7 Ways To Increase Productivity With A Busy Schedule
Mastering the skill of productivity is something everyone struggles with at some point. When you throw work, school, and somewhat of a personal life into the mix, and for all you "twenty-somethings" trying to balance all three, you might feel like you would be a lot more effective if you just had the right mindset. Now, I'm not some sort of productivity wiz, and I'm not going to tell you not to procrastinate because that's something you probably hear over and over again, so I'll spare you the ear full. Everyone has their own method, and you aren't all of a sudden going to be able to zip through all of that work you've been putting off for "more important" things. But, here is just a few tips I've come across in the past three years managing to balance all three that I found the most effective for myself. Give them a try and who knows what you'll be able to accomplish.
Planning
I cannot stress this enough. Get yourself a little book that you can carry in your purse or leave in your car, and use it! Write down every appointment, assignment, date night, etc. and refer back to it every night before bed and again in the morning so you can look ahead and prepare yourself. This alone aids in procrastination because if you're looking ahead, it's kind of hard to magically forget what assignment or meeting you have to prepare for.
Purging/Decluttering
This one is my absolute favourite, and for anyone who holds way too much sentimental value in useless belongings, make sure you buy yourself a box of tissues before doing the purge. It's amazing what you can accomplish in an organized, decluttered area. You minimize your distractions, which I will get to later on, and along with an organized space comes an organized mind. I suggest taking a day off at some point and literally going through every corner of your house and work space to get rid of anything you haven't looked twice at in the past month. Safe to say, you'll be amazed. If you have clothes and shoes to get rid of, take them down to your local thrift shop or shelter and I'm sure they'll be put to good use instead of collecting dust at the back of your closet. Along with the purge, before bed or whenever you have a minute to spare, do a quick tidy. So when you come back to that space to get some work done, you're not bombarded by the mess you left behind looking for something to wear.
Staying Consistent
You've heard this before, and I'll say it again: Consistency is key! Whether it's a set time to wake up in the morning, or the same study time everyday, stay consistent. I strongly recommend waking up a little earlier than you're used to, just to maximize how much work you can get done in a day. You'll create habits that literally last forever. I read somewhere that it takes roughly 21 days to create a habit, and I like the number 21 so I'm going to run with that. I'm sure it varies depending on the person, but the moral here is to stay consistent with yourself and your routine and watch how much productivity unfolds in front of your eyes.
Avoid Distractions
I don't want to sounds like your mother, your boss or even your professor for that matter, but I mean it when I say: put your phone down. Do 50 minute intervals when trying to get some work done. Take on 50 minutes of work, 15-20 minutes of whatever your heart desires, then back to work! For some of you, you'll have to go as far as turning your phone off and putting it in another room because as soon as you glance at it, you have to know what you've missed on Instagram in the past 15 minutes. For others, you can simply get away with putting it on silent and flipping it over on the desk next to you. Regardless of how tempting it may be, avoid electronics, interruptions from friends, loud music, etc. because you will survive without refreshing your twitter feed every other minute, I promise!
Listen to your body
Take care of yourself. This is so important and deserves extreme emphasis. Whether it's getting enough sleep at night, eating a balanced diet, hitting the gym, or taking care of your mental health, it is so important. If taking care of yourself means sacrificing that girls night out, or date night with your new boo, listen to your body because it knows best. A healthy mind and healthy heart go such a long way when you're trying to keep your focus and momentum going.
“Eat the frog”
Please don't take this phrase literally. All this means is to start your work day by tackling the hardest or least appealing task first. That way its out of your mind and you're able to focus on accomplishing more work throughout the day without something reminding you of that daunting task you have waiting for you.
Reward Yourself
Along with listening to your body, rewarding yourself is so very important. Working consistenly over a long period of time is exhausting and it's also something to be proud of, because we all know self discipline is not always the easiest. Take the time, at least once a week to reward yourself with a little bit of time set aside to do whatever makes you happy. I recommend looking into some self-care posts to find some activities and treats that appeal to you because after all you deserve it! (Stay tuned for a list along those lines to be posted soon enough)