perspective that values growth, and is driven by curiosity rather than shame about not knowing.

It’s important to be surrounded by people who are smarter than you. If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re not learning as effectively as you could be. Learn to be thankful for the smart people around you; instead of seeing them as competition or as mirrors of your perceived inadequacy, see them as inspiration, and seek their feedback — having a second opinion always helps, especially when they’re knowledgeable in your field.

Your worth is independent of achievement, competency, or status. Start to re-wire your perception of worthiness in general and this academic perception will follow suit.

I suggest you find a new word for how you’re feeling.

See, dumb is subjective. It’s inaccurate, because it doesn’t represent anything tangible. What is dumb? And by whose metric is “dumb” measured? Not only that — “dumb” is not constructive. If your goal is to feel and/or be smarter, you can’t call yourself dumb. It doesn’t work that way. As Dr. Jordan Peterson says, “If you want to be strong, stop saying things that make you feel weak.”

Suggestions:

“I’m not the smartest person in the room (and that’s okay)”

“This person is better at x than I am”

“I don’t know as much about x as this person”

“I’m not an expert in this (yet)”

“I’m still learning”

“They were a beginner once too”

“If they can do/learn it, so can I”

How do I start studying again?

Just start. Set a timer for whatever amount of time you think you can tolerate. 5 minutes, 10, 15. More if you can, but make sure you start as low as you think you can handle. This is called exposure therapy. Right now, studying is probably a source of anxiety for you, or it causes you some sort of distress while you’re doing it. You’re feeling an aversion to studying, so there’s something about it that your nervous system is trying to protect you from by avoiding it. This is why you need to get clear on why you’re averse, on why you feel inadequate, on why you’re struggling, because now you can make a game-plan. Start small, and build momentum on your small victories. This is how you regain your confidence.

Other tips:

Find a study buddy

Utilize study apps

Meditate before studying

Stay hydrated, fed, and well-rested

Take care of your mental health; rule out (and prevent) other issues that could be contributing to or causing this struggle; avoid burnout and be mindful of your mentality

Talk to a therapist

Talk to a loved one

Talk to a student advisor, professor’s assistant, or professor

Request a tutor if your school offers them, or hire one if you have the means

Figure out what time of day you study best, and try to reorganize your schedule to accommodate if you can

Study in your favourite place — the spot on campus or in your house you feel most creative, alert and productive

Treat yourself with a non-food reward (I think coffee is okay! ☺️)

I hope this helps! Know that you’re not alone, and that your problem is 100% fixable — it’s about mentality, practice, persistence, and self-compassion. Take care! 😊

~ Bella ✨

[engineeriblr]

online library so far:

margaret atwood

the brontës (the complete works is a MASSIVE file fyi)

anne carson

hélène cixous

bell hooks

clarice lispector

audre lorde

virginia woolf

compilations

feminist theory

academic writing (both books and articles)

everything here is in pdf format so you should be able to download and read it on any device. it’s slow going because i have a lot of epubs that i have to convert before uploading and the folders i’ve listed here are neither complete nor comprehensive, but it’s a start! 

[engineeriblr]

Study Aesthetics - Neurodiverse Edition

- Sitting with your feet up on the chair

- Always having a soft, cushy pillow on your lap

- Loads of different drinks and snacks, all varying degrees of empty

- Papers, books, and pens scattered all over the desk because you have to *see* everything

- Whatever little thing you have found to fidget with for the day

- Noise-canceling headphones blaring the same *Rainy Day Coffee Shop Jazz* playlist you listen to every time you study

- Your fluffy cat asleep on the table beside you, ready to provide necessary breaks from studying to cuddle and help you feel grounded.

- So many tabs open. So many.

- Your coziest sweatshirt

[engineeriblr]

Burnout

Did you lose interest and motivation to do a task that you loved doing? See if this progress sound familiar:

(disclaimer: I do not own or have made this image)

If you relate to this, then let's find out a solution to get your passionate motivation back again!

How do I recover from it?

Feed your basic needs:

Sleep: 7-8 hour sleep. Nighttime sleep is better for you medically, and waking up early feels better too.

