Being productive in college is borderline impossible when there are constant distractions. Not to mention, it’s the first time in most of our lives where we don’t have someone on our back, yelling at us to turn off Netflix and actually do something with our lives. If you want to learn to be productive on your own in college, here’s how to start:
1. Make a to-do list every night
order a cute notebook and some fun markers from Amazon. Before you go to bed (or before you go out) make a list of all the things you need to do the next day.
2. Do the most daunting tasks first Whether you need to go to the gym or finally start that five-page paper you were assigned two weeks ago, get it done. Think about how satisfying it will be to check it off your to-do list and not have to worry about it anymore.
3. Meditate Okay, if you’ve never tried meditating you need to start right now! No really, right now. You can finish reading this once you’re done…hopefully you’ve listened to me and now you’re in the right headspace to continue reading this. There are a bunch of apps that can help you with meditation (my favorite is “Calm”). College can be overwhelming and in order to be as productive as possible, you need to take time for yourself.
4. Keep a planner
I have always been the girl who excessively writes in her planner for the first week of school, and then never again. If you’re like me, and abandon it after a week, buy a cute planner! Honestly , I think that’s one of the only reasons I write in mine. It’s aesthetically pleasing, and if you’re ever bored in class (which you will be), you can make use of your new markers and practice your penmanship while writing down your assignments.`
5. Reward yourself
A great poet once said something that really resonated with me: “Work hard, play hard”. That poet is Wiz Kahlifa. Besides the fact that that is a great song, it is actually really true. After a productive day feel free to reward yourself. Go get some fro-yo or go out on the town and let loose . After a long day of work, it is practically essential to have a long night of play… just don’t forget to make your to-do list before you leave.