Productive. That is one adjective that almost all college students wish they could use to describe themselves on a daily basis. Maybe you don’t even need to be productive on a daily basis. Maybe you just need a couple hours of productivity to finish off that project that you procrastinated on for two weeks? Whatever level of productivity you are looking for here are 5 tips to help you get there!
Just to be clear, I do not claim to be the model of productivity. I, like many college students, have those days that are filled with the potential to accomplish so much yet result in so little being crossed off of the To Do list (you know what I’m talking about, right?!) However, over the past 3 years I have discovered a few strategies that make being productive a little less painful!
1. DON’T GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM BETWEEN EVERY CLASSYour bed is in your room. That is enough of a reason to avoid it! College naps are notorious killers of productivity. It wasn’t until I couldn’t go back to my off campus apartment sophomore year that I realized how much more I got done when I spent that gap hour sitting in the Union instead of finding distractions in my room!
2. DON'T TALK ABOUT ITIt almost seems to be a competition among college students for who has the most to do! We love complaining to our friends about how we have an impossible amount of homework to do and all we really want to do in life is sit in bed and watch Netflix. I’ll let you in on a sad secret….no matter how much you complain about it, you still have to do it. I know, it’s sad :( Wallow in your misery for a little bit and then try and get it done!
3. MAKE A NEW TO DO LIST EVERY DAY- Prioritize that list.
- Celebrate when you cross something off that list!
Having a time set to meet and do work with someone else is a great way to boost productivity! There have been many occasions when the only reason I got homework or studying done is because I met up with someone else and felt inspired! Much more inspired than I would have been sitting by myself daydreaming about fun things or scrolling through Facebook again. Plus, they can help keep you on track! My friend has a distinct knack for knowing when I’ve surreptitiously opened up my Netflix tab and minimized my paper and isn’t afraid to call me out on it. I hope your friend will call you out on it, too!
5. TAKE AN EXERCISE BREAKI know, I know. You’ve heard this one a million times. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but it really does help. Head to a group exercise class at the SRSC (they’re fun – I promise!) The workout doesn’t need to be intense to help you focus. Take a walk, do some jumping jacks, some light yoga…you get the picture! Do something that helps you feel refreshed and ready to get back to work!
Unfortunately, there is no exact formula to make you be productive at any given time. These are some things that help me get down to business! As the school year gets started take some time and experiment to find out what works best for you!
Looking for more inspiration productivity? Here are 50 more ideas on how to get stuff done.