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Little goals go a long way. One method I use to satisfy my craving for productivity long after I'm buried in an insurmountable mound of procrastination is to write down a to-do list. Nothing beats the great joy of ticking each one of those tasks off (I don't think I've ever actually gotten everything done though). Each person will have different ways of measuring and finding a sense of satisfaction within the level of productivity they've reached, you've just got to find it. I've been told from a very young age by my enthusiastic father to 'study smart, not hard', but I never quite understood the distinction between working 'smart' and 'hard'. Over the years, I've learnt that there is no substitute for hard work, however, there are shortcuts you can take and ways to cut down on time (e.g. a drastic example would be that instead of reading the textbook a 100 times, make notes. You learn the same content and cut down on time). I'm all for giving it your all ending the year with 'no regrets' but no matter how hard I try, I always fail. I think no matter how well you do, a 99.95 or making into a coveted university or any other achievement, you will always regret
something - it seems almost inevitable. If you think long enough, there will be something you could have done better, or something you could have worked harder on. I guess the point is learning from your regrets so you don't make the same mistakes, but not to eventually be regret-free - a perpetual cycle, almost. The thing is, it's okay to regret things. What matters is that you can reach your goals and feel satisfied in the end.