You could be feeling the effects of difficulties in your family or the world at large. Maybe you're having a hard time focusing or feel like your goals are too far away. It's normal to feel unmotivated sometimes, and you'll deal with that feeling off and on throughout your whole life.
Sometimes it is totally understandable. People might not be feeling well, ambience might not be adjustable, distractions might creep in or anything could happen which makes us slip into laziness. But, it goes on to be a serious issue, if people are consistent about it.
One of the reasons is the lack of interest in the activity. So, it is not “something you are born with” and you can do nothing about it. The key is to find a task that can spark your interest through your strong desire in acquiring something (i.e money, fame, valuable object).
Your study environment does not support learning. You may have too many distractions like talkative roommates, background noise, and an uncomfortable study space. You're feeling tired because you're not getting enough sleep. You're experiencing Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms.
One of the reasons why depression and anxiety can have such a profoundly negative impact on studying is that they wreak havoc on your ability to concentrate. Research has found that depression impairs our mental processing speed, which involves our ability to take in and absorb information.
Lack of motivation is essentially lack of passion. There are no goals, desire, or willingness to work. You simply don't do anything, there is no faking it like laziness does. Lack of motivation is usually a deeper psychological problem and could have some elements of depression.
Best time to study according to science
According to science, there are two windows of time the brain is most receptive to new material: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, and 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Shorter, intensive study times are more effective than drawn out studying. In fact, one of the most impactful study strategies is distributing studying over multiple sessions (Newport, 2007). Intensive study sessions can last 30 or 45-minute sessions and include active studying strategies.
One of the biggest causes of mental blocks is a lack of focus and feeling overwhelmed. If you're feeling tired, stressed, or anxious this can all contribute to a lack of motivation. Throughout your studies it can be easy to compare yourself to others, but you shouldn't.
Other common symptoms of depression are that you begin to feel hopeless and lose interest in activities you once loved. In other words, depression itself makes it harder to concentrate because you simply don't see the point. Then the more you lose focus due to depression, the harder and more pointless it all seems.
You can trick your brain into studying by several means: breaking materials down into smaller tasks, making study timetables, taking smart breaks, and using your mind's eye to read, among other ways.
Many experts say the best students spend between 50-60 hours of studying per week. This will definitely cut into binge-watching your favorite show on Netflix!
Study burnout results from emotional and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress of all or any of these factors. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands.
Even if you mange to study somehow, it is of no help. You don't have to force yourself to study when you don't feel like it, when you are tired. You need to find out what is making you tired, and work on it. Whenever I was tired after a stressful day at school or coaching classes, I did not open my book.
Some people study better with a routine, whereas others need change and variety to stay motivated. Consider trying a new study location such as the library, your favourite café, or experiment with different methods such as listening to instrumental music while studying or the Pomodoro Technique. See what works for you.
Brain fog can be a symptom of a nutrient deficiency, sleep disorder, bacterial overgrowth from overconsumption of sugar, depression, or even a thyroid condition. Other common brain fog causes include eating too much and too often, inactivity, not getting enough sleep, chronic stress, and a poor diet.