It’s safe to say that this semester has been nothing short of overwhelming. Between navigating a global pandemic, juggling non-stop coursework that you’re probably teaching yourself and having zero rest days to balance it all, it’s no wonder you’re feeling burnt out. The good news? You’re not alone—87 percent of college students have reported increased levels of stress throughout the past school year. The semester may not be over yet, but don’t let your spring break-less blues get the best of you! Try these productivity tips in the next few weeks to power through the rest of the semester.
Tip One: Make your bed.
They say a clean space is a clean mind, and it’s totally true. If you don’t do so already, get in the habit of making your bed first thing every morning. Since this goal is super simple to achieve, it’ll kickstart your motivation to tackle your more daunting tasks. Making your bed also reduces the temptation to get back under the covers and scroll through Twitter all day (girl, we’ve all been there).
Tip Two: Treat your planner as your everything.
My planner is my heart, mind and soul. Every Monday morning, I go through each of my syllabi and write down all of my assignments and events for the week in the form of daily to-do lists. There’s something so satisfying about physically checking off tasks as you complete them. I use a different colored pen for each class so that I can easily keep track of what’s due at a glance.
Tip Three: Designate a specific study space.
Science has shown that your brain learns to associate certain areas with certain tasks. If you do your homework in bed, you might have trouble falling asleep because your brain is used to working there. Train yourself to work at your desk to teach your brain when to turn on and when to turn off. This is especially important now that the days all seem to blend together (*cries*).
You don’t just have to study at your desk, though! Head to the library, the top floor of 1851 or a cute coffee shop off campus for a refreshing change of scenery. Take advantage of the warm weather by bringing a blanket out to Landis Green for a fun study session with your friends. If you prefer staying in your room, join a Study Stream with your camera on to keep you accountable. Just try not to get… ahem, distracted.
Tip Four: Romanticize studying!
Complicated statistics formulas will always make you want to blow your brains out, but they’re a lot more bearable with an iced latte and cute notes. The key to motivating yourself to study is to indulge your senses. Make your notebook aesthetically pleasing and organized at the same time by using highlighters to decorate and color-code each subject (my favorites are the Zebra Mildliners). Handwriting your notes will help keep you engaged with the material you’re learning. Light a scented candle and immerse yourself in instrumental music or study ambience on YouTube. I personally love listening to movie soundtracks because they fuel my main character energy.
Tip Five: Keep yourself focused using productivity apps.
Phones and studying can mix if you use them right. I use an app called Forest to prevent myself from getting distracted by my notifications. Here’s how it works: when you set a timer for however long you want to spend on a task, you plant a seed in your forest. If you leave the app while the timer is set, your tree will wither, but if you stay focused, you’ll earn coins that you can cash in for all different kinds of flowers and plants. You’ll find yourself crushing your to-do list so that you can grow your beautiful forest like the good virtual plant mom that you are.
Tip Six: Fill your study breaks with exercise.
With classes being mostly remote, it’s easy to lose track of time sitting at a desk all day. Try to work out for five to 10 minutes in between assignments to get your heart pumping. A calming yoga flow or Chloe Ting ab blast session will make you feel unstoppable. When you’re done, you’ll be able to move on to your next assignment with more energy and focus.
Tip Seven: Allow yourself to relax.
Something I am constantly reminding myself is that self-care is productive. Accomplishing your goals for the day is just as worthy of your time as laughing at TikTok and watching your favorite comfort movies. Finding a balance between work and play is essential to avoiding burnout. So, go ahead. Put on your coziest PJs and watch The Notebook tonight. You’ve earned it.
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