College or school- Whatever we as society does to get an education, not everyone is able to keep up with the stress of work. Especially for those who are neurodivergent, even the simplest of tasks can possibly drain our energy. What I'll be discussing here are tips and methods that have helped me get through my educational journey, and could hopefully benefit others.
Disclaimer: Although these methods have helped me, I am well aware that everyone learns differently. Take this advice with a grain of salt! Also, this guide isn't only for neurodivergents as anyone can benefit from it!
Tip 1: The Pomodoro Technique
It's quite simple: Work for 25 minutes, and take a break for 5 minutes. After working in the pattern 4 times, the fourth break is 15 minutes. Then, the cycle repeats for how long you'd like to complete a task. I use this for writing papers, and I like to draw during my breaks. The time increments can most certainly be changed to match your needs- I recently added five minutes to each time increment for myself (30 min work period, 10 min break, 20 min long break). My favorite website for this is Pomofocus.
Tip 2: Use separate music playlists/songs
Even though this one is super obvious, listening to music helps most people concentrate on tasks. Using things like YouTube, Spotify, or whatever you use to make playlists, you can create dedicated ones for certain things. Me personally, will often listen to Vocaloid music no matter what I do. Examples of playlists I've made include Speedcore/Metal (or anything high tempo/loud), Remixes, Meme music, and anything that I like. If you're the kind that likes to listen to the same song over and over again, use that for certain tasks! One of my friends has a dedicated song for writing different things (Fanfiction, prose, essays, etc.), so this also can help.
Tip 3: Use hot drinks/candy as a motivation
If you have a hot beverage near you while you work, sipping it can be a good excuse to take a few seconds away from your task. For those who need caffeine, it can help you focus more. When you're reading a long textbook, get a bag of gummies/small candies and eat one after a certain goal is reached (Ex: One gummy per page read). Or if you're a masochist, eat a entire giant gummy bear while you read:
Tip 4: Work only when you're the most active
Most of us have a time of day in which we can focus greatly. For me, it's from the time I drink coffee in the morning to around 2:00 PM. Try to utilize what time you have the most mental energy at to get things done! It's also okay to take breaks when needed, and work at your own pace.
Tip 5: Don't wait until the deadline to do your work
Having to do everything the day of the deadline is not a good idea. Be sure to break up your task into increments from the day it's assigned to a few days before you turn it in! Because this one is difficult for me, I made a bird themed picture schedule in Numbers (Apple's Excel) to motivate me and keep track of what's important at that time.
I hope you got something out of this! And of course, don't forget to drink water while you work.
Update 4/4/2023: I recieved a couple responses from my Instagram story- Anonymous 1 mentioned the Pomodoro technique as well! It's great to know that there are other people who find this useful. Anonymous 2 gave some very good advice that I failed to mention; Don't wait until last minute to do your work! It's something that I struggle with as well, so that's why I added this as another tip.