The best method I’ve found for a constant stream of motivation

Hello - I’m an underclassman at a top 10 law school and I’ve been frequenting this sub and posting as an undergrad, law student, and working professional for the past 3 years. I’m a constant consumer of this sub because I appreciate the brutal honesty and willingness of people to share the most effective tips they’ve learned along the way.<br><br><br><br>I’m not a top student at my law school, but I’ve learned how to stay highly motivated and keep my head above water through the 2L summer job search, the fall semester of 2L, and the first semester of 3L. I’m currently taking electives, competing in the moot court program, working a part-time job, and interviewing for a full-time job. I’ve been employed full-time for the last 3 years leading up to law school, and I worked my way through college. <br><br><br>Throughout my academic and professional career, I’ve struggled with managing my time and prioritizing tasks properly. I’ve found that the best way for me to stay motivated is to write down every task that I have - big or small - as soon as it comes to mind. The first step is to take a planner (I use Erin Condren with the hourly schedule) and write down the times that you have class, work, must be at the gym, etc. Then, write down anything else that you need to do (e.g., complete a reading assignment, draft a brief, review notes, etc.). <br><br><br>Next, I make a digital copy of my planner in an excel spreadsheet. I list the time on the leftmost column, followed by the task in each row. Then, I have a column to the right to indicate whether I have completed the task - I color this column green when I’ve completed a task to serve as visual positive feedback. <br><br><br>Here is the best part, and the reason why my method is so simple yet effective: every morning, I write down what I want to accomplish that day. I take a few minutes of time each day to review my planner and my spreadsheet and prioritize my tasks, which I indicate in my planner with a star next to the tasks that I want to complete that day. In the spreadsheet, I bold the tasks that I want to complete that day, and put an asterisk next to those I want to complete the following day. I put tasks that I want to complete in the upcoming week on the bottom half of the spreadsheet, and any ‘to-do’s’ that aren’t as pressing at the bottom. <br><br><br>The second best part of my method is that you can use it in conjunction with other methods - such as the Pomodoro method, or the ‘eat a frog’ method, which I have been doing in conjunction with the method I’ve developed. My method is best used in conjunction with a physical planner, but if you prefer digital you can use it solely in an excel spreadsheet. <br><br><br>The reason that my method is so effective is that it’s a simple way to visualize everything you have to do, and organize it in a clear and concise manner. I first implemented my method halfway through my 1L fall semester. I had just received my first set of grades and I had bombed my first set of exams after getting top grades in undergrad. I had mixed feelings about staying in law school, but I knew I didn’t want to drop out. I recognized the need to adapt and decided to use my method to stay organized and motivated after the holiday break. I used my method and got top grades my second semester of 1L (4.3 gpa) and I’ve been averaging 4.0s for the semester gpa ever since. <br><br><br>I know this method will sound ridiculously simple and won’t work for everyone, but it’s helped me and I want everyone to try it because I think it will be a good starting point for some of you. I recommend using it in conjunction with the Pomodoro method and the ‘eat a frog’ method. There’s a good video on YouTube that describes the ‘eat a frog’ method. It is recommended that you complete the most difficult task of the day first - that’s the frog. <br><br><br><br>Good luck and have a great day :)