Do you ever feel like you’re behind and haven’t been as productive as you should’ve been some days? Me too! Quite often actually. On days when I wake up late or don’t get started on things right away, I feel like I’m not living up to certain standards and get upset with myself. I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to have the perfect routine and to have a great school/work schedule, but right now, that’s not realistic for me. Yes, routine and a good schedule are important, but not the picture-perfect ones we see in the media and online. Getting a daily balance in life requires a lot of effort which is worth it, but sometimes this routine can be thrown off and it’s important to not let that dictate the rest of your day. Here are some strategies I’ve picked up along the way while figuring out how to get myself back on track.
My first rule, which was hard at first and still can be, is to only allow myself to be upset for a few minutes. You can feel your feelings, but you can’t let that be what consumes you. Don’t dwell on it, just recognize that you’re not where you thought you’d be but that you’re going to work through it. Next, you have to decide that you want to move forward with your day and make the rest of it good. You can now take control and make it what you want. The first step after deciding to change your day is to make sure you’re in a comfortable environment, have eaten some good food, and are hydrated.
Now that you have a different outlook and are focused, make a list of things you need to get done and what you want to accomplish for the day. Write down everything from schoolwork to showering to chores because it’s all important to the process. After you have your full list, decide what should take priority and make sure at least those things get done. It’s important to note that not finishing a to do list doesn’t make a day unproductive. Any accomplishments are still moving you forward in a positive way. Once I know what I need to do, I like to pick something I can easily do that will get me off to a good start. Doing the first thing and feeling good about it can to kickstart the rest of a productive day.
Although these are just a few strategies, they’ve helped quite a lot in moving through difficult days. Before I developed these steps, I would often decide that the rest of my day didn’t matter, or I would try to be productive but still be frustrated with how my day started. But once you decide to take control and know that things can turn around, being productive more often becomes easier. The important thing to remember is that you have to be kind to yourself or else you won’t be able to move forward in a positive and productive way. Know that it might seem hard but give yourself grace and know that you can do this.