There comes a time in every student’s college experience when the deadlines seem endless, the tasks are piling up, and the hours in a day seem cut in half. The middle of the semester, particularly, is when things start to get pretty hectic, and though it seems like the deadlines are impossible to wade through, there are ways to effectively handle the heavy workload.
To Start: Relax!
When stress strikes, it’s our first instinct to panic, which can be a good motivator to get your life together, sometimes. Usually, all panic serves to do is make us even less productive. So sit down, have some tea, take a deep breath, and do your best to remain calm. You’ll be better equipped to handle the task at hand if your mind is clear and composed.
Write it down!
To-do lists can seem daunting, especially if they’re long, but creating a to-do list for each day of the week can integral to staying organized. Making a to-do list ahead of time and checking back to update it will not only help to keep you from forgetting what to do, but it will feel like a weight off your shoulders when you cross an item off the list.
Prioritize!
Now that you have a list of tasks, complete them in order of importance. This can mean planning for the deadline of the task or the amount of time you know it will take to finish.
Focus!
Do your best to focus your attention on one task at a time. If your mind is wandering to what you’re going to do after your study session or the mountain of work sitting on your desk, you aren’t going to perform as well on what you’re working on now. Giving each task your undivided attention, you’ll be infinitely more efficient.
Accept The Losses!
Even with the world’s best organization skills, no one is perfect, and every so often, we all miss a deadline, forget an assignment, miss a class, etc. Remember that this isn’t the end of the world, learn from your mistakes, and move on. Time that you spend dwelling on a mistake is time that could be better spent focusing on the next task at hand.
Give Yourself Rewards!
Once you’ve met a goal or reached an important milestone, give yourself a treat! This doesn’t mean you deserve a two hour nap after you’ve studied for ten minutes, but indulging in your favorite snack while you study or allowing yourself an hour of netflix after a hard day of work will help you unwind and refresh your mind. Not only is it just nice to relax, but it can prevent burnout and give your brain time to get ready for your next success!