We have now reached the half-way point in the Autumn term, and many of us may be feeling behind on work. Whether you have a reading week coming up, or simply want to start getting your ass in gear, this article will share with you a useful guide to playing work catch up!
Lists, lists and lists. I suggest using a notebook or piece of paper rather than your phone for your ‘to-do’ list as it ensures you don’t get distracted and find yourself on another app. Writing things down means your tasks aren’t just floating around in your head, falling out when something else comes up and popping in again the day before the deadline. I also find that taking the time to sit and write them down gets me into work mode.
Okay, so you’ve got your list and its looking scarily long…Don’t. Panic. This is where time-management comes in. We all do things differently, but at this point, I would go through my list and start to prioritise the different tasks. This means you can focus on one thing at a time without getting overwhelmed.
Be realistic. Don’t set yourself up for failure by asking yourself to do ten different things in one day. Not only is this not achievable, but you’ll make yourself feel bad unnecessarily. I suggest having 2-3 tasks daily, making sure you’re strict with yourself on time. Depending on personal preference, bigger tasks such as dissertations, assessment, or exams, you may choose to allocate a whole day to, or chip away at slowly.
Maintain a level or calm. Remember, stressing out won’t make your work go any faster or your list any shorter. Take each task as it comes and have faith in your organisation. You’ll know when you need a break, so take it, this will actually help your work and motivation. No point putting it off, you know what needs to be done, so best to dive in head first.
Brianna Croughan
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