On March 11, all University of South Florida students got an email informing us that we will not be returning to school until April 5. Then, we received an email informing us that we will not be returning to school for the rest of the semester. Our classes have been transitioned to online.
I know in my mind I had a wide variety of thoughts. My first reaction was excited that I didn’t have to drive to school. Then I thought about all the free time I was going to have! I started thinking about the things I wanted to do while I was stuck at home. Then I started to think about how even though I just want to binge watch “The Office” on Netflix for the 100th time. I should probably stay productive. So, girlfriends, here are my tips for staying productive during our “extended spring break.”
- Make a plan.
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Remember, classes are not canceled. We still have to complete online exams and homework assignments. I plan on taking the times I would normally be in classes and scheduling them as schoolwork hours. During those times, you would normally be in class anyways, so might as well use that to your advantage.
- Stay organized!
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I believe staying organized with your time helps you become more productive. Having a schedule you follow everyday will help you get things done and will help you feel happier. When you accomplish things, it puts you in a better mood!
- DO NOT STAY IN BED ALL DAY!
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Even though we are in isolation and are not supposed to leave the house, that does not give you an excuse to stay in bed all day. As soon as I wake up, I make my bed so that way I do not want to mess it up, and it forces me to either walk around and complete tasks or sit on the couch.
When you are cozy in your bed, you are less likely to get out of it and do chores around your house. Then at the end of the day when it is time to go to bed, you will have trouble falling asleep since you’ve been laying in it all day. One of the most useful tips I have ever learned is to not lay down in your bed until it is time to go to bed. That way your mind associates your bed with sleep.
- Set yourself up for success.
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Having a realistic list of tasks and goals you would like to accomplish while we are in isolation will also help you become more productive. When you give yourself realistic goals, you will set yourself up for success. When I wake up in the morning after I make my bed, I sit down with a cup of iced coffee and write out my goal or goals for the day and look at the schedule I have made to have an idea of what the day will bring. One day maybe your goal is it clean out all the drawers around your apartment/house. Another day your goal could be to clean your makeup bag or reorganize your closet. Setting these goals will make you feel so much better at the end of the day when you gross it off your list.
Remember when you told your girlfriends last week that this semester has been stressful? You have been too busy to do the things you need to do? Now is your chance to get those things done!