Without lectures and seminars providing a sense of stability and schedule, it’s all too easy to fall into a state of inertia over the holidays. There’s TV to catch up on, family to spend time with, and presents to open, and whilst I fully support all of that and encourage you to have a restful break, there’s definitely something to be said for maintaining some degree of order so you can keep productive. I know I’m not alone in having to grapple with coursework and exams all due January and it’s better to keep on track than struggle to catch up. So here’s some tips for how to stay productive.
1) Rest Days
Mark off days when you just have to accept that you’re not going to get any work done at all. Christmas Day is an obvious one if you have a tradition of celebrating it, but days when you’re seeing family or friends are just as valid. This is, after all, your holiday as well as a time for coursework and revision, so don’t feel bad about taking a little time off. Just factor it into to any schedules or timetables you set for yourself, and make the most of those days of freedom!
2) Sleeping Schedule
In an ideal world, we’d all be up to see the sunrise and in bed and asleep in time to get our recommended eight hours, but life isn’t perfect. I would love to be able to recommend you get up at 8 a.m. every morning to get some work done so you can enjoy the day but, let’s face it, it’s just not going to happen – for me as well as you! What I will say is to make sure you keep your sleep schedule healthy, if not ideal. Whether you’re waking up at 6 a.m. or 11 a.m., adjust the time to go to sleep accordingly. And, if you are staying up, make that time productive. If you got up at midday then that’s potentially four hours that you’ve missed out on – don’t just spend it scrolling through tumblr in the evening!
3) Prioritise
Most of us make to-do lists, but if you’re anything like me then you don’t always work through them in order of most importance. I tend to go for the easy tasks first, which is fine until you’re left with two or three huge, extremely important entries on the list and only a week or so to finish them all. Consider organising your to do list based on priority and making sure to stick to working down it methodically. And if you break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable items you can tick off, they won’t seem so daunting when you have to tackle them.
4) Study area
Whilst working from bed might sound like heaven, it’s, unsurprisingly, not the most productive way to organise things. Instead of perching your laptop on the arm of the sofa as you watch TV, or sifting through notes across your pillows, search out a designated study area. The end of a table works just as well as a desk and separating work and downtime makes it easier to get into a productive headspace when you are ready to work. It also gives you space to organise things so everything is where you need it.
Hopefully some of these tips help a little over the holidays so you can make sure you stay productive. Although we advocate for hard work and dedication, don’t forget to make time for yourself too. Striking a balance is a skill, and not always an easy one, but if you find it you can negotiate all that work as well as having a wonderfully festive holidays!