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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nA learning strategist from Academic Success hosted this workshop. The first thing that stuck out to me was the term energy management<\/em>. We often hear about time management and how that\u2019s the key to fending off procrastination but this term was new to me. All the time, I think about how I can manage my time, but my energy? Not at all. Energy management refers to how much work you exude in under a period of time. If you\u2019re taking a two-hour session to work through readings or a math problem set, you want to avoid exhausting yourself to burnout. I have the habit of taking an hour or two to get through two readings but sometimes I\u2019ll push myself and say \u201cyou can do one more.\u201d While it can feel rewarding if I achieve it, it ultimately leads to burnout. Which then leads to me not wanting to do any work again for the next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing Writer\u2019s Block <\/em>advises beginning a writing session by taking a 30-minute block<\/strong> to do a task you\u2019ll know you\u2019ll achieve in that time window. For me, that can be a brief discussion post, a short reading or answering those important emails. If I\u2019m working on an essay, I would usually review the readings and materials I\u2019m using to support my thesis. Another helpful tip is working at 10%.<\/strong> If there\u2019s a paper or project that is intimidating in length or time-demanding, write the entire piece in a single paragraph. By doing this, you\u2019ll gain momentum and it can ease you into the task better. Writing a summary of what I plan to discuss in an essay is something I\u2019ve done in the past and it\u2019s incredibly helpful!<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I loved about this workshop was how it addressed guilt from procrastination. They advised to reframe that guilt and think about what didn\u2019t work during that writing session and use it as data. It was also interesting how they advised planning<\/em> for procrastination. The strategy \u201cparking lot\u201d<\/strong> is where you\u2019d write down any distracting thoughts but you don\u2019t follow them until later. What I also realized was how important planning for non-academic activities is. I\u2019m quickly consumed by my academics that I often neglect other areas of my life but planning for non-academic activities actually diffuses burnout. Planning is advised because people often cut those pastimes out if they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a plethora of things I learned from this workshop and I\u2019m grateful that Academic Success hosts sessions like these. Knowing that I can break down my big projects without getting overwhelmed, my semester of endless papers and academic buzz words feels a little less daunting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/files\/2021\/09\/242084359_1028769491274002_2047315396019400674_n.jpg\")
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