Let’s first identify the activities that unnecessarily take up our time.
Facebook. There’s no denying that Facebook is a time vortex. We tell ourselves we’re only going to check one thing. Next thing we know, it’s three (or more) hours later, our essay still isn’t written, and we’re stalking pictures of the cute boy in our Econ class. Solution: Have a friend change your password so you cannot get onto your Facebook until finals are over. I, however, do not like deprivation and feel that everything is fine in moderation. Solution: Rather than just saying you’re going to check one thing, actually do it! Set an alarm on your phone for 5 minutes or less. When the alarm goes off, so does the Facebook! Limit these 5-minute spurts to three a day.
As the overachieving collegiettes™ we are, sometimes it’s hard to turn down a project, an opportunity, or a friend in need. We believe we can get it all done and still have time left for ourselves and our school work. Solution: Learn to say no! Saying “no” does not mean you are a bad friend, it merely means you have other things that need to get taken care of. Remember why you are actually in college—to get an education! School is your first priority before anything else. Solution: Delegate tasks other people can do just as fine as if you did it yourself. You should be friends with people who are capable of small tasks suchas picking up a few things from the market or mailing a letter you wrote.
“Women are gifted with the ability to multitask. However, sometimes paying attention to the big picture forces our sex to lose sight of the smaller details. Believe it or not, multitasking generates a 20-40% loss of time!” Solution: Use your time to work on smaller tasks and switch off between subjects. Changing tasks keeps your brain engaged rather then gettingtired and bored. (Kind of like how we always have room for dessert because our taste buds aren’t tired/bored of the new flavors.) You’re more likely to produce better work and remember more information you’re studying by taking small breaks and switching gears every so often.
“The key is not to prioritize your schedule but to schedule your priorities.” – Stephen Covey. Thinking about all of the things we have to do is daunting and stressful. Solution: Carry and use an organizer at all times! Each evening, plan your next day. When planning, break down projects into smaller, more manageable activities. For example, instead of writing: “Study for math test,” break that down into: “Read Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4. Do Practice Problems for Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4. Do the Practice Midterm. Make an equation sheet.” This will allow you to cross things off your list andsee how productive you’re being. Plan out projects due far inthe future. Make your own deadlines as to when you’d like to finish each step.
Finishing your obligations of school, work, and internships is agreat, but you don’t want to get too caught up and forget to enjoy the ride of college. Solution: Schedule personal time! Whether it’s time to paint your nails, watch a TV show, take a bubble bath, etc., It’s important that you take time to de-stress and do something that makes you happy. Write down your accomplishments. If you do something that wasn’t in your original plan, write it down and then cross it off! Seeing how much you’ve done helps you feel productive, giving yourself the motivation you need to continue working. Reminder: There are only 24 hours in a day! Just because you didn’t finish everything onyour list does NOT mean you weren’t productive. It merely means that you did the most important things today. You can and should carry over incomplete items to the next day.
Many times, we find ourselves planning and organizing, yet we donot give ourselves any incentive to accomplish the tasks on our “To-Do” list. Solution: Find ways to motivate yourself. For example, use peer pressure to your advantage. Ask someone (a roommate or a friend) to call or text you at a certain time to see if you’ve finished the task you’re working on. Make plans to meet up with someone at a certain time,knowing you have to finish what you’re working on before you can get there. Peer pressure will forcesome acute, and healthy, stress on yourself in order to finish the work at hand. My personal favorite motivating factor involves creating your own rewards. Don’t let yourself eat the Phish Food in your freezer, watch your favorite TV show, stalk your potential boy friend, etc. until you finish (fill in the blank)! Keep in mind the unpleasant consequences of NOT doing what you need to (or procrastinating it). These should all be good ways to kick you in the butt and start working!
It’s incredibly easy to get distracted and procrastinate the work we have to do; however, it’s not worth compromising our health, beauty, and sanity. Reminder: The sooner you get to work, the sooner you finish and can do something fun! So get to it collegiette™: create your “To-Do” list, boost your level of productivity, and then reap the benefits of your accomplishments by enjoying your pre-planned reward. You deserve it!