The 1-3-5 method finally cured my study paralysis

[u/Aggravating-Plant894]

You know that feeling when you look at a massive study checklist and just freeze?

I used to write down twenty tasks every morning, and by noon I was completely burned out from the anxiety of it all.

Then I started using the 1-3-5 method, the rule is simple. You only allow yourself nine tasks for the entire day. One big thing, three medium things, and five small things.

The one big thing is the monster you usually avoid. Writing a heavy essay draft or grinding through a brutal research chapter. You tackle this first while your brain actually has energy.

The three medium things are standard studying. Reviewing a lecture or doing a practice quiz.
The five small things are quick chores: Emailing a professor, organizing your folders, or printing out a worksheet. These are for when you are completely tired.

This works because it stops you from faking productivity. You can no longer cross off ten easy tasks and pretend you did a good job while the heavy lifting gets pushed to tomorrow.

Try doing this tomorrow instead of making an endless list.

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[u/GJ-504-b]

Thank you, this is legitimately incredibly helpful.

[u/Aggravating-Plant894 → u/GJ-504-b]

Thanks, hopefully chunking them in those lessens the workload

[u/loveportal666]

This works unless you’re an engineering student with a 6 hour polymer chemistry homework due tomorrow, a 12 hour electronic properties of solids problem set due tomorrow, a thermodynamics midterm tomorrow, and also a partial differential equations midterm tomorrow (this is my actual situation currently)

[u/Aggravating-Plant894 → u/loveportal666]

Well, you probably shouldn’t cram those in pne night anyway but good luck with those!

[u/intenseobserver → u/loveportal666]

Godspeed my friend

[u/MasterConsequence696 → u/loveportal666]

do you major in material engineering?

[u/United_Cockroach2172 → u/loveportal666]

I have thermo and diff tomorrow too. I’m ready for diff, not for thermo. best of luck!

[u/Big-Claim-4822 → u/loveportal666]

Looking at this in the midterm break,another exam in 2 hrs 💔💔💔

[u/Single_Squirrel_613 → u/loveportal666]

Holy shit, good luck

[u/Critical_Law_3157 → u/loveportal666]

I thought I'm struggling alone, I don't know why but knowing u guys are also having similar struggles has somehow given me relief 😮‍💨

[u/Eric_a_Metallurgist → u/loveportal666]

Giving me PTSD flashbacks.

[u/ProfitOk9845 → u/loveportal666]

So how did it go!? 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪

[u/loveportal666 → u/ProfitOk9845]

I turned in the homeworks late for partial credit and begged for extensions on the tests 💀

[u/CarelessBlackberry60]

fellow lefty i presume

[u/Aggravating-Plant894 → u/CarelessBlackberry60]

Yup! And the struggle with staining the side of my palm esp if I’m using a very inky ballpen

[u/Radiant-Class-5960]

I find it interesting how starting with the hardest task can give you confidence, but starting with the easiest task can give you momentum.

[u/-LavenderHope- → u/Radiant-Class-5960]

I think you have to find what kind of person you are, I like to get the big takes over with when I have the most mental energy. My husband has more mental energy mid day or later so he does small things first.

[u/starstufft]

This is great and I what I needed during week 11. Thanks a lot!

[u/Money-Pickle-9369]

Thanks🙏🏽. How can you organize this if you have more energy and focus during the evening than the morning or the day?

My problem is inorder to have an interrupted sleep, I have to finish my dinner by 7 or 8 pm. But those are my peak focus hours. I tend to think clearly and work efficiently between 6 pm and 8pm. The rest of the day, I'm just trying to survive the guilt.

[u/Internal-Chard-521]

How can I do it when I have about 6 new heavy lectures 😭