Picture this: it's Saturday night, and you're relaxing (doing homework) and unwinding (crying) after a long week of schoolwork, tests, and obligations. Suddenly, you realize that you had an Odyssey article due this morning and you never wrote it. Panicked, you rack your brain for article ideas, and none come to you. If not for Odyssey, we've all procrastinated at one point or another. Here are five top-notch ways to stay on top of your life, even with the most hectic of schedules:
1. Keep a planner
If you haven't already, for goodness' sake, buy a planner. You can get a cheap one at Target in whatever size pleases you best, or you can even print one off for free. My personal setup is a weekly planner for events/special occasions and obligations, and my iPhone calendar is color coded to accommodate my class schedule and rehearsals. This way, I keep myself from double-booking, and my assignments are written down (which helps me remember them!). Find a system that works for you, and actually use it.
2. Make use of free time
Whether it's gaps in my class schedule or winding down before bed, I use small chunks of free time to go over my to-do list or my planner. I often find little tasks that I've completely forgotten (or homework I put off and didn't remember) that won't take a lot of time.
3. Prioritize like crazy
My best tactic is ordering my tasks. If I have a ton to do and I'm feeling super overwhelmed, I start writing out a list of everything I can think of that needs to be done. Starting with the most important or time-sensitive task helps me realize that even though I really need to do my laundry, I have enough clean clothes to hang in there another day at least. This way if you run out of time, you'll have the most important things on your list checked off.
4. Talk it out
One of my favorite things to do when I'm really stressed is complain about it. However, my friends and family have learned that talking out my day usually helps me sort out what all I have to do. Find a friend and use them as a sounding board. You may realize that you have much less to do than you originally thought (because stress exaggerates things). Talk out your whole day from beginning to end!
5. Procrastinate
Sounds counterproductive, right? Don't procrastinate important things...but if catching up on Grey's Anatomy was on your to do list, procrastinate on that. Putting off your least important tasks means that you'll feel you have much less to do, and thereby much more productive when you finish what you had to do!
