Over the summer, I realized my schedule this semester was going to be very hectic and much busier than I’m used to. I knew in order to have some success this year, I had to kick many unproductive habits and organize my life to the best of my ability. These productivity hacks saved me this semester and I know all collegiettes could use them this upcoming school year!
1. Bullet Journaling
Out of all the things that have happened in 2017 so far, I can say this organization system has had one of the most positive impacts on my life. I know lots of us lust over the latest Lilly Pulitzer agenda styles and feel ready for the new year once they buy a planner, but sometimes it’s easy to fall out of the habit of filling them out. Then that planner eventually becomes long forgotten by November.
What if I told you there was a personal and forgiving way to keep your life together? What if I said you didn’t need to spend any money on an expensive agenda? Enter: The Bullet Journal.
It’s a system based on bullet points that combines to-do lists and journaling (which can definitely be essential to help combat stress) and basically, anything else you want! The best part is is that you can start and stop anytime you desire and use as much space as you need. Any old notebook will do, lined pages, blank, or dotted. No specific order is set unless you want it to be and you can write down everything you need to in just one book. You can utilize all types of spreads like a daily habit tracker, a future log, even a gratitude journal, but if it turns out something isn’t working for you, you can change it. Plus you can make it as creative or simple as you want! This system adapts to your life and your preferences, as opposed to confining yourself to the preset system in an agenda.
You can watch the explanation video to bullet journaling here and browse through popular spreads here!
2. Download the app Moment
I know what you’re probably thinking “How is getting another app on my phone going to make me more productive?” Think about it, most people are guilty of spending way too much time on their phones, but have you wondered just how much? Moment works by leaving the app open all the time and actually tracking how many minutes you are spending on different parts of your phone. When I first tried the app, I was shocked and disturbed that I was spending an average of about 5 ½ hours a day on my phone.
Since I started using the app in the middle of the summer, I’ve cut my time on my phone in half. I’ve been using the free version, but if you choose to buy the full product with all the features, you are able to take the challenge of a “phone boot camp” where you are coached into using your phone less to get back to your life. In the full version, you can also set reminders to cut you off apps when you’ve been using it for too long based on your preferences. On top of that, turn on the “Do Not Disturb” setting on what’s distracting you most so you can actually forget about your distraction. This way, you’ll avoid falling into the Instagram black hold of creeping on your ex boyfriend’s best friend’s sister’s husband’s cousin’s nephew at 3 am when you should be sleeping, which leads to my next suggestion.
3. Only use social media to post
Inspired by finding out my time spent on apps on Moment and having no storage space on my phone, I thought it was best to only keep things on my phone that are useful to my everyday life. When I do get the urge to scroll, I check the desktop versions of the apps and never really spend much time there. You only end up using social media for what is most important for you and at the best times for you, so start deleting!
4. Write out a thorough schedule for everything in your day
The key word in this suggestion is everything. Including your eating schedule, time to sleep, classes, and even free time. By knowing exactly when you have time to do everything, you force yourself to devote that time to a specific task. Take it a step further and add details as to what you will be focusing. Instead of writing “do homework”, write “read Biology chapter.” Your body will begin to get used to the routine and eventually doing specific tasks and you’ll develop great habits.
Note: Schedule has been modified in respect to the privacy of the writer
5. Get out of bed as soon as you wake up
It sounds like the simplest suggestion of all, but everyone at some point is guilty of waking up at a perfectly reasonable time and pulling the covers up to sleep for another two hours. If that’s not the case, there’s a good chance you sit on your phone before you even leave your bedroom. The minute you get up, force yourself out and make your bed. If you do nothing else with your day, you at least accomplished two tasks within minutes of waking up and you can start your day with a clear mind and ready to take on anything.
A new school year gives you a fresh start to develop new habits and hopefully make the rest of the year a breeze. Good luck collegiettes, let’s get moving!
Photo Credits: Kimberly Donahue