5,5,5
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5,5,5
ATTITUDE
5,5,5
For this activity to work, choose something that’s bothering you about the way you approach your studies at the moment.
Begin with a
study-problem
In this activity we've designed a simple strategy which asks you to group together your solutions depending upon how easy they are to get done.
Sometimes study problems can seem insurmountable. And when we’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s it’s easy to withdraw and let the issues pile up
If you’ve got problems you’re trying to solve, you’re certainly not alone!
Whatever it is, be as specific as possible in defining your issue and make a note of it
It could be that you find motivation difficult, that you’re struggling with a particular topic area, or that you keep missing deadlines.
...from the smallest adjustment or solution, to something radical and scary.
Now spend some time generating as many solutions to your problem as you can.
Don’t judge your ideas as they come to you – you won’t be doing them all, so feel free to throw everything down on the paper...
Aim for at least 20 things you might do to improve your situation…
…and remember, everything goes!
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Set specific, achievable goals for each study session.
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Break tasks into smaller steps to make them less overwhelming.
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Reward yourself after completing tasks (e.g., a treat, break, or activity you enjoy).
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Create a vision board of your goals and dreams to remind you why you’re studying.
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Study with a friend to make it more engaging and accountable.
-
Change your study routine to make it more interesting (e.g., study at a café, in a park, or in a different room).
-
Use a study app that gamifies the process (e.g., Habitica, Forest).
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Incorporate short bursts of fun activities between study sessions to keep things fresh.
-
Visualize success and how it will feel to achieve your academic goals.
-
Track your progress with a journal or checklist to see how far you’ve come
-
Listen to motivational podcasts or watch inspirational videos before starting.
-
Declutter your study space to create a more inviting environment.
-
Mix up your study methods to keep things interesting (e.g., video tutorials, quizzes, flashcards).
-
Remind yourself of past successes and how good it felt to accomplish them.
-
Focus on the benefits of learning, not just the end results.
-
Join a study group or online community for support and encouragement.
-
Set up a regular study schedule to build a consistent habit.
-
Ask for help from teachers, mentors, or peers when you’re feeling stuck.
1. Problem: Finding it difficult to stay motivated and focused on studying.
Here are some examples to help you get started...
..these have been taken from students we have worked with...
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Use a planner or digital calendar to track all due dates.
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Set reminders on your phone for upcoming deadlines.
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Break assignments into smaller tasks with their own mini-deadlines.
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Prioritize tasks by urgency and importance.
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Start working on assignments as soon as they are given, even if just for a few minutes.
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Set earlier personal deadlines than the actual due date to create a buffer.
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Use a timer to focus on work for short periods (e.g., 25 minutes) to build momentum.
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Create a daily to-do list with the top three tasks you need to accomplish.
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Eliminate distractions during study time, such as turning off social media notifications.
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Work in a designated study space that is free from interruptions.
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Communicate with teachers if you foresee any delays and ask for extensions in advance.
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Reward yourself for completing tasks on time to build positive reinforcement.
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Reflect on past missed deadlines to identify patterns and make changes.
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Break long study sessions into manageable chunks to avoid burnout.
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Use project management tools like Trello or Asana to keep track of progress.
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Hold yourself accountable by sharing your deadlines with a friend or study partner.
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Plan for potential obstacles by setting up a contingency plan.
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Review your schedule daily to stay aware of upcoming deadlines.
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Set specific goals for each study session to ensure steady progress.
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Seek help if you are overwhelmed, such as talking to a counsellor or academic advisor.
2. Problem: Frequently missing deadlines and struggling to stay on top of assignments.
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Practise regularly to reinforce maths concepts and skills.
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Seek extra help from a maths tutor or teacher.
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Break down problems into smaller, more manageable steps.
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Use online resources like Khan Academy or YouTube tutorials to clarify concepts.
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Join a study group where you can discuss and solve maths problems together.
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Work on practice problems from textbooks or online to gain confidence.
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Use visual aids like graphs, charts, or drawings to understand abstract concepts.
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Focus on understanding the ‘why’ behind maths concepts, not just memorizing formulas.
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Ask questions in class or during study sessions if you’re confused.
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Review mistakes on homework or tests to learn from them.
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Apply maths to real-life situations to see its practical use and make it more engaging.
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Work with a study buddy who is strong in maths to get help.
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Set specific goals for each maths study session, such as mastering a particular type of problem.
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Use maths apps that offer interactive practice and step-by-step solutions.
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Break up study sessions to avoid getting overwhelmed by difficult problems.
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Get plenty of rest before a maths test or study session to improve focus.
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Use flashcards to memorize important formulas and terms.
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Practice mental maths to improve speed and confidence.
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Stay positive and remind yourself that maths skills improve with practice.
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Talk to your teacher about your struggles and ask for additional resources or support.
3. Problem: Struggling specifically with maths and finding it difficult to understand concepts.
Now that you’ve got a huge list of actions you could take...
Use a table like this one....
...try to categorise them according to how easy they would be to implement.
Five Mins
Five Days
Five Weeks
-
Set specific, achievable goals
-
Create a daily to-do list
-
Break a task into smaller steps
-
Think of some good rewards for yourself
-
Plan a time to Review mistakes
-
Create some positive affirmations
-
Create a vision board
-
Declutter your study space
-
Make a study plan which incorporates short bursts of fun activities
-
Find and Listen to some motivational podcasts / YouTube clips
-
Track my progress with a study journal. Keep this going for a half term, noting down how I feel, look for patterns.
