It can be difficult to maintain productive energy consistently throughout the semester. If you’re like me, you might go through these cycles of several days of intense productivity followed by a week of slight burnout. It’s tough not knowing how to get out of that rut, especially as deadlines are looming ever-closer, but there are small ways you can build your energy back up!
Think of it like getting the ball rolling: once you do a small, even unrelated, task, it becomes easier to take on another, then another, and then you’re cruising right through to the medium and large tasks on your lists.
This is super personally relevant to me because I’ve been lacking that productive energy for about a week and a half now. Add that to the recent launch of Disney+, and I could be a couch potato for days on end without even realizing. But this is the busiest time of the semester, and I still have things to do, so I’ve been keeping myself afloat with simple tasks while I watch movies. You can adapt my ideas however you like, but if you’re struggling, I suggest giving something like this a go!
*Note: these are all specifically non-homework-related tasks. If school has you exhausted, it might be easier to channel your energy (no matter how small the amount) into something different for a while. If you’re itching to multitask with some schoolwork, I say go for it! Break it down into small bits, and pick the least mentally exhaustive ones so you don’t fry your brain. You go, girl!*
1. Deleting Emails
Especially if you’re one of those people with badge notifications in the thousands, this is suuuuuper easy to autopilot. Depending on what kind of emails you’re filtering out and how well grouped they are, it might be easier to do this on mobile than desktop. If that’s the case, there’s a little trick to change the default iPhone action from “archive” to “delete” when you swipe left, so you can swipe away! Imagine how much better you’ll breathe knowing your digital clutter has been reduced just *that* much more.
2. Clearing Storage Space In General
I’m awful at this. My phone is perpetually running out of space, and I absolutely refuse to delete certain texts or take fewer pictures. Thankfully, I’ve been using the storage space breakdown that rolled out a few iOS’s ago to help me keep it under control. Mostly I’ve been slowly but surely going through my photos and my messages, which take up the most space. Especially when it comes to my messages, there’s threads I’m not willing to delete, but I don’t need ALL the content from them or anything, so I’ve been using the feature under Settings→ Storage→ Messages where it shows you the attachments that take up the most space. I swipe those away, not needing most of them, and then I’m feeling competent enough to tackle larger things- like actual photos and videos in my camera roll. I’ve been doing this while watching Ducktales, and tbh, I’m having a great time!
3. Rearrange Something!
If you feel stuck in a rut for a longer than usual amount of time, or you’re just really going through it, you might need something to jolt a little life back in ya. Normally, this might be the moment some of us would dye our hair and cut our own bangs (I’m not suggesting that so don’t come for me), but if that’s not your style, a less drastic way to change something in your life is to rearrange your room! It can be as small as switching around what clothes go in what drawer, or reordering the clothes in your closet to be color-coded. Or, it can be as big as rearranging furniture, buying cubbies to stack along your closet wall, and restringing your Christmas lights. Bonus points if you clear out old clothes, papers, and junk at the same time!
4. Start a Blog/Twitter Account/Tumblr/Whatever!
If you find you just can’t seem to pry yourself away from a streaming service and it’s beginning to bug you how many hours you spend in one place, maybe turn that passion into a creative outlet! There’s plenty of free sites out there to help you start a blog (WordPress, Blogspot, etc.) discussing your love of film. Write reviews! Start an Instagram account just promoting your cozy couch aesthetic! If you’re looking for something more informal than a full-fledged blog, Twitter and Tumblr are both free and could fit your style perfectly. Who knows? It might be the perfect way to unleash your inner thoughts upon the world. I’m always in favor of a good creative outlet!
Overall, there’s about a million different things you can do to feel back on top- I also like to color while I watch movies- so these are really just a jumping off point! Everyone’s needs are different, and everyone handles stress differently. But I hope this inspires you to take charge of the things you want to accomplish!
I wish you guys the best of luck as we wrap up the semester!