With just a day of classes left, you’re headed into dangerous territory: it’s the time of papers, projects, exams, and everything in between. You may end up on the floor of the Ugli crying, napping, or eating, which does not bode well for upcoming deadlines. Keeping a level head and staying focused is incredibly hard, but breezing through the end of the semester is possible as long as you use our tips and tricks for being productive.
1. Make Lists
It can be easy to get caught up in the amount of things you have to do, which makes you even more stressed out. At the beginning of every day, make a list of everything you need to do that day. You’ll find that when you write things down, it actually doesn’t seem like that much to do. Plus, once you finish them, crossing things off a list makes you feel 10 times more accomplished.
2. Don’t Cut Out Netflix (But Limit It)
It’s important to give yourself a break between intense studying sessions. Every two hours or so, take a break and reward yourself with an episode of a 30-minute show. Keep it light: New Girl and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are both great options. Watching just one episode can help keep you relaxed to continue your study session.
3. Sleep
Seriously, sleep. Adjusting your sleep schedule takes a few weeks, but if you start now, you’ll be ready to go by the time finals officially roll around. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier than normal, pushing it back every few days, until you train yourself to go to bed (and wake up) earlier. Getting a full eight hours of sleep will make you feel so much more refreshed, and you’ll be able to get so much more done in the morning.
4. Have Someone Hold You Accountable
It can be hard to keep yourself on track, especially since you can easily convince yourself that you can write that paper tomorrow, or you don’t really have to study for your exam. A great way to fix this problem is to set up a system with a friend. Let them know what you need to get done, and they’ll make sure you’ve actually completed it. It’s a lot easier to hold someone else accountable for their work than it is for yourself, so it’s a great way to make sure you actually do what you’re supposed to.
5. Keep Yourself Healthy
Exam time = junk food galore. Stress eating is real. It’s almost impossible to avoid, so we’re not saying that you should throw out the m&ms right now. Take a break from studying and go for a walk around campus, or pull up a yoga video on YouTube and take a breather. If you’re stuck while studying, it’s best to get up and move around—it’ll get you refreshed. As for food, try to eat healthier snacks to fuel your brain. But let’s be real, we’re not judging.
6. Remind Yourself that You are FLAWLESS
This is the most important thing if you want to be as productive as can be. As cheesy as it sounds, waking up every day and telling yourself that you will own the day can have a huge positive impact on your morale. No one wants to embark on a marathon study session; but if you remind yourself that you can do this, that you will crush everything, you’ll come out on top.
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