Growth Hack – Accountability in your studies

Included as one of our growth hacks is the concept of accountability.

Noun: accountability

The fact or condition of being accountable; ‘responsibility’

Have you said  “I’m going to sit down this week and start my dissertation”… only for another week to pass and you have not started again! 

We have all been there!

The concept of accountability is about taking responsibility and doing what you set out to.

It is by taking accountability (responsibility)  that you will get the work done that you said. By taking accountability you will start that dissertation!

There are times I have said I would do things and then I haven’t. This is down to me. It is only up to me to take responsibility. There is no point in trying to blame others or outside circumstances as easy as that can be at times. The same goes for you!

There are numerous ways in which we can take accountability and let’s explore a few. Let’s use a dissertation as an example.

Personal accountability 

• Saying to yourself when it comes to my dissertation…. I am going to write one thousand words each week for the next X months.

Pick a set time each week, stick to this and watch your progress take off

• Peer accountability 

Work with a fellow student. Commit together. Do you have a student in the same class? Make an agreement between the two of you to do the above. Hold each other accountability to this, write a shared contract and ithat could serve the pair of you. 

• Social accountability

This is a tough one for a lot of people but I have done it for some big goals. When I have committed to running a marathon, I put it on my socials and I update my progress week by week. This is not to say ‘oh look at me’ but more so because I want to hold myself accountable in a big way. I have found it has worked. I really don’t want to back out when I do this. It holds me accountable to others.

Could you be brave and put on your socials that each week from now your going to post when you have written one thousand words? People may call you out if you don’t. Harsh maybe. However it could increase your will to do it! It could definitely increase your accountability.

Other ways to increase your accountability include using the tools in the semester student planner. Make writing one thousand words of your dissertation part of your weekly habit tracker.

Make writing one thousand words of your dissertation part of your weekly focused few. Make writing one thousands words one of your daily focused few. Stick to it each week. 

Make your dissertation one of your big goals and set about getting to work on it.

Use the weekly reflection tool to give yourself an honest assessment.  It is only by reflecting and increasing your self-awareness that you will understand such things more. This is what we want to help teach you in the Semester Student Planner. 

We understand it’s challenging being a student at times. Workloads can be difficult and we get it as former students. However, it is up to you to get the important work done and move closer towards achieving the grades which you want to and the grades you know your capable of! 

“Accept responsibility for your life, know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else” – Les Brown