Deal With Being Overwhelmed?

[Abi]

I am an engineering student. I think that every semester there's comes a point where maybe you fall off the wagon with studying (for whatever reason) or the material just becomes too difficult for you to keep up and you become overwhelmed. In past semesters, I have been able to come back, but, admittedly, last semester I was not able to make up for it. I am afraid that that is going to happen again this semester, but the stakes are extremely high for me right now concerning my degree. The first few weeks of classes went amazingly, but about the past week or so I have found myself behind, unable to focus, and feeling too anxious to work.

Do you have any suggestions on overcoming this and making up for it? (applicable for anyone who does knowledge work)

Thanks.

[Visitor]

Focus ONLY on the work needed from you at one task at a time.

Forget about semester results or your degree. Forget about how far you are behind, or not being able to (choosing not to) focus, or too anxious (too fearful) to work (and not finish in time). These are all distractions from doing the task in hand. You are projecting a self-fulfilled prophecy.

Focus on the required procedures (not projected results) to complete the tasks, and the results will take care of themselves.