Food: Eat healthy food. If you feed crap into your system, you'll feel crap. Eating healthy gives you energy to live out your day. Eat at regular intervals, it's you charging yourself.

Go outside: Go for a walk or cycle around. Dress up if you want to. And get a change in environment as you do some physical activity.

Socialize: Catch up with a friend. Call someone or meet up. Regardless of the fact that you're an introvert or an extrovert, it's a basic human need to interact. Do not isolate yourself. (In lockdown, find ways to keep connected online and take initiative)

Mindfulness: Stand still in a constant moving world. Ground yourself. Feel your surroundings through it's smells, it's sounds, it's textures.

Cut out some plans: Weigh all that you have to do and prioritize. See how life would be without one or two of those obligations.

Speak to your core self: Remind yourself your values, what you have, and who you are. Look at yourself from third person perspective.

Forgive yourself: You are trying your best. Your best right now is not your best potential, but it's impossible to be fulfilling your potential everyday. It's hard to focus on tomorrow when you're too busy cussing your yesterday.

How to avoid it in future?

Find your triggers. Look out for signs that when it's happening again.

Staying too connected on phone clutters your brain and it gets too noisy. Set out time blocks for it.

Set time out for your hobbies. Do them regularly.

Structure your day, if it isn't.

Clean your environment.

Do small acts of kindness to keep your heart rich and wholesome.

Ask for help in your tasks.

Sleep. Eat. Workout. Socialize.

Take care of your needs.

TL;DR -

[engineeriblr]

I havent seen anyone talk about this yet so im making a post. 

So lets say you’re researching something for a paper (or just for fun) and the research paper you want to read is behind a paywall, or the site makes you create an account first, or makes you pay to download, or limits you to only 5 free articles, or otherwise makes it difficult for you to read what you want.

do not fear! copy the link to the article

go to sci-hub.se         (the url is always changing so its best to check out whereisscihub.now.sh to find what the current url is)

slap the article link in there

bam! free access! 

[engineeriblr]

I'm speechless

[engineeriblr]

commitment inventory

Hey, it’s werelivingarts again! My school was shut down yesterday since we’re going back to virtual school :( 😭

Beside other time management method such as Eat the Frog, Getting Things Done or Pomodoro Technique, here is another method that I find extremely useful in my life, which is called Commitment Inventory. I incorporate this technique in many ways to find out and prioritize what tasks are truly important to me. 

Stay tuned, more posts are coming soon! ❤️💙💜

[engineeriblr]

15/100 days of productivity / 2.8.21

today was one of those days where showering and making my bed was exhausting. i still managed to schedule out my week in my bullet journal, do a seedling update for my lab, do a progress report assignment (also for the lab), a journal entry for my assertiveness training class, and an assignment for my soil science class.

[engineeriblr]

@readerbookclub

General

1. I loved it! I had already read it two years ago, so some details might be a bit hazy. But I remember it to be the book that got me back into reading! I think the whole story was just super tense and out of the ordinary, which made it hard to put down. 

3. I appreciate education much more, but I also feel a little bad for not being as hungry for knowledge as Tara is. 

5. Definitely!

6. I also enjoyed “In Order To Live” by Yeonmi Park. It is a memoir about a Korean defector and her terrifying journey to the United States. 

7. It was nice, it didn’t really stand out a lot because the content was so gripping, but maybe that’s what makes the writing style suitable for the book? Not repetitive, great vocabulary, flows nicely. 

Specific

1. I love reading well-written non-fiction books. Emphasis on well-written. Would like to see more non-fiction books :)

2. I still remember the terrible accidents that happened to the family members and not understanding why they wouldn’t seek medical help. Her brother’s deep-seated misogyny also stuck with me. 

5. I learned that people’s personalities are not constant and that they can change a lot in a lifetime. 

Question List: Educated by Tara Westover

If you’d like to join, don’t feel pressured to answer all the questions, only the ones that interest you. And please tag me in your posts so that I can see! 

General Questions:

What did you think of the book? What were the things you enjoyed and the things you didn’t enjoy?

Did any quotes or passages stand out to you? What where they and why?

