Since I’ve begun college, I’ve tested out a multitude of “routines” in my attempts to be proactive and productive, and I’ve Googled about 3 million ways to acheive this. I learned (the hard way) that the only way to figure out what works best is to
1. Use your Sunday night well
I’ve actually come to look forward to my Sunday nights because it’s all about planning. My dry-erase whiteboards get a cleaning and I write out my daily agenda for Monday through Saturday. This includes times of classes, any papers due or tests on that day, any meetings that I need to attend, and more. The proactive mindset that I set for myself allows me to get a stress-free start to my week and begin on a positive note.
2. Pencil something into your calendar to look forward to
This is so important, and definitely crucial to anyone who is homesick (AKA most college kids. Admit it, you want to sleep in your own bed). My November calendar currently reads “HAPPY THANKSGIVING” in big letters starting on the 23rd and I have a countdown going in the top margin of my calendar, as well. Changing that countdown everyday makes each day better and looking up and knowing that I’m home so soon is motivation to have a productive and happy week.
3. Pick at least five happy songs to soundtrack your week
I already make a playlist every month, keeping track of my rapidly-changing music tastes like a monthly diary of my life, but recently I’ve started to come up with the happiest songs I can think of for my week. I’ve been returning to these songs whenever I need motivation or a pick-me-up or just to relax throughout the week. Below is my Spotify playlist for this week’s songs! Nothing puts me in a good mood like good music.