-
Completely change study routine by planning a half term ahead
Fill the Five Minute column with actions you can do immediately...
...e.g, an email, a quick web search on a topic, a few minutes finishing a late piece of work
Have a go at completing some of these right now!!
The
Five Days
column is for more ambitious soulutions
...If you put your mind to it, these could be completed within a week
Finally the
Five Weeks
column is for things that require a muchg bigger change in behaviour.
5 weeks is about the length of a term (you get six of these per year)..
These are radical solutions that will take up nearly 20% of the school year!
See these as a big investment in yourself!
1. Problem: Finding it difficult to stay motivated and focused on studying.
FINAL THOUGHTS
-
Every time you have obstacles that are getting you down, try this activity.
-
It usually helps generate solutions and gets students unblocked!
-
Take some time over it – just think about what you might need to do if you were to take on one of these more ambitious solutions.
-
How many steps might there be?
-
Can you break it down and just do parts of it?
-
Is there a way to get it started in just five minutes?
5,5,5
ATTITUDE
5,5,5
For this activity to work, choose something that’s bothering you about the way you approach your studies at the moment.
Begin with a
study-problem
In this activity we've designed a simple strategy which asks you to group together your solutions depending upon how easy they are to get done.
Sometimes study problems can seem insurmountable. And when we’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s it’s easy to withdraw and let the issues pile up
If you’ve got problems you’re trying to solve, you’re certainly not alone!
Whatever it is, be as specific as possible in defining your issue and make a note of it
It could be that you find motivation difficult, that you’re struggling with a particular topic area, or that you keep missing deadlines.
...from the smallest adjustment or solution, to something radical and scary.
Now spend some time generating as many solutions to your problem as you can.
Don’t judge your ideas as they come to you – you won’t be doing them all, so feel free to throw everything down on the paper...
Aim for at least 20 things you might do to improve your situation…
…and remember, everything goes!
-
Set specific, achievable goals for each study session.
-
Break tasks into smaller steps to make them less overwhelming.
-
Reward yourself after completing tasks (e.g., a treat, break, or activity you enjoy).
-
Create a vision board of your goals and dreams to remind you why you’re studying.
-
Study with a friend to make it more engaging and accountable.
-
Change your study routine to make it more interesting (e.g., study at a café, in a park, or in a different room).
-
Use a study app that gamifies the process (e.g., Habitica, Forest).
-
Incorporate short bursts of fun activities between study sessions to keep things fresh.
-
Visualize success and how it will feel to achieve your academic goals.
-
Track your progress with a journal or checklist to see how far you’ve come
-
Listen to motivational podcasts or watch inspirational videos before starting.
-
Declutter your study space to create a more inviting environment.
-
Mix up your study methods to keep things interesting (e.g., video tutorials, quizzes, flashcards).
-
Remind yourself of past successes and how good it felt to accomplish them.
-
Focus on the benefits of learning, not just the end results.
-
Join a study group or online community for support and encouragement.
-
Set up a regular study schedule to build a consistent habit.
-
Ask for help from teachers, mentors, or peers when you’re feeling stuck.
1. Problem: Finding it difficult to stay motivated and focused on studying.
Here are some examples to help you get started...
..these have been taken from students we have worked with...
Five Mins
Five Days
Five Weeks
-
Set specific, achievable goals
-
Create a daily to-do list
-
Break a task into smaller steps
-
Think of some good rewards for yourself
-
Plan a time to Review mistakes
-
Create some positive affirmations
-
Create a vision board
-
Declutter your study space
-
Make a study plan which incorporates short bursts of fun activities
-
Find and Listen to some motivational podcasts / YouTube clips
-
Track my progress with a study journal. Keep this going for a half term, noting down how I feel, look for patterns.
-
Completely change study routine by planning a half term ahead
Fill the Five Minute column with actions you can do immediately...
...e.g, an email, a quick web search on a topic, a few minutes finishing a late piece of work
Have a go at completing some of these right now!!
The
Five Days
column is for more ambitious soulutions
...If you put your mind to it, these could be completed within a week
Finally the
Five Weeks
column is for things that require a muchg bigger change in behaviour.
5 weeks is about the length of a term (you get six of these per year)..
These are radical solutions that will take up nearly 20% of the school year!
See these as a big investment in yourself!
1. Problem: Finding it difficult to stay motivated and focused on studying.
FINAL THOUGHTS
-
Every time you have obstacles that are getting you down, try this activity.
-
It usually helps generate solutions and gets students unblocked!
-
Take some time over it – just think about what you might need to do if you were to take on one of these more ambitious solutions.
-
How many steps might there be?
-
Can you break it down and just do parts of it?
-
Is there a way to get it started in just five minutes?
ATTITUDE - 5,5,5
By Tony Dennis
ATTITUDE - 5,5,5
Discover the power of "Failing Forwards" and how it can accelerate your progress. Learn from the experiences of Michael Jordan and the competitors at the Gloucester Cheese Rolling Contest, and embrace failure as a stepping stone towards success.
