Tips for staying energized and motivated?

Question

Hey y'all!

I'm a nonprofit worker who deals with screaming and crying kids all day. I'm stressed beyond belief and exhausted when I come home. All I want to do is order from my local chinese food spot and watch the X factor, and pour me a big glass of boxed wine. My GMAT scores are low, and I know I need to pull it together, but can't for the life of me. Help!!!

Does anybody have tips for staying motivated and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?

Thanks,
NW

BrushMyQuant · Answer

There are things written in my gmat debrief which might motivate you:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/570-to-700-my-gmat-journey-133461.html

AbhiJ · Answer

One apple a day keeps the doctor away. Try listening to Robin Sharma videos on you tube or podcasts on his site. Found them beneficial even though he sometimes talks about business and entrepreneurship .

LoyalRing · Answer

Hey, 
You're already doing one of the toughest jobs out there, so give yourself some credit. 
One thing that helped me was accepting that motivation comes and goes, but consistency doesn't have to. On tough days, even 30-45 minutes of focused GMAT prep is a win. Small sessions add up faster than we think. Give yourself time to think, relax, eat, sleep, and focus on small wins.

You've got this!

AllisonBell · Answer

First of all, the work that you’re doing sounds so important — thank you for doing it. I was working as a public school teacher when I prepped for the GMAT, so I feel you on wanting takeout, TV, and wine after work!

A few things that helped me:

Letting myself have one (or more) of the things I actually wanted.  Did I want to study when I was hungry? Nope. But you can order that Chinese food, enjoy it before (or while) you watch a GMAT video or do some problems, and watch The X Factor with a glass of wine after. A little comfort goes a long way.

Embracing a “good is good enough” mentality at work.  Working with kids, there’s always more that can be done, and it sounds like your job is exceptionally stressful. I’m not in your position, but I know that for me it helped to have a seat with my expectations and adjust what was reasonable during this time of transition. Sometimes that included taking a day off here or there, setting a cut-off time after which I would go home, or adjusting what I said “yes” to at work.

Keeping my studying less demanding on work days . After a hard day at work wasn’t the right time for me to tackle the most challenging parts of the GMAT. So I’d focus on strengths, flashcards, a few easy-moderate practice problems, and more passive learning such as videos or reading. It kept my brain engaged in the GMAT without being too taxing.

Having a routine to switch out of work mode.  Working with challenging children is exhausting. To function, personally, I had to really learn how to let go of my day and switch into a different gear. For me, focusing on my dog when I got home and taking him outside for a little nature break really helped. For others, it might be exercise, a phone call with someone you care about, a good audiobook on the commute, or a little yoga session.

Having a clear timeline.  It felt more manageable to me when I told myself that I was doing something very hard for a short period of time, not forever. Giving myself a clear target for when to take the test helped a lot.

I hope some of this is helpful! I also often find that for folks in your position, having a study group or a class to maintain structure, motivation, and accountability is really helpful. I know it’s one more thing, but if it’s the thing that helps you achieve your goal, it might be worth it. You can check out ours via the  ManhattanPrep Free Trial Classes  if you’re interested.

manupoonia · Answer

Well said man - i was looking for exactly this!

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