Motivation and time-management

[Allemande135]

1) So, I realised that I've trapped myself in an endless cycle where I often have to frantically write or revise until two in the morning. How do I break out?

Personal deadlines don't always work. No matter how hard I try, I can't keep personal deadlines because, number one, the tasks usually take wayyy longer than expected, and number two, if I plan to do something that is due in a few months on a certain day but I have a deadline or a test that same week, I will usually focus on the more urgent task and forget about my plan. But you can only do that so often until it's the week before the deadline of that oh-so-important assignment.

2) Is it worth the time to make notes? Or is it better to just use my time memorising and revising the content?

3) I just had my end-of-year exams for the first year of IB and I know I have plenty of things to do before the beginning of the holidays, yet I still can't manage to force myself to work. How can I stay motivated? 

[stealthyfighter]

Omg, I have the same problem. Since May my mind is just kind of on autopilot in doing work. I've been trying a bunch of things and some kind of worked and some nooot so much. 

For the first one,  I suppose: make use of any free time u have. Whenever there is a day you have slightly less work ( i know there is not a lot of those) just stay up an hour later to do some extra work. Even if you have a 20-minute train commute make use of time with that. I'm still trying to figure this problem out too, to be honest. From the people who seem super on top of stuff in my class, what they seem to do is they try to get as much work done in class. So they try to do some work during lunch while chilling with friends, asking questions in class. Making use of time in little pockets.

2) Notes take forever, dont they? Especially for me, bio notes from the textbook seem so redundant. What I try to do is I still take notes, but I write the minimum, referring in my notes to perhaps read up a diagram on page xx. And when I'm especially short for time, I write down all the main concepts on a sticky note and stick it in the textbook. That way I read the textbook and understand it, and have a list of all the main concepts

3) Of course, motivation varies because we all have different quirks. For me, I dont as much motivate myself but rather remove all surrounding stimuli, like my phone. I make small goals, for example, I will cover this bio page in 10 minutes. Try the standard, "work for an hour and take 10-minute break/snacks". Also talk to your friends, because yes you guys can stress together but more importantly make goals together. 

Finally, tell yourself that there isn't that long before summer holidays and really its this year and the next that is what defines you! 

WOW I rambled. Hope that helped. You have no idea how much I related to your problem lol, comforted to know I am not the only one!