How to stay motivated based on your Myers-Briggs type.

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Artisans (xSxP):

Artisans love nothing more than new experiences and sensory exploration which doesn’t always translate well into the world of academics.

However, when they learn to focus all of their creative energy into schoolwork, they can be incredibly innovative students.

ISTP - Try the “ten minute method.” If you have a hard time starting things that don’t interest you, tell yourself you’ll work through at least ten minutes every day, with no distractions. You might find that once you’ve started, it’s easier to just finish the task--but if not, that’s still ten more minutes’ work that you wouldn’t have done otherwise.

ESTP - Make it a game. You’re a competitive person, but don’t compete with others. Try something like the Pomodoro method to test your abilities. For non-school work, give yourself a steady, realistic goal that’s within reach.

ISFP - Change things up. You’re not the type of person who likes to get a routine--far from it. Go somewhere different to study, or try different methods. If you start to feel complacent, you’ll have a harder time getting work done.

ESFP - You’re a natural party animal. Great for weekend excursions, less great for school. Try to minimize the number of distractions around you; if you have to use an app like Cold Turkey or StayFocusd to keep from checking Facebook, try that.

Rationals (xNTx):

Rationals can be cerebral and focused--if it interests them, they’re all over it. The trouble can start whenever a Rational is forced to involve themselves in something they’re not interested in.

INTJ - Take regular breaks. You’re an archetypal workaholic, and probably the kind of person to spend six hours working on that research paper--but that’s only going to lead to burnout. Go on a walk, declutter your workspace, or even do some hand exercises to ward off carpal tunnel. 

ENTJ - Stop comparing yourself to others. There’s nothing wrong with friendly competition, but you might have a tendency of trying to compare your success to that of others. This is a good way to foster disappointment. Just worry about your own work and you’ll be fine.

INTP - Start small. You may have slight perfectionistic tendencies, which make it harder for you to start big projects. Break the task down: if you need to find research sources, break that down: maybe one day you aim to read five pages’ worth of JSTOR, and maybe the next you select a few sources, and the next day you narrow it down even more. Just remember to start early if you pick this approach!

ENTP - Look back on your progress. You have a natural tendency to compare yourself to others, so why not compare yourself to yourself? See how far you’ve come!

Idealists (xNFx):

Idealists can be very hard workers when their hearts are involved. They love working for a cause and can pour themselves into work they feel “matters.”

The trick, then, is getting them to focus on work that is less ideological. 

INFJ - Find a good soundtrack. Probably not something with words, as you might get distracted thinking about the lyrics. However, a good movie score or video game soundtrack can help you stay focused on the task at hand.

ENFJ - Remind yourself why you’re doing this! You tend to be future-minded, not present-minded. What will this work do for you in the future? If you finish this project, what good things will happen?

INFP - Surround yourself with positivity. You’re an emotional sponge, and nothing saps your mood like negative people. There are lots of great motivational bloggers on sites like Twitter, Tumblr, and Reddit--when you need a break from things, check out one of them.

ENFP - Reward yourself...after you get something done. ENFPs can sometimes have trouble with getting distracted. Save that new book or fancy coffee drink that’s really a milkshake for after you’re done with work.

Guardians (xSxJ):

Guardians, as a whole, tend to work well with others. They’re very in-tune with social expectations, and are generally the kind of people you want if you’re forced to do a group project.

ISTJ - Plan ahead of time. Set aside some time to work on a project in a planner or notebook and stick to it. It can also be helpful to plan scheduled breaks (lunch breaks, coffee breaks, etc.)

ESTJ - Be kind to yourself. Yeah, you want to be the best--nothing wrong with that! But there’s no way you hold your friends to the same rigorous standards, so give yourself a break. Celebrate what you’ve done well.

ISFJ - Make it rewarding to work. You’re absolutely the kind of person who can benefit from rituals such as copying your notes into a fancy notebook, using colored pens, calligraphy, etc. If this doesn’t work, even color-coding your notes or chewing a special type of gum can help. Establish a routine that’s comfortable for you.

ESFJ - Work well with others. Take advantage of your natural interpersonal skills and check up on your friends. In turn, have them check up on you. You’re more likely to finish that essay if you’ve promised a friend you’d show it to her later.