How to stay motivated when studying IELTS

How to stay motivated when studying IELTS? 
I have seen the same scenario countless times over the last 10 years where a student is super motivated and committed to studying hard for that elusive Band 6.5 plus in IELTS, however after several weeks of hard slog their motivation starts to decrease and self-doubt starts to creep in. At this point rather than improving upon their IELTS score, students plateau or worse their band score drops. 

But, this doesn't have to be the case. If you follow my STUDY SKILLS advice below, you will be able to maintain your enthusiasm and keep moving forward. 

1. PLAN your WEEK - use a weekly planner and write in your study time for each skill (writing, reading, listening, speaking). Remember to allocate more time to your weaker skills.

2. REST - plan in time where you will relax and stop thinking about IELTS. Your brain needs time for new information to sink in and to recharge. So, do not feel guilty about meeting up with friends, going to the cinema, playing sport or getting back to nature. In fact it is a vital part to remaining positive. 

3. SMART OBJECTIVES - give yourself daily, weekly or even monthly goals to aim for. But, make sure they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timed. For example: I will write an IELTS task 2 essay within 40 minutes, get it graded by a teacher and then re-write it within the next 3 days. This will focus your mind and help to ensure you are using your energies on the right things. 

4. MIX IT UP - variety is the spice of life as the saying goes, varying your routine will keep things feeling fresh. So rather than just doing past papers to practise your listening skills, why not check out a TED talk or a relelvant Podcast instead? If you usually study alone, try inviting some friends to join you one day. 

5. FAILING IS GOOD - making mistakes is a good thing as it shows you are trying. Mistakes can be valuable lessons which put you back on the right path. Remember that all the top business people, athletes, scientists failed far more than they succeeded. The difference was that they didn't give up on their dream because of a setback. 

Keep going, you will get there! 

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