Did the book show you a new perspective on a certain topic?

Is there any other person mentioned in the book, whose perspective on the events you’d like to read?

Would you consider re-reading this book in the future?

If someone enjoyed this book, are there any similar books you’d recommend to them?

What did you think about the author’s style of writing?

Specific Questions:

This is the first non-fiction book we’ve read. Do you read non-fiction often? Would you be open to the book club reading more non-fiction in the future?

What part of Tara’s story resonated with you most?

Many of the books chapters can be read as stand alone essays. Which of these chapters was your favorite?

In the book, Tara is very vulnerable in sharing her experiences and thoughts. How did it feel to get such an intimate look into a stranger’s life?

What did you learn from reading about someone with such unique life experiences?

Member’s List (message me if you’d like to be added/removed): 

@solitarystudies​ @adhyayana-v​ @gordinmegan​ @appleinducedsleep​ @morphedphase​ @lilian-evans​ @bowieziggyfan​ @bluebellraven​ @love-witch-magic​ @theeezoneee​ @montaguest​ @wanderlustingdreamer​ @elfspectations​​ @astreamoflight​​ @engineeriblr​​ @chemistrybaby6-022x10-23​​ @pepperpaprikash​​ @bubblylion​​ @generalblizzarddreamer​

[engineeriblr]

How to Get (and Keep) Your Life Together 101

Here’s a quick masterlist of all the tips, hacks and advice that stuck with me from reading so many articles, videos and research. Feel free to ask me any questions, or add tips of your own. 💜

Hydration: Make sure every day you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, green tea, black tea. You see this everywhere but it’s true. Just drinking water wil do wonders for your skin and your overall body health.

Nutrition: Maintain a healthy diet by letting go of toxic “restrictive” diet culture and realizing that food is sacred fuel for your sacred body, so offer your body the best! Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds; lots of wholefoods. Incorporate smoothies into your mornings for extra dose of vitamins. Practice mindful, conscious eating, be there in the moment when you are eating, taste the food, enjoy the experience of it. Meditate over your relationship with food and try to work through any unhealthy beliefs.

Exercise: Pick one or multiple forms of exercise that suits your schedule, lifestyle and personality; whether it’s jogging twice a week, going to the gym daily or even just a fresh walk every evening. Pick what is suitable for YOU and keep it part of your life. DYI your own gym routine or hire a trainer; train at home or in the gym; whatever works best for you.

Growth Mindset: Maintain a positive mindset that is always open and curious to learning new things, trying new skills and ever willing to improve itself. Redirect your attention from drama, gossip and toxic comparison beliefs to healthy ones; unfollow accounts online or delete all your social media if that’s what you need. Recreate yourself if that’s what you want. Focus on YOUR growth! Make a habit of reading new books, watching TedTalks, documentaries, etc. Look at educating yourself as a way to invest in yourself, a way to honor yourself. Maintain curiosity in your heart for the ways of the universe. Stay humble and graceful in the face of adversity, but never give up on your dreams, failed attempts are only lessons for improvement and the only true failure is giving up. As long as you keep going you’re still winning. Bonus tip: comparison is self harm, and a denial of your own power; so remember that nobody can be you and that’s a good thing. You can only be you, so make it count and honor yourself!

Relationships: Don’t cling to relationships and don’t be afraid to lose people. Be your authentic self at all times, and do not be afraid to intimidate people or be too much! Those that matter don’t mind, and those that mind don’t matter. Know that the friends/partners that are meant for you, will stay or will find their way back to you. Be mindful of the dynamic in a relationship, and be self-loving enough to walk away from what is toxic, unhealthy, restrictive, disrespectful, etc. Forgive those that wronged you, but tolerate no mistreatment; you can forgive them from afar, but make sure they’re no longer a part of your life.

Focus & Goals: Keep a journal and as frequently as you can, write down bullet lists of to do lists, goals, dreams, daily reflections, aspects of yourself to improve upon, positive affirmations, wishlist etc. - in other words, brainstorm all the things whirling around in your head regarding your own life. Remember all those things you’ve wanted to do? Bucketlists, reminders, curiosities, etc? Keeping a journal, staying focused on your goals, checking progress and practicing positive affirmations will transform your life.

