It’s not easy being a college student. Especially when you’re taking 5 classes a week and a member of multiple clubs and organizations. People ask a lot from you and sometimes it seems impossible to manage your time. Unfortunately, time management is how college students succeed, and truthfully, some people just aren’t that good at it. Well, who can blame them? Being productive in college is how you’ll succeed. Not only will your grades see a difference, but also yourself as a whole. The following steps are how you can have a semester filled with productivity:
1. Wake up early. This is easy to me because I’m naturally an early riser, but to really have a productive day, start by waking up earlier. Now, I’m not talking 5 am, but before 9am would be ideal. Usually, a college student’s classes don’t start until ten or eleven anyways, so waking up at max two hours earlier wouldn't harm you. Leave the weekends to sleep in late after long nights out with friends. Trust me, your bed won’t miss you too much.
2. Make your bed. Speaking of your bed, make it every morning. It’s not that hard. While you’re still laying in it checking social media, just pull up the covers, and slither out. Yeah, it’s not the job they do at a five star hotel, but it’ll do the trick. Coming home to a freshly made bed will ensure that your night will be just as productive as your day. Plus, it’ll give you an easily accessible, but neat place to dump all your stuff from your hectic day.
3. Eat a healthy breakfast. Starting the day off right with a healthy meal will keep you going all day long. The dining hall doesn’t always have the best options, but a big bowl of cereal or a few eggs, accompanied by fresh fruit will do the trick. Instead of stuffing your face with greasy breakfast meats or a high-calorie bagel, try a healthier choice. Your body and mind will thank you later. Throughout the day continue to eat healthy and I guarantee you won’t feel as tired later on.
4. Exercise. Working out in the morning has an ongoing list of benefits: you’ll boost your metabolism, you’ll want to eat healthier throughout the day, and your energy will increase. Plus, when you exercise in the morning, there’s no chance that you’ll be able to ditch your workout later. Especially when you complete it first thing. With that increased energy boost, you’ll feel like you can accomplish any goal, big or small.
5. Look good. I don’t know if it’s just me, but by putting on a little makeup in the morning and making sure that I’m not just wearing leggings and a sweatshirt to class, definitely increases my own productivity. I’m not talking about a full face filled with heavy foundation and a smoky eye, or an ensemble that can also be mistaken as business casual. A little mascara never hurt anybody, nor did a pair of jeans and a cute top. When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, the more likely you are to get stuff done. It’s science.
6. Check over your planner. By reviewing your assignments for the week in the morning, you can prevent the unfortunate but possible surprises throughout the day. This will guarantee that you won’t forget about that math quiz in your Friday recitation, or the paper due next week, that you probably should start doing research on. It also gives you the chance to see what your schedule is for the rest of the day, so you do have time to, maybe fit an episode or two of Netflix in.
7. Take breaks. Having an eventful day can put you into a slump. Instead of going back to your dorm to take a power nap, take a break instead. Grab a coffee. Read for pleasure. Call your parents. Plan the rest of your week out. Have a snack. Taking a few breaks throughout the day to regroup won’t hurt you. In the long run, rewarding yourself for how hard you’ve been going all day will only benefit you in the end.
8. Limit social media. Not a huge fan of this one myself, but limiting your social media intake during the day has a lot of benefits. Ever taken a survey or something similar online and it’s asked you how many hours a day you spend on your phone, social media, the internet, etc.? Well, have you ever really thought about it? Between checking Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook constantly, surfing the net for random inquiries, and refreshing your email a zillion and one times, the statement that your phone is controlling your life is nothing short from accurate. By lessening the amount of social media that you’re using, you’re ultimately saving precious hours of your day that can be used for better things, alas, maximizing the time you have to be productive.
9. Stop working around 9 p.m. It seems almost impossible with a day long worth of classes, meetings, and other extra curricular activities, and a long list of stuff to get done to follow, but by stopping school work at around 9 p.m., you’re giving yourself time to relax and unwind before bed. Obviously this isn’t always the case. You may have a paper the next day or a test that seems impossible to pass, but when it’s just a normal day with nothing pressing in the future, try to stop yourself from working a little to hard.
10. Go to bed early. After a long, hard day of working your butt off, it’s time to hit the sack. Trust me, you’ll be asleep just as soon as your head hits the pillow. Don’t stay up all night binge watching TV shows, or ordering late night snacks from GrubHub. Instead, reflect on your day and go to bed early. You’ll thank yourself later when you have to do it all again tomorrow.
