Being a college student comes with freedom and fun, but tons of responsibilities come with campus life. Besides attending classes and creating time to prepare for tests, students are expected to work on many assignments. With so much work to do and limited time, staying motivated to pursue your goals can be challenging.
According to recent evidence, most students struggle with assignments because of fear, lack of motivation, and procrastination. Some fear working on tasks because they have past negative experiences relating to academic writing. The point here is that your confidence and mindset will play an important role in your ability to complete tasks on time.
According to established evidence, creating effective academic papers demands a combination of motivation, ambition, and organization. You will also need impeccable time-management skills. Students who have mastered the art of effective academic writing have also grasped creative thinking and effective communication.
The good thing is that as demanding as college projects are, you can learn to write them successfully. Learning more about the human psychology linked to effective academic writing will help you deal with the most common challenges students face.
Does Writing Help With Mood and Mental Health?
From clear thinking to greater confidence and improved communication, effective writing helps your mental health in many different ways.
According to research, writing is linked to clearer thinking. Students who write regularly can structure their thought processes better and communicate with peers. Also, writing is linked to a lifelong approach to learning as students actively seek information.
Evidence also shows that writing helps students process difficult emotions, experiences, and events. When students write things down, they can analyze them more objectively and have been shown to cope better. In other words, expressive writing helps students deal with stressful events and, in turn, boosts their mental well-being. The point here is that frequent writing will make you happier and more successful in college.
How Your Mindset Affects Your Writing
While evidence shows that frequent expressive writing is a good tool for communication and can help your mental health, the status of your mind can also impact your preparedness and ability to complete tasks. Here are some common ways in which your mindset affects your writing and how to become more successful:
Anxiety
Many students cannot start assignments because they struggle with anxiety when tasked with writing any major project. Anxiety leads to procrastination, and before you know it, you spend the whole night trying to complete an urgent project at the last minute. Anxiety is one of the main predictors of academic performance, with evidence presenting that students struggling with it show a passive attitude in their studies and a lack of interest in learning and academic activities.
The evidence suggests a negative relationship between anxiety and the ability to start and write quality papers, leading to poor performance in exams and assignments. What do you do if you are one of those students who feel anxious whenever tasked with writing an important project?
Understandably, you may feel overwhelmed by the assignment requirements or worry about the grade you would get. However, while feeling a bit anxious when facing a new task is okay, you shouldn’t let the anxiety result in procrastination.
One way to cope with writing-related anxiety is by dividing the project into finer, more manageable tasks. Start by reading and making sure you understand the project requirements. You can then identify the key components of the task, including the sections and subsections.
Analyze the instructions and seek clarifications on ambiguous and more complex parts. Dividing the project into smaller and easily achievable parts makes writing easier and simpler. Making a detailed paper outline will also help simplify things, prevent procrastination, and reduce writing anxiety. Remember, there is the option of getting assistance with your assignment online; find out more information on academic writing from Essay org.
Fear of Failure
One of the main problems students struggle with as they prepare to work on assignments is the fear of failure. Also called atychiphobia, the fear of failure implies a constant and overwhelming feeling of dread students feel when undertaking projects or pursuing life goals. People who live with this condition often feel certain they will fail, even before they get started on tasks. This sense of insecurity then interferes with their emotions, actions, and thought processes.
Experts indicate that fear of failure is not always a bad thing. When kept in check, the fear of failure can be a positive thing that leads to better planning, focus, and preparation. However, when the fear grows out of your control, it can be debilitating and isolating, making it impossible to complete tasks on time.
Evidence shows that the fear of failure and chronic procrastination are closely related. In other words, students who fear failing tend to delay doing seemingly complicated tasks because they worry about possibly failing. They put off responsibilities and see procrastination as a way of protecting their feeling of self-worth. This limits the time you have to successfully perform the activities needed to get a good score on the project.
A possible solution for those who struggle with writing because they fear failure is to change their mindsets. You should not think that you have to succeed. Instead, focus on doing your best and congratulate yourself for even the slightest improvements. Understand that mistakes are a normal part of the learning process. Consider feedback from your professor as a tool to help you improve instead of a judgment on your intelligence or abilities.
Chronic Procrastination
Chronic procrastination is the long-term tendency to postpone actions or decisions unnecessarily and is linked to various causes, including anxiety and stress. Chronic procrastination is quite common and affects more than 20% of adults. Chronic procrastination is even more prevalent among college students, affecting more than 50% of the student population.
The first step in overcoming procrastination is setting clear and realistic goals. For instance, if you want to finish an assignment on time, break the tasks into steps and allocate timelines for each. You also need to assess your procrastination habits and evaluate your efficiency. Identify situations where you unnecessarily delay getting started on tasks and figure out how you procrastinate. Also, create an action plan based on time management and efficiency techniques.
Being more efficient as a student means improving your planning and breaking down complicated tasks into small, easily manageable steps. Set immediate goals and deadlines to help you monitor progress and remain accountable. It also helps to identify your productive cycles, meaning the time of the day when you can get the most work done.
If possible, beat procrastination by changing your environment. According to evidence, changing your work environment can make you more productive and efficient. Choose a place with minimal distractions, making it easy to focus on the tasks.
Motivation
Some students struggle with academic writing because they lack the motivation to finish the work. Motivation is crucial for any task you undertake and ensures you avoid procrastination and write quality papers. College assignments are inherently demanding, meaning you must be focused and dedicated.
Increase your motivation if you are to write quality papers before your project deadline. Increasing your motivation will make any progress you make feel more rewarding and the work more enjoyable. To become more motivated, visualize your goals and how they will feel when they are accomplished.
Focus on the result and set a reward for progress made. Focusing on goals instead of tasks will make writing easier and more enjoyable. Get rid of the perfectionism mentality since everyone makes mistakes. What is important is the lessons you learn from those mistakes and how you use the hurdles to improve your writing.
The Bottom Line
This article summarizes a few psychological challenges students face in academic writing and how to deal with them. Students need to understand that effective academic writing is a process that demands careful planning and editing. Use time-management tools effectively and start on smaller tasks to become motivated. Improving your motivation will also mean changing your mindset. Allow yourself room to make mistakes; your writing won’t always be perfect.
The first draft will require improvement before it is ready for submission. You will also need to figure out what you are afraid of concerning academic writing and address your fears. Most importantly, develop self-compassion and be kinder to yourself. Have more belief in your ability to get things done on time. Editing and proofreading your papers is a must-do before submitting them for assessment.