Fashion: Elevate your wardrobe to a whole other level by sitting down and figuring out what your style actually is. Play around in your journal by creating a collage of your favorite colors, textures, patterns, styles, outfit combos and accessories. Mix and match, figure out what your aesthetic is. Refine, polish, remove what doesn’t click. (You can find a bunch of videos on YT for organizing clothes and being effortlessly fashionable/put together.) When you reorganize your wardrobe according to the above, you can easily mix and match anything because your wardrobe makes sense and it’s already planned out. Bonus tip: do your laundry the same day every week (ie. Saturday) and do a wardrobe prep on Sundays for the upcoming week; so that at any moment you can be ready in five minutes looking perfectly polished, and avoid the whole ordeal of being stressed/rushed and not knowing what to wear.

Skincare and haircare: Golden advice - invest in natural products/oils/ingredients instead of investing in brands. Why? Because otherwise you’re paying for a concept instead of actual health benefits for your body. Try natural soaps, oils (shea butter, coconut oil, argan, avocado, jojoba, rosehip, etc), and water extracts (rosewater, hazelwater) for toner. Coconut oil and argan oil is particularly famed for hairgrowth and shine. Castor oil as well helps hairgrowth, including for brows or lashes. Rosehip and shea heal discolorations, scars and marks. Do your research and try out what fits you, your skin will thank you later. I’ve been using natural products & oils for 9+ years and people always compliment how clear, smooth & glowy my skin is. Bonus tip: if you don’t use sunscreen already, try to incorporate it into your routine; just make sure it has gentle, non-harmful ingredients (for both yourself and the environment.

Etiquette, manners, poise, posture: Watch videos, read books or listen to audiobooks about confidence, proper etiquette, leadership skills, how to make people listen when you speak, etc. There are things which are so intuitive, obvious and logical, and yet simply becoming aware of them and having the science of it explained will transform your perspective (and the way you carry yourself).

Finances: Perform a monthly financial review to make sure you know where you are, what your budget is. Make a plan for backup funds, or savings for travels, or new tattoos, or a house, or whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you can keep things simple by listing your expenses in five categories (Necessities, groceries, luxury, savings, free/remaining funds). Keep track of your expenses or habits, there are even apps that show statistics or analysis for easy use. The point here is to stay on top of your own finances: know how much are the monthly necessities (rent/mortgage/etc), know what has been payed and keeping receipts, knowing when things need to be paid, etc.

Integrity: This means knowing yourself, having standards, knowing what your boundaries are, what you are willing and not willing to do. When you know yourself and know your worth, you won’t ever tolerate or accept anything less. Know what your principles, values, beliefs are and hold them firmly because it is what you stand for. At the same time, it is important to keep an open mind to growth and improvement, but not so much that any persuasive argument will change your mind. Hold your own, but be gracious to other perspectives. And through it all remember - only you know what’s right for you, what’s best for you. Literally nobody else but you can know what’s in your best interest!

Efficiency & Improvement: This ties in with growth mindset but in a more practical way; make sure that you’re always leaving open space for improvement in your life, don’t ever just settle down/get stuck/let yourself sink into complacency. Know that you can always change anything! Make a habit of frequently reviewing aspects of your life (ex. via journaling) to see whether there’s anything you can make more easy, more efficient. Instead of spending hours grocery shopping, check out shops online where your favorite products can be home delivered in a snap. Instead of driving to a vet for your pet, have a call in. Setting up recurring payments for finances also counts. Literally any process or activity whereby you can automatize a service, delivery, payment, etc. will help you in the long run, so you can focus more on enjoying life, instead of wasting time with Trivial Adult Things.

[engineeriblr]

I feel so attacked

[engineeriblr]

The 2021 Beat the Backlist reading challenge is here!

Do you have books on your to-read list that have already been published? Are you struggling to get to those books because of all the amazing new releases? Enjoy a low-key reading challenge that lets you read at your own pace?

