This article is mainly addressed to those who need advice on how to (re)gain the motivation to work, write, think or just do whatever it is necessary to successfully finish a project (of course, while keeping the common-sense boundaries). These five points are not rules, they are just advices that might just work (they did work for me, and I wish to share my experience with everybody) - all of them, a few, or just one. The secret is to try and try as Jimmy Cliff would say without giving up and thinking that whatever happens, you are the one standing tall.

1. Take a break. Even if you have a pile of paperwork with the size of Mount Everest, you can't do anything if you are tired and/or stressed about it. The catch is in realizing that you cannot finish something so complex (a research paper, a project, whatever needs careful, sustained work) and vast that it scares you from the beginning. It's most likely you won't even be able to start it! So, just relax, close your eyes, take your mind off the project for at least an hour (and yes, you can spare an hour!). Read something funny, watch a movie, Youtube a bit, talk to somebody, whatever you do, don't think about your work for that whole hour (or more, if you can).

2. Breathe some fresh air. This is similar to point 1, maybe it can be a solution, or maybe it just completes it. The brain starts malfunctioning if you don't oxygenate it enough! Get some air, take a walk, breathe (fresh air, if possible), enjoy nature as much as you can. It's amazing how much this can help you.

3. Get help, if possible. If your project can be turned into a collective work, then do it. If you don't crave to be the only one to win the big prize (a good grade, promotion, etc.), then, why not engage somebody you trust to work with you? It's common knowledge that motivation is higher when there is "competition." A variation of this point, applied mostly to students is: study/read/write in groups.

4. Eliminate all distractions. If you work, then work. Close everything that is not related to what you need to finish. If you work better with music, then leave it on, but turn the volume down, you need background noise, you are not doing musical criticism (unless your project is exactly that!) and definitely not having a party! Close the door to the room you're in, turn off the TV, if you can, turn of your phone(s). Everything that can ruin your concentration is your enemy right now.

5. Think of the rewards. What do you gain by finishing your work in time? This question should be enough to get you started, maybe even motivated! You'll have to go through some rough times, try hard, but if you do your best to complete something worth celebration, then you have something to look forward to! And that could very very well be enough to get you motivated!

Hopefully this article was helpful - at least in a small way! Good luck with your work, and keep yourself motivated!

My name is Sonia-Doris Andras, I am an MA student and currently trying my luck in a freelance writing career. I love to write and share ideas while I also learn from the others. I also have a blog, The Revenge of the Sonith ( http://sonkido.blogspot.com ), where I write my ideas, thoughts, impressions, reactions, sometimes essays, or I add pictures and videos, all in all, the world as seen through my eyes.