Forget the Stress and Get $h*t Done
Can I just say I LOVE going back to college? Don’t get me wrong, I live for summer, but something about the look of freshman walking around campus with their schedules in hand and lanyards draped around their necks, warms the soul. I love fresh school supplies, moving in, and reconnecting with classmates and friends.
As cliché as it sounds, college really is the greatest time of your life. Actually, maybe it’s not the greatest time (sorry STEM majors) but it is definitely the most opportunity-filled. For four years, you have the chance to try anything you could possibly imagine. Goat yoga? Harry Potter Glee Club? You name it. If you’re not into those things, maybe a simple business club is more your style. My point is, if you go into college deadset on being a doctor and then realize you would be terrible at caring for people (lol @me) you can still change your mind. In fact, you could change your mind (major) twenty times. Maybe not the best option financially, but still a choice nonetheless.
Along with the endless surplus of opportunities, college also comes with some necessary tasks. Things such as: homework, club meetings, sports practices, social gatherings, food, sleep, time for mental sanity, the list goes on foreverrrrr. If I could tell my freshman-year-self any piece of advice, it would learn how to manage your time wisely. In this post I’m going to give you my top tips on how I time manage like a boss and get sh!t done— and maybe even save time for Goat Yoga.
Tip #1 Make A To-Do List
I thrive off making lists. Grocery lists, shopping lists, lists of lists. Anything I can do to keep myself organized I am IN! I am not even slightly exaggerating when I say I would not be able to function without my lists. One of the first things I do when I wake up every morning is make a to-do list. I write down everything that absolutely HAS to get for that day. Not only does this help me figure out my daily tasks, but there is also something so satisfying about crossing the last item off your to-do list. #accomplishment
Tip #2 Time Table. Time Table. Time Table.
This goes right along with making a list! In fact, pretty much every tip I am going to give you goes right along with another. You can thank me later 😉 After making a to-do list, I pencil time slots for everything that needs to be done. For example, maybe I study accounting from 9am-11am, ten-minute break from 11-11:10, and then make notecards from 11:10-12:00. Giving myself a timely schedule helps me stay on track because there’s no room for dilly-dallying! I put time slots for the gym, food, necessary naps, etc. Doing this also guarantees I get stuff done because I am not someone who misses a deadline. Which leads me to my next point..
Tip #3 Set a Deadline
In the off-chance that you are given an assignment without a deadline, set one for yourself! Although I never miss a deadline, I am quite the procrastinator. The pressure of a deadline is just what I need to force myself to get my assignments done. Once I realized this freshman year, I made up my own little system. If the deadline for an assignment was Friday, in my mind I would make the deadline Thursday or Wednesday. That way I always had my assignments done a little early, but still had the pressure from said “deadline.”
Tip #4 Prioritize
This is a simple step. The fact of the matter is, sometimes there is just not enough hours in the day. Prioritizing makes sure you at least accomplish the most important tasks for the day, if not all of them. #smallwins
Tip #5 Buy a Planner. Use thy Planner.
C’monnnn it’s 2018!! You’re telling me you don’t use a planner!?!? Seriously, go buy a planner. It will become your lifeline. I cannot even imagine all of the important assignments and events I would have missed if I didn’t write them all down. Unless you were blessed with an unworldly memory, I advise getting a planner. My favorites are always from TjMaxx or Marshalls! I have recently been obsessed with my Central 23 X Claudia Sulewski journal (yellow manifesting the following) it’s perfect to brain dump my thoughts from the day!
Tip #6 Stop Empty-Mindlessly Studying
THIS IS SO INEFFECTIVE AND SUCH A WASTE OF TIME. There is no point in reading through a chapter if the whole time you are just thinking about how excited you are to take a break. Just take the damn break! Take a break, eat a shnackie shnack, and when you’re refocused and ready to go, get yo stuff done!
Tip #7 Wake Up Early
Go to bed at a decent time. Wake up at a decent time. BE PRODUCTIVE.
I wake up at 7:00am (may not be early to some people, but bare with me) every single day and attempt to start my day. I can’t explain how insanely more productive I feel by doing this, compared to if I mosied in bed till 11 o’clock a.m. Obviously, waking up earlier makes your day longer so you are able to accomplish more things. Personally, I love waking up as early as possible Saturday mornings, busting out all of my homework and responsibilities, and then just relaxing (or other festivities) the rest of the weekend.
My last tip and, in my opinion, the most important..
Tip #8 Take Time for Your Mental Sanity
There are COUNTLESS reasons as to why this is important and I cannot even explain how crucial it truly is. Whether it means taking a break to watch a YouTube video, doing a facemask, taking a nap, reading a quick blog post. Whatever you need to do to relax for a minute and catch your breath. The previous tips I just shared with you are very go-go-go, but the reason I am able to be so productive is that I always take time to recollect and re-energize myself. I love watching funny YouTube videos or belly laughing with friends. Another way I love to take a break is by using the app “Headspace,” its a quick guided meditation app that really helps ground you and makes you feel calm.