During college, it’s easy to get swept up in the mindset that you aren’t working hard enough unless you’re going through incredible stress. But this isn’t necessarily true; you can still accomplish productivity and excellent work without burning yourself out. It’s important to be kind to yourself and to take your mental health into consideration, even when it seems like the work is piling up. Try the following tips and see if they make a difference in the overall quality of your work and stress levels.
1. Learn what methods of organization work best for you.
Keeping track of your assignments and readings is key to staying organized. Are you the type of person who uses a planner or a checklist app, or do you just like to glance over your syllabus when necessary? Do you have a folder for each subject, or do you prefer an expanding file to keep everything together? All of these methods have their benefits, but it’s up to you to figure out which works best for you. Try a different method each semester until you are able to recognize your perfect organizational match.
2. Don’t wait until the last minute to do assignments.
When you have back-to-back assignments and exams, this point often seems easier said than done. But if you have a little bit of free time in your day and a paper that’s due in a few weeks, take about a half hour to outline your topic and find a few sources that you can read later. It will make the paper feel less daunting, and your future self will thank you for taking that little bit of pressure off your shoulders.
3. Maintain a schedule.
If you like eating dinner at 6 and going to the library at 6:30, try turning that into a habit. Your mind and body will soon grow accustomed to your schedule, and you will feel more productive when it’s time to get to work. A bonus tip is to try going to bed and waking up at the same times every day; for a college student this may seem impossible, but being well-rested will allow you to accomplish your tasks more efficiently.
4. Recognize your limits.
When figuring out what work you would like to accomplish throughout the week, don’t assume that you can tackle a problem set, write four pages of a paper and study for an exam all in one day. Try to split up your work in a way that you know you can accomplish. It’s better to underestimate how much you can do in one day and then do more work than you anticipated than it is to pile on too much at once. And don’t forget about extracurriculars — if you have a job and several club commitments on top of your homework, try reevaluating which activities are the most important to you.
5. Balance your time alone and with other people.
When studying with friends, try to become more aware of how much actual work you’re getting done and how much time you’re gossiping. You might discover that you’ve spent an entire hour talking about a season finale of a TV show and only five minutes doing homework. You should also consider how much leisure time you spend with friends on the weekends; being social is great, but taking some time to be alone or to quietly meditate might recharge you in a way that you didn’t realize you needed.
6. Foster your hobbies when you can.
Do you love drawing, going to the gym, reading or cooking? Don’t sweep these activities under the rug just because you feel too overwhelmed by everything else. At least once a week, carve out some time in your schedule when you can enjoy what makes you truly happy. Not only will you feel relieved to get some time to yourself; you will also become a more well-rounded person in the end.
