10 Productivity Tips to Get Through the Semester
Once the excitement of a new school year fades away, many students would agree that it gets more difficult to stay on top of things. More opportunities to have fun with your friends, attend club events, or just lay in bed and watch Netflix pop up and suddenly we find ourselves having to choose between getting A’s and extracurriculars. What if you could get good grades without having to sacrifice your club activities and social events? These 10 productivity tips will help you maximize your time to the fullest!
1. Write Due Dates Early: Writing assignment due dates a few days early in your planner will ensure that you’re not doing it last minute. Also, seeing your due dates far in advance will allow you to plan your time easily.
2. Avoid Doing Homework In Bed: According to an article written by Brian Robbin from the American College of Healthcare Sciences, studying in your bed “limits focus and decreases productivity.”
3. Time Block: To maximize the hours you spend doing homework, schedule the specific amount of time that you’re going to spend on each assignment. For example: “Today I’m going to do Spanish from 1:30 to 2:15, and then BIT from 2:15 to 4:00.”
4. Take Breaks: To avoid getting burnt out after doing homework for hours on end, take a few breaks to relax and refresh for a few minutes throughout this period. Grab a snack, check Instagram, or take a walk around your apartment. You’ll come back to your desk with a fresh mind!
5. Put Your Phone Away/Turn Off Notifications: It gets really distracting when a bunch of notifications keeps popping up on your phone or laptop. Put your phone (or laptop) on “Do Not Disturb” or away from where you can see it and worry about your weekend plans later. Out of sight, out of mind!
6. Write To-Do Lists for Each Day: It’s easier to stay on track when you have a specific list of tasks to complete each day. It’s a great way to prioritize and stay organized while feeling accomplished (who else loves crossing items off a to-do list?).
7. Listen to Instrumental Music: For the people who like listening to music but find it distracting when studying, try instrumental music instead! It still provides great background noise without the distraction of lyrics.
8. Schedule Assignments Ahead of Time: This goes along with the to-do lists. On Sunday or Monday, sit down and look at what needs to be done during the week and write down what days you want to work on them.
9. Switch Up Your Environment: A change of scenery can be refreshing, especially if you’ve been working in your bedroom for the last few hours. Head to Starbucks, Turner’s or the library for a different place to study!
10. Use a Planner or Calendar: It’s easy to forget tasks and events if you don’t write them down anywhere. Whether it’s in an app on your phone or a physical planner, write everything down to meet those deadlines on time!
I hope these tips help you become more productive! There are only 24 hours in a day, so making sure you use every minute wisely is so important to ensure you get time to enjoy college while also doing well in school.
