(For the 40% I subtracted the days we didn’t have class and doubled it for the class preview sessions. So this block was better and a definite step in the right direction.)

My mantra for this block was “boring is good.”

I’ve been thinking about what I need to do to study more effectively. My working model is to focus on three things:

1) Find the energy

2) Feel a sense of hard work

3) Make it effective

My ideal study methodology is creating an equal balance between these three elements. Ideally I’m enthusiastic, and motivated to get into the work which is point number one. Another way I look at it is finding the easiest avenue for me to get started studying, it is the work with the lowest resistance. If I have positive energy going into work I find that it most frequently leads me into a flow state. That being said, the times where I am feeling super motivated to study are few and far between, so when I feel like I’m in a low energy mindset, I recognize that doing the boring thing, is the highest yield thing for me to do. And this is where point number 2 comes in, the hard work. The best example of this is reading the textbook for our class. This is something no one does, to sit down and read a physical book or even read an ebook is unheard of in today’s academic setting. That being said, the textbook is frequently where my professors pull the information for their slides and is where they get the majority of their information. To take this one step further it’s reading the textbook and taking notes in my own words. This is where I think about the saying “boring is good.” At this moment, there’s no way to get around the boring stuff if I want to get better. To the last point, I have to make the study method effective. Reading the book and taking notes in my own words is effective for me, reading the professor’s slides over and over is not. This is another way of me framing the idea of passive vs. active learning.

Another idea that I’ve been thinking about is in the context of weight loss. And it’s the idea that I need to start new good habits, additionally I need to stop the bad habits. It will get to a point where I can add all of the new pop-science information into my routine, but if I still eat take out, or chow down on ice cream and candy, I won’t make progress and likely backtrack. I am now willing to openly admit that I can no longer outwork my diet.

I’ve started doing more core workouts into my routine, again incorporating the “boring is good” idea.