Beat the Backlist might be for you! This year-long reading challenge is dedicated to tackling backlist books on your TBR. We define “backlist” as any book published in the previous year or earlier. For the 2021 challenge, that means any book published in 2020 or earlier counts!

Interested?

There is no formal sign-up (though you’re welcome to post somewhere online!) and you can find all the details at the link below, including:

2 different prompt-filled BINGO reading cards

a prompt list (if BINGO isn’t your thing) 

and details on all the types of books that count!

Click here to learn more!

[engineeriblr]

This is a challenge for anyone who enjoys reading and wants to read more in 2021!

If you would like to participate in the challenge, please use the tags #2021readingchallenge and #2021bookclub so that I and other participants can easily see your posts and reblog as much as we can! 

If you want to do the challenge, you don’t have to follow me or anything but a reblog would be nice (in order to spread the post)

These are weekly prompts for every week of 2021. Each week starts with Monday. You can post on any day of the week.

There are two questions per week. You can answer them either in seperate posts or in the same post. Or you can choose to answer only one.

This challenge starts on the first week of 2021, but if you see this post     later, you can start anytime!

If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message or an ask!

ENJOY!

JANUARY Week 1 What is the first book that you are reading in 2021? Do you have a reading goal this year? How many books do you plan to read?

Week 2 Which feminist books do you recommend? Do you have a favorite book series?

Week 3 Which book(s) have you re-read the most? Would you call yourself a bookworm?

Week 4 Which book ended in a completely different way than you thought? Do you prefer fiction or nonfiction?

FEBRUARY Week 1 If the book that you are currently reading had a different title, what would it be? Do you like going to the library?

Week 2 Pick a song that matches the mood of the book that you are currently reading. What are your favorite genres?

Week 3 What are you currently reading? Why did you choose to read this? Do you always finish the book, even if you do not like it?

Week 4 Think about the last book you read. Would you write a different ending? Do you write reviews after reading?

MARCH Week 1  What is your favorite quote from the book you are currently reading so far? If you could live in a book, which book would you choose?

Week 2 What are you currently reading? Would you recommend this book to a friend? Do you prefer paperback or hardcover? Why?

Week 3 What are you currently reading? How do you feel reading this book? Do you lend your books to your friends?

Week 4 What are you currently reading? Do you like the book cover? Do you use bookmarks?

Week 5 What is your favorite book cover ever? Do you take notes while reading?

APRIL Week 1 Who are your top three favorite protagonists? What was your favorite book as a child?

Week 2 What is your all-time favorite poem? Is there a book that you absolutely hate?

Week 3 Tell us about a book you have a deep emotional connection with. Can you read with background noise?

Week 4 What is that one book that you’ve been wanting to read for a long time but haven’t for any reason? Do you like reading thrillers? Do you have a favorite?

MAY Week 1 If you’d give a color palette to the book you read what would it be? Do you have a Goodreads account? Would you like to share it?

Week 2 Think about the book that you’re reading. If you gave this book as a gift to someone, who would it be and why? Do you enjoy audiobooks?

Week 3 Think about the last book you read. What value did you get from this book? What are the 3 books that make you really happy?

Week 4 Think about the last book you read. Did this book teach you a lesson that you will implement in your life? What is your favorite short story?

Week 5 What are your top 3 favorite novels? Do you read biographies? Do you have a favorite?

JUNE Week 1 Think about the book that you are currently reading. Pick a character that would survive a horror movie and tell us why. Have you ever read a banned book? Which one?

Week 2 If you’d associate a dish with the book that you’re reading, what would it be? Do you prefer physical books or ebooks?

Week 3 In the book that you are currently reading, which character is underrated? Which one is overrated?

Week 4 What are some non-English books you’d love to share? What book(s) did you read in one sitting?

JULY Week 1 What’s your favorite quote from a book you’ve read lately? Is there an author that you absolutely hate?

Week 2 Share a first line that’s so funny/horrible/well-written it’s memorable. Which book do you have a love/hate relationship with?

Week 3 What’s a book that you think is brilliantly titled? Are you a poet/writer yourself?

Week 4 Do you think that fanfiction is a valid form of literature? Do you like discussing about books with your family, friends, etc.?

