How To Improve Productivity
Students like me are sooooooo *so* prone to procrastination. With all the social media and social events going on, it's so hard to concentrate on other important things and that's probably the reason why "procrastination" is too common nowadays. But hey, don't worry, I too occasionally get my case of the "procrastination".
For those who aren't familiar with the word, well you're lucky! You probably don't procrastinate at all or (OR) you probably didn't know you were doing it. But let's hope for the earlier one. According to urban dictionary [dot]com, procrastination is defined as "avoiding doing something for as long as possible, sometimes not doing it at all." - there were a lot of meanings but let's stick to this one for simplicity purposes.
With that being said, I'm pretty sure you now get me. Procrastination memes are actually really popular and you can say really relatable too!
Earlier, I mentioned that I'm no stranger to procrastination but I do get by. My friends would usually commend me for actually getting things done right away so I decided to make a list of tips on how you can too. So from one student to another (or whatever you may be :p), here's a few tricks I do to avoid procrastinating. Enjoy!
1. MAKE A LIST EVERYDAY
Besides using planners to plan out the whole year, month or week, make it a habit to make lists daily. Start the morning by doing your daily rituals (for me, it would be pray > bath > eat breakfast) then make your list for the day. Start with your number one priority down to the last one. Put your list in a small paper and stick that paper in your dorm door, bulletin board, notebook or anywhere you can easily see it. I stick my lists on my notebook since I bring my notebook everywhere. Also, bring a pen so that you can check off the things you've already accomplished - it will definitely give you the boost to go on finishing your list.
2. EAT BREAKFAST
People usually forget or neglect eating breakfast. I used to be one of those people. But studies show that people who eat breakfast are more likely to be productive within the day (and yes, this is a real study. Check it). The same studies show that these people are actually smarter than those without breakfast. Amazing, right? They wouldn't call it the "most important meal of the day" for nothing. :)
3. USE SELF-CONTROL / ANTI-DISTRACTION APPS
For those who really can't control themselves on social media, there are two ways on how you can stop this "addiction"; One way is to discipline yourself. It is the most natural way. Sure, it's gonna be hard at first but once the addiction is gone, you'll feel more free. You don't have to worry in getting caught up with social media again. Another way is to use anti-distraction apps. One of the most popular apps for college students is SelfControl. Taken from its website, SelfControl is a free and open-source application for Mac OS X that lets you block your own access to distracting websites, your mail servers, or anything else on the Internet. Just set a period of time to block for, add sites to your blacklist, and click "Start." Until that timer expires, you will be unable to access those sites--even if you restart your computer or delete the application. You can also check other anti-distraction apps here. And if it's for a week, delete your phones (You're welcome!)
4. TIME YOURSELF
Some people don't like looking at their watches when beating deadlines so that they won't feel the pressure. They say that when they do, their work turns out really bad. But the thing is, you have to accept it. If you're cramming for something, look at your watch every once in a while but still remember to deliver. Keep calm AND deliver. I think that's better than not knowing the time while working. To avoid cramming, take note of the time and manage your time well. Remember to do everything on your list before giving yourself the time to go on social media.
5. RELAX
Let's admit it, it gets pretty stressful. If you find yourself stressed within the day during work, don't be afraid to give yourself 5 minutes to breathe. Our main goal is to be productive and deliver anyway, right? :)
And that concludes my list of productivity tips. I really hope you found these helpful. How about you? Any tips I missed or I should consider doing? Let me know, I'd love to hear about them! :)
0 NOTES