Here on UNL’s campus we are readily closing in on spring break. The birds are chirping in the morning, students are breaking out the shorts and sandals, and, of course, homework is piling up. Because who wants to sit inside and study when it’s 65 degrees out and there are dogs on campus? Homework leading up to spring break doesn’t have to be procrastinated and be a source of stress, though.
Take a couple hours on just one afternoon or evening and try out the Pomodoro Technique for productivity. It’s super simple. Just set a timer (it’s best if you don’t use the one on your phone so you’re not tempted to “just check that one text”) for a certain period of time — I usually do 25 minutes. Then, power through a pre-determined task for those 25 minutes. Don’t check the timer, just work until it goes off.
Next, take a 3-5 minute break. Whatever you do, don’t check your phone during this break! Get a drink of water, stand up and stretch, anything. Just don’t get sucked into social media or your phone because we all know that won’t be just 3-5 minutes. Now, go back and reset the timer for another 25 minutes and power through again.
Repeat this process until you’ve finished your task or until you’ve been through the loop four or five times. If the task still isn’t finished, take a longer break and decide whether you should keep going or switch tasks. Soon, you’ll be on your way to a relaxing, stress-free spring break!
(Photo courtesy of Startup Stock Photos)