AUGUST Week 1 Do you like non-fiction? Which non-fiction genre do you like reading the most? How do you organize your bookshelf?

Week 2 Have you ever gotten really into an assigned reading for school? (fiction or nonfiction) Do you like reading romances? Do you have a favorite?

Week 3 Have you ever read a book with a side character you think deserved to be the main character? If so, who was it? What is your favorite memory with a book or story?

Week 4 What is the one book you think one should at least read once in life? What is the one book you would never recommend to anyone?

Week 5 What book got you into reading? Do you like detective novels? Do you have a favorite?

SEPTEMBER Week 1 Can you remember the first book you’ve read? What was it? What was the most surprising thing you learned from a non-fiction book?

Week 2 What is your favorite book written in your native language? Think about the book that you’re currently reading. Would you like to be a character in this story?

Week 3 What is your favorite book written in a language except from your native language? Who is your favorite couple from a romance book?

Week 4 Have you ever had a truly awful experience with a book? What was it? Who is your least favorite character in the book that you are currently reading?

OCTOBER Week 1 Can you separate the book from its author? Think about the book that you are currently reading. Would it make a good movie?

Week 2 What book do you find worse than its movie adaptation? (If there is any) Think about the book that you are currently reading. Did you like it immediately or did it take some time for you to get used to it?

Week 3 What book made you cry many times? Do you take a look at the reviews of a book before/after reading?

Week 4 Who is your favorite villain? Think of all the books you’ve read. Which character would you like to be friends with?

NOVEMBER Week 1 Would you read a fanfiction about the characters of the book that you are currently reading? If you were to add a character, story, scene to the book that you’re reading, what would it be?

Week 2 What are the 10 books you would take with you if you ended up on a stranded island? Do you like rereading? Why/why not?

Week 3 Who are your top 3 favorite authors/poets? Do you read with your friends or family? Or do you like reading alone?

Week 4 Do you have a favorite place to read? Do you read any self-help books?

Week 5 Do you snack while reading? What do you eat/drink? Do you like reading on a hot summer day or a cold winter day?

DECEMBER Week 1 What was your favorite fairytale as a child? What is your favorite fairytale now?

Week 2 Which author would like to meet? What would you ask them?

Week 3 What is your favorite classic that you have read this year? Do you read theatre plays? Do you have a favorite?

Week 4 This year, were you able to read books from authors with different nationalities/sexualities/identities? What is the best book of the year for you?

[engineeriblr]

my quick tips for working / studying from home

- get dressed and style your hair as if you’re going to school/work - even use the same perfume/ cologne as you normally do  (trick your mind into being motivated)

- plan things out - everything (plan out your week, day, meal, etc. you can make these as specific as you’d like. this will help you stay on top of your work as well as stay healthy, especially if you live alone.)

- make studying/ working the first thing you do each day - best if you can start in the morning (minimize the tendency to procrastinate)

- just start - don’t worry too much about perfecting or finishing anything yet (if you don’t start then there’s nothing for you to perfect or get done. and it will never get done)

- listen to old and simple (aka non-distracting) podcasts, Youtube videos, or café/ chattering white-noise, etc. simply leave them as background noise to create an illusion of being outside your room (bring the presence of people to you. my favorites lately have been slam poems from 2016, Mae Martin’s stages, and Awsten Knight’s crackhead podcasts)

- set timers, for both study sessions and breaks (so that you don’t overwork, burn out, or procrastinate. the Pomodoro technique works great here)

- take advantage of the comfort of your own home (light a candle, have crunchy snacks, play loud music, review notes out loud while pacing around, wrap yourself in a blanket burrito, study on your bed if you can focus there like me, etc. basically anything you can’t do in a classroom, office, or the library)

- if you miss your friends, call/ text/ facetime them, make a study group chat with them, etc. (that is what technology is for)

- choose recreational activities/ self-care for your breaks instead of going on social media (go on walks, make small art, play an instrument, stretch, take a nap, etc. I usually reach for my guitar, brainstorm writing ideas, or sketch very simple line art.)

