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A Little Flower Grows

Catholic Blog by Stephanie Peter

The Best Study Method to Boost Your Productivity

March 17, 2016

If you’re anything like me, you’re probably finding yourself in that mid-semester, unmotivated, I-don’t-want-to-do-anything slump. It’s just that time of the semester ~ spring fever is kicking in, we can almost taste the end of the year, and everyone is nearing their “so done” point. Which is particularly bad for me, since, as I’ve mentioned, I’m working on my junior thesis this semester.

But, unmotivated or not, I need to get stuff done, and I’m sure you do too ~ and we all don’t have much time to waste. So how can we help ourselves be more focused and productive? This is a question I’ve struggled with for a while now. But I recently found an amazing study method that I’ve begun using this semester, and I’ve had so much success with it: the Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management technique by which you work in 25-minute increments (called pomodoros), with each increment followed by a 5-minute break. So basically: work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break; work for 25 minutes, take a 5-minute break; and so on. After four sets like that, you take a longer break for 10 minutes. You can buy timers that are specifically for this method, and there are also online timers that you can use ~ like this one.

Using this method when I study has proven to be super effective for me. Before I started using it, I would sit down to a 2-hour chunk of study time and proceed to be painfully unproductive almost the entire time. Subconsciously, I was hesitant to take the plunge and actually start studying, because 2 hours seemed like such a long time. And indeed, I was expecting myself and my brain to concentrate for much too much time at once.

Breaking up your studying into smaller increments, separated by quick breaks, is so much more doable. By doing this, you trick yourself and your brain into thinking you’re working for almost no time at all: “25 minutes? Psshh, I can spare 25 minutes to do this reading or work on my paper.” So you sit down and do it, and guess what ~ you actually make a lot of progress in those 25 minutes. Then when the 25 minutes are over, you think, “That wasn’t so bad! I could totally do that again or keep going.” And you do keep going, working in those short increments and continuing to make lots of progress during each increment ~ and before you know it, you’ve gotten so much done!

It’s much more reasonable to expect your brain to concentrate for 25 minutes at a time than for 2 hours at a time. You focus much better during shorter spurts of time than you do in one long period of time. And therefore, you are much more productive.

So next time you sit down for a study session, I highly recommend giving the Pomodoro Technique a try. I promise it will boost your concentration and help you get stuff done!

Have you ever used the Pomodoro Technique? Do you have any tips for boosting productivity?

Sincerely,

~Stephanie
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About Me

Hi, I'm Stephanie!

Catholic wife, mama of two, and homemaker. Michigan native, thrift shopper, and tea drinker. Embracing and striving for authentic womanhood as God designed. Welcome to my little corner of the internet, where I share from my heart about wife life, mama life, and Catholic life. Pour a cup of tea and stay awhile!

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Stephanie Peter | Catholic Womanhood + Motherhood
Just some August memories (okay, and a couple from Just some August memories (okay, and a couple from very early September lol) 🤍 What a blessed month August was with lots of family time, our daughter’s 1st birthday, and slow sweet summertime.
“Not all of us can do great things, but we can d “Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” (Mother Teresa)
Motherhood + homemaking are full of “small things.” Vacuuming, washing dishes, changing diapers; picking up toys, folding the laundry, reading stories. And so often we find ourselves doing these things with bitterness, annoyance, or reluctance. But let’s catch ourselves and instead try to do them with “great love” in our hearts. Making this simple mindset shift can make all the difference! Instead of seeing drudgery in all our day-to-day tasks, let’s see them as opportunities to love our families (and, by extension, God) even more. ✨
“The homemaker has the ultimate career. All othe “The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only - and that is to support the ultimate career.” • A beautiful quote about homemaking from one of my favorite authors, C.S. Lewis.

Fellow homemakers & mamas, we are not “just” homemakers or “just” stay-at-home moms. We have the most important job in the world: caring for our children & our homes, forming little souls, shaping the next generation, and most importantly, raising future saints. 

It is a privilege and a blessing to have such a job, one that God designed women for in a unique way. May God always give us the we need to do it well. 💕
New mamas, I know how hard the transition can be w New mamas, I know how hard the transition can be when you bring a new baby home. When you feel like you can’t get anything done anymore. Between feeding, changing, and holding the baby, oftentimes there’s no time (or energy) for anything else. And while caring for your baby is of course a worthy job, it doesn’t change the fact that there are things you need or want to do. 

I get it—I’ve been there and still am! But I’ve figured out some hacks along the way that I want to share with you.

So mamas, here are my top 8 tips to get things done, even with an infant in the mix!

1. Prioritize prayer over everything.
2. Make checklists.
3. Prioritize 1-2 tasks for the day.
4. Babywear.
5. Take advantage of small windows of opportunity.
6. Accept help.
7. Practice teamwork with your spouse.
8. Go easy on yourself.

Read all the details in my newest blog post! Link in bio. And always remember mamas, you’re doing a great job, and God chose YOU to be the mother of your baby! There is no greater mother for your baby than you! 💗

What are your best tips for keeping up with tasks after a baby? Let me know in the comments!
One of my favorite quotes about motherhood comes f One of my favorite quotes about motherhood comes from my favorite saint (and the namesake of my little babe featured in this video), St. Thérèse the Little Flower: “The loveliest masterpiece of the heart of God is the heart of a mother.” Her own mother is also a canonized saint, St. Zélie—so I know Thérèse spoke from firsthand experience! How beautiful that the love in our own motherly hearts is a reflection of God’s love for us! Let’s strive to live up to that reflection, and to follow St. Zélie’s example in our own motherhood and raise wonderful saints.
Hi, I’m Stephanie 👋🏻 Welcome if you’re n Hi, I’m Stephanie 👋🏻 Welcome if you’re new here, or welcome again if you’ve followed me before! I’m revamping & relaunching this account, as well as my blog (A Little Flower Grows) with a whole new sense of inspiration and mission ✨

A little bit about me:
• I’ve been married to my husband, Marcus, for a little over 4 years
• We now have two babies, Benedict (20 months) and Therese (6 months)
• I’m a full-time stay-at-home mom and homemaker, and it’s my dream job
• I’m a devout Roman Catholic
• We live in southeast Michigan where I grew up
• Check out my blog post to read more! (Link in bio)

I can’t wait to dive into this account and blog to bring you inspiring, encouraging content on womanhood & motherhood from an authentically Catholic perspective. 

Please feel free introduce yourself in the comments—I can’t wait to get to know you all!
Yesterday’s Memorial Day cake, baked by yours tr Yesterday’s Memorial Day cake, baked by yours truly 🇺🇸 Speaking of baking, did you catch last week’s blog post about my top 8 essential baking supplies?! Hop on over to read my list - from one beginner baker to another - of baking supplies that every beginner needs! Link in bio👩🏻‍🍳
——
I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! 🙏🏻
New post on the blog today about my top 9 favorite New post on the blog today about my top 9 favorite, powerful novenas 🙏🏻 “Personally, I love novenas. As someone who appreciates schedules, I think it’s something about the nine-day structure that draws me to novenas. Plus I have found them to be extremely powerful and efficacious in my life for many an intention - not the least of which is the finding of my now spouse...” 💕 Continue reading #ontheblog ➡️ link in bio!
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