Hearing, and feeling, the words “I don’t have enough time” is something we are used to. Student and adult life has brought us responsibilities that require us to be organized so that we can get everything done polished and by it’s deadline. It’s not bad to be disorganized, but trying to be otherwise can help you pursue healthy habits in every area of your life. Also, since our daily routines have been affected due to the pandemic, here are three tips to keep things in order while working or studying from home this semester:
- Agenda and planners
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What are you doing today? Tomorrow? Any class assignments? Appointments? If you don’t write down the answers to these questions, they’ll hang around your head all day. First off, write everything down as soon as you remember you have to do it. You’ll need a calendar, an agenda, or a planner. Think about the agenda as a To-Do List― grab a notebook or paper with checkboxes and begin. This will help you to arrange and track temporarily what needs to be done for the day and to mark what is already done. As soon as you have checked off all your boxes, begin a new list.
An agenda can help you for short-term plans; if you want to stay organized long-term, go get a planner. The difference between these is that the planner includes not only weekly, but also monthly organizers with dates, notes, goals, and To-Do List sections. Some even include yearly overviews or phone guides and stickers. I suggest you print out your class syllabus or work calendar and write down, firstly, all the important dates and assignments that arise during the semester, so that they don’t pass by unnoticed.
- Time management
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Keep your day scheduled and take advantage of your time. Another tip, look up your class or work program and write down the time periods that these events will take from your day. Afterward, plan in between classes or work what other assignments you can pursue. For example, if you have two classes from 8:30am to 11:20am, and then you’ll be free until 1:00pm, go for another class assignment, do some exercise or yoga, or maybe get breakfast or lunch. Then, after your 1:00pm class is over, take a break to breath, a shower, and sit down to keep working. Remember that maybe later in the week you might have other things to do and will wish you had done something during those two hours that you were free, but didn’t. Time is valuable, and by the end of the semester, this planning will be worthwhile. Get up early, have breakfast, take classes, have lunch, do some exercise, and sit down to study or work— one thing after the other, every day. Also, try to finish everything by, at least, 11:00pm so you can get seven to eight hours of sleep. This brings me to my next point.
- Consistency
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Don’t stop, be consistent. The goal is to create a routine, and a healthy one at that. Remember: your objective is not to be intense and to only tell others that you were hard on yourself; your goal is to have a very productive day. Consistency makes progress. You will learn when and when not to procrastinate, when’s the best time to rest, and when you’ll have to go all-out. Also, it will help you to feel and be more productive and accomplished— not just with classes or work, but with life in general. Consistency will help you seize the day.
And of course, I can’t forget about an extra tip, a secret one…
Get a cup of your favorite drink to start the day, after breakfast, and give yourself some energy to study or work. Lastly, drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Remember that having desire is the key to success. Good luck! You got this.