- if you want to go on social media, do it during meal times - or the 15 minutes after your meals that you can’t work just yet (it also doesn’t make you feel like you’re wasting time)

- study in different rooms for a change of scenery (dining room, living room, the patio, etc. I have an armchair next to the window that I study in whenever I need some sunlight and don’t have to write anything down. however, if you need a designated place to focus on your work, you can also use these alternative spaces as designated “relax” or “creative” place for your breaks)

- use this as an opportunity to take care of yourself (get enough sleep, drink water, exercise, talk to your family, take your meds, be mindful of your mental health, etc.)

Feel free to add your tips. The current situation sure is unpleasant but it is unavoidable. All we can really do now is take care of ourselves, others, and try to make the best out of this.

Good luck to everyone and stay safe! My heart is with you all 💕

[engineeriblr]

aahhh so cute thank youuu

Monday start would be super nice but still useful nonetheless!!!

2021 DIGITAL JOURNAL 

+ monthly/weekly planner; download here

it is literally an hour before 2021 oh my god HAPPY NEW YEAR

anyways i made the journal for myself today (a bit late, but whoops) and just thought i would share it here in case anyone was interested! they’re sunday start only but i can make a monday start if anyone wants one haha anyways enjoy! (yeah the colours are a bit quirky i’m not too sure what i was doing but the formatting took me like 5 hours) 

update: january wallpapers available here

[engineeriblr]

productivity hack

Create a Google doc, Notion page, or whatever workspace you use and name it “Things I’m afraid to do.” Here, you can put whatever has been on your mind that you’re putting off and procrastinating—such as a big project, studying, essay, or whatever you have that’s been nagging you.

By acknowledging the fact that the task seems daunting, you are actually working through the first step of accomplishing it. It makes large projects seem just a little more doable solely because I named it something that amuses me. 

For example, I was so anxious in asking a professor for a recommendation, so I put it in my “things I’m afraid to do.” Little by little each day, I drafted the email to send to them and ended up not procrastinating. Hope this helps!

[engineeriblr]

Hi there Can u give some tips like How to be more productive in a day nd also do fun or relax so u don't get pissed off

Oh Goodness, this is an interesting question. I am not the person with the best work-life balance by any chance out there (mix of perfectionism and ADHD) , but I can definitely tell you what works for me, and hopefully would work for you too: 

Being Productive 

 Bullet Journalling/ Having an Aesthetically pleasing checklist

They keep my daily workload in focus and in front of me at all times, and my eyes would tend to look at it more, because I like looking at pretty things. Also my monkey brain feels happy to check things off all the time. 

Also it keeps a record of things done, so you can look back at how far you’ve come 

I keep track of when I am productive throughout the day, and schedule around that. (Difficult tasks at high energy times, and boring but must be done tasks at low energy) 

I bought myself JustDance. 

When I have too much energy to settle down, I would get up, and do one or two of those songs (3-6 minutes). They help me get some of that sweet sweet dopamine, burn some calories, and also get some exercise in my day. It looks ridiculous, but it really works. 

Having Fun/Relaxing 

I Swallow the frog before I relax

I get the most difficult things that I don’t want to do each day before I relax, so I don’t have that hanging over my head. 

Get Fresh Air and do some exercise 

Find a time in the middle of the day that you can actually have fun, instead of using that leftover time from burnout at the end of the day. 

Destressing/ Preventing Burnout or giving up. 

I keep a collection of work that I did 4-5 years ago near my desk

When I am feeling very down, I would take them out, and think that “Wow, preteen Victoria would think I am super cool and collected”  It also reminds me that even though I think I am stuck now, I am on a totally different level from myself just a couple years ago, and if I keep going, I can look back in 2-3 years and marvel at how far I come. 

Be proud of how terrible your work looks now. 

I am not kidding. I heard this in an artist podcast and it sounds counterintuitive, but it indicated that your scope of the field now has elevated, and you are standing at the beginning of the next level in you field. You are not seeing how bad it is, you are seeing all the ways you can be better, and that means you are improving :) ! 

Oof that was a long post, have a Italian translation journal to take on your way. I have come surprisingly far for a month and a half, considering that I am not linguistically talented.