I remember walking to Trader Joe’s after school to grab coffee samples in hopes of getting that caffeine boost. After my failed attempts of staying awake, I ordered an Iced Caramel Macchiato with two shots. Of course 150 mg of caffeine would transform me from a lifeless form to a bouncy, bubbly (all the -cy’s and -ly’s) human, right? Wrong.
Here are a few of tips that will help you finish that dreadful assignment when you feel like dozing off:
Get outside and get moving:
You’ve been stuck indoors for 5+ hours already. It’s time for a break. Go on a brisk walk outside to raise your heartrate and get that Vitamin D! You’ll be giving your eyes a break, feeling energetic, and getting your steps in (a plus for all you multitaskers). Now if it’s 11 PM, you probably don’t want to go outside but go ahead and get in a few squats and jumping jacks.
Drink water:
Instead of caffeine, try water. This is because dehydration can lead to feelings of fatigue, making it more difficult for you to concentrate on your work.
Use a lamp with adjustable brightness:
One of my best purchases from Costco was a desk lamp with different color temperatures and brightness levels, depending how dark it is or how tired you are. You can’t be falling asleep when it feels like the light is blinding your eyes.
Blast music in your room:
I didn’t say this would help with focus. But bear with me: turn on a song that hypes you UP (possible choices include Jack Harlow’s “What’s Poppin” or Nicki Minaj’s “Yikes”). Get up, get hyped, and have some fun. You’ll be bouncing in your seat by the time you’re finished and wide awake.
Cold shower:
The classic. Need I say more?
Take a power nap:
I put this at the last tip because who knows when you’ll be needing this? Depending on the time, you’ll probably want to be strategic with your naps. In general, a thirty minute nap will be fine. Just be sure to set your alarm so that it doesn’t turn into a four hour nap.