We all have our individual ways of staying organized due to how busy our lives become overtime. Some of us prefer planners while others prefer calendars. However, we all have the same end goal which is coordinating our personal and professional lives. Below are four tips on how to balance life using different methods.
1. Utilize both physical and digital calendars throughout the year.
Physical planners allow us to have a written visual of all of the tasks we need to complete each day. Digital planners give us a broad overview of the events in our lives. Therefore, using both of these allow for a perfect balance of planning daily tasks and keeping up with yearly celebrations. I love using both forms of planners, because I am able to easily separate different parts of my life. Also, physical planners are always easy to find at most convenience stories. The great thing about digital planners is how many different types of planners are available. You can overlap a lot of specific events on some platforms that enables users to gain an optimal view of their schedule.
2. Change your phone lock screen wallpaper to your work or school schedule for the week.
It's crucial to use technology in a way that is efficient and productive. One of my favorite things to do is change my Iphone's Lock screen wallpaper to my work schedule or college schedule. This reinforces what is to come for the rest of the week while serving as a mental reminder to pace myself. Oftentimes, we get so caught up in wasting our time on social media and forget that technology can be a useful tool to navigate our lives. This is also amazing because you can change the wallpaper each week for work.
3. Plan out your year well in advance to account for any emergencies.
There is more to simply having planners than just writing down some upcoming tasks. To get the most advantages, one should plan out the year as early as possible. You should write down anything from the upcoming test dates to doctor appointments. This provides a cushioned area for any cancellations of events. If you plan out far in advance, you can simply reschedule the appointment for a different time. However, if you use your planner to schedule things at the last minute you will not be granted this luxury. This tip is critical for busy college students who also work because it's important that we maintain our health.
4. Set aside some time for self care to ensure you're at your best physical & mental state.
This is the most important point due to our natural ability to want to accomplish more and more. Self-care gives us the chance to renew our psychological state by giving us the opportunity to engage in meaningful activities. Self-care is different for every individual. Therefore, there is no right or wrong way to give yourself space from the craziness of life. We all need to take a step back to gain mindfulness about the world around us. Sometimes, we trick ourselves into thinking this just takes up time and diminishes productivity. Nonetheless, it eventually boosts productivity since we feel like the best version of ourselves.
