Look around. Messy desk, cluttered room, missing papers and documents and barely making it to school on time? Chances are, you've been there. As the year progresses, responsibilities may slip away from your long-term goals, unseemly piling up and causing unnecessary stress. Even doing one of these tips will help you get back into your grind!

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1. Pamper yourself to release dopamine.

Grab some bubble bath or a bath bomb for a soothing bath or your favorite shower gel for a refreshing hot shower and take some time to process your thoughts and ideas. According to several studies, our brains release more dopamine when we are relaxed which encourages us to recognize and reach our goals and rewards. Because pampering allows us to unwind from the day's stressful activities, our brains are free to explore new ideas, bringing new changes to one's life. Try to find a way to incorporate this into every other day of your week.

2. Clean and organize your work area into a simple place.

After you are physically clean, choose an area that you want to rearrange. A cluttered desk equates to a cluttered mind, so after you are physically clean, clear off your desk and put everything in its spot. Although it may seem like you are procrastinating, taking the time to organize your space will take away the stress of forgetting necessary books or materials and will give you space to work. Do this thoroughly once a week, and stick to a quick, easy clean-up schedule every day before starting work.

3. Make an alternating list of hard and easy tasks.

Take a blank sheet of paper and pen, number it and write down everything you have to do. By physically writing down your jumbled thoughts, your mind focuses on one task at a time, helping you to finish your tasks efficiently. Remember to start with an easy task, then tackle a harder one. By swapping the difficulty of the tasks on your to-do list, you gain momentum to take on harder tasks from the confidence of completing the first task. Do this every time before you begin work.

4. Establish a GYST day.

Often, we fall behind on our responsibilities because we can't keep up with ourselves which dimishes our performance. A GYST (Get Your Stuff Together) day is a great way to focus on completing all the minor tasks throughout the week. Small tasks, such as doing laundry, taking care of oneself and establishing goals, are critical to one's success during the week because they create more time to focus on other tasks. Pick any day, and use this guide to help you!

5. Be consistent with your MIT (most important task) list!

Perhaps the most important tip: to get back to your most productive self, consistently work on being productive. A great way to do this is by establishing an MIT (Most Important Task) List. By writing down your three most important tasks of the day, you will feel accomplished even if you do nothing but those three tasks. When you're in a slump, take time to achieve those small wins to prepare you to reach bigger milestones. Start slow and build your way back up.

Best of luck!