A Series from the UConn School of Business
Need Some Motivation?

It's tough to stay motivated on a daily basis through a range of tasks. Particularly this year, being motivated enough to get some fresh air feels more challenging than ever.

Below, we've curated a list of suggestions and support we hope will help you remind yourself: you can do this!

  • Manage Your Perspective: Knowing your own headspace and what to avoid will better help you stay on track towards maintaining motivation.

  • Plan Ahead: if you are feeling overwhelmed by overlapping finals exams, read on for next steps.

  • Motivate Yourself: Set yourself up for success by learning how to approach motivation so your environment and mindset can reflect that same goal.
Manage Your Perspective
Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

"In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that's that. In a growth mindset students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it."

—Carol Dweck, Stanford University
Embrace A Growth Mindset
  • Be persistent
  • Seek out new challenges/things to look forward to in the future
  • When you receive criticism, don't ignore it - learn from it
  • Draw inspiration from the success of others
  • Reflect on advice you would give a loved one if they were facing the same situation
Plan Ahead
As you work towards staying motivated and focused going into Final Exams - do not forget to work smarter not harder!

If your exams overlap or are scheduled close together be sure to take advantage of the option through UConn to reschedule one or more. The deadline to do so is this Friday, April 22.
Motivate Yourself
  • Avoid multitasking
  • Do one specific task at a time to be more efficient and have more time to do everything

  • Write down what is distracting you
  • Be mindful and list what is affecting your attention

  • Remove the ability to do other things
  • Take things away that would be better for one of your breaks

  • Be aware of potential distractions to better avoid them
  • Create a workspace that limits interruptions.

  • Externalize short term goals
  • Write down what you would like to get done in 30 minutes as a way to commit.
Try A Focusing App:
Listen to the LAUNCH Podcast
Hear From Experts

across UConn's campuses. Recent subjects include:
Questions? Do you have a suggestion for academic resources that will help students while engaging in learning?

Email laila.chaoui@uconn.edu.