Help! My brain's not working and I have work to finish!!

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It's the very end of my last semester before graduating at uni. I have 2 essays to complete within the next week. I'm burnt out. My brain doesn't want to work. It's not not too intellectually difficult, but I can only do a little work before needing a long rest. I don't have any distractions. I already have extensions on my work and can't ask for more time yet again. I've been eating well and keeping strict hours for enough sleep. I just need to finish these essays but it's so hard to do the most simple things!! ! What should I do?!

umm drink coffee and plan a reward for doing the essays like play games all day or spending money for this game, etc.

thanks for the reply. yes, coffee helps but i've already been drinking so much lately it kind of doesn't work anymore... must be burnout - anyone know the biology of this? i think it's to do with the catecholamines, cortisol etc. ... i've also forbidden myself from caffeine after 3pm daily to allow 7 hours before my sleep time for it to leave my system, otherwise i've found i don't sleep properly and feel worse the next day.

the suggestion of planning a reward is helpful. i don't have a spare day until it's all over, but i'll try looking forward to that more and try to work on my motivation.

can you lower your course load next term? sounds like you have too much on your plate for comfort.

I can relate to your difficulties. The only solution I've found, if I'm not motivated enough to do something, is to just give up and move on to something else. In your case however, this may not be such a good idea.

Motivation is a problem that has plagued me for years, and has led to much stress, anxiety, and depression for myself. Finding motivation for me is kind of like being hit by lightning; it's rare enough that it almost seems impossible, but sometimes it just happens.

Depression was an issue too, work habits, stress, and a really good friend I care about a lot has apparently been lying to me which has made me very emotional and my studies have suffered because of it. I've made a lot of progress in learning to deal with things, improved work habits etc. and it's already just a part-time study load and couldn't be reduced any further. I'm at the end of this degree, it will be all over in a week one way or another, but I am beginning another next semester and want to avoid the same in future.

Moving on to something else is actually a good suggestion, maybe not for my present predicament but in future. I'm trying to get some extra sleep, hopefully I'll be able to do what I need to do when I wake in the morning.

When I am overwhelmed with multi-tasking at work the only thing that really helps me regain efficiency is listening to music. For some reason, that restores my ability to focus on one project at a time, if that relates at all. Maybe once you find a way to engage and get rolling, the rest will follow more easily.

Yes, thank you EmeraldGreen. I will try music. The phrase "find a way to engage and get rolling" helps too, to clarify and focus on what I should be aiming for.

Egesa: How did you fare at the end of your last semester? Give us an update!

Oh, and Happy WP Anniversary!

Thanks, EmeraldGreen! (I didn't notice it was my WP anniversary until you mentioned it! ) I managed to persevere and grind out all of the work I needed to submit on time. I just received my results, B for each unit, which was my goal minimum and surprisingly better than I would have expected given everything I had gone through during the semester. Music helped, as well as sleep, reducing stress, and making an effort to stay positive.

Well congrats on your new degree and good luck next semester! Sounds like you have the 'right stuff' to make it through whatever That's awesome you got a B in the eleventh hour.

I am noticing anniversaries tonight because I just had one, too, and I know a year is a long time to spend on WP.

Grinding, music, sleep and positivity is an outstanding template for successfully working through just about anything. Well played.

I'm so glad this thread was here! I'm having a horrible case of writer's block today, and I absolutely HAVE to finish paper this before the day's over, no time for moving on. I'm glad you managed to pull off a good grade, Egesa!

Now back to this paper...

i find that going to a coffee store like starbucks and doing work there is better. at home, i feel sleepy and tired but not in public.

THIS is one of my biggest issues.

1 oz. of mixed nuts per day seems to help keep my intellect from burning out, given enough sleep. Daily exercise helps my emotions stabilize. Life has a lot of moving parts!