Homework, extracurricular activities, events, work - how can we eliminate some of that stress? These things have kept me focused and efficient in my work and personal life.
Planner/Google Calendar
If you are a visual person like me, planners are amazing. I record pretty much everything in it, such as homework, exams, and reminders. You can use colored pens or tabs to differentiate the tasks. For example:
Red: Deadlines, Exams, Important Dates or Urgent Tasks
Dark Blue: Appointments, Events, Meetings
Green: Work
Pink: Extracurricular Activities (ex: exercising, volunteering)
Purple: Other or Personal (ex parties, trips)
Remaining colors: Assign one for each class (for homework and assignments)
Once you start using a planner, your mind will feel less cluttered. You’ll save time by not having to sit and recall every single thing that you need to do.
Laptop
Laptops or tablets are extremely helpful and a great investment. Whether you are writing an essay or completing an assignment online, a laptop is useful because it’s lightweight, portable, and ready for use.
Check. Your. Email. Set your email’s app to notify you every time you get an email. By doing this, you can reply as soon as possible. It is crucial to maintain a great credibility with people. It shows how invested and punctual you are. Another important thing to pay attention to is your email address. It should be professional. Simply having your address be your first and last name (or something related to that) is a lot better than if your address was babygirl224.
Emergency Kit
Little things come up all the time. I know there were times where I wish I had a hair tie or band-aid and this is what the kit is designed for. I carry around this small pouch in my backpack or purse. You can make adjustments for your needs.
Headphones / Charger
Lotion / Hand Sanitizer
Band-aids
Gum
Tissues
Make-up
Lip Balm / Chapstick
Perfume
Ibuprofen
Pads / Tampons
Hair ties / Bobby pins
Tide To-Go Stain Remover
Water bottle and Snack
Staying hydrated is so important. It’s good for our skin, blood pressure, joints and much more. Also, learning on an empty stomach makes it a bit hard to focus, so I try to remind myself to grab a snack before leaving.
Quick Tips
Pack your lunch and backpack before going to sleep. This frees up some time in the morning to get ready (or sleep in).
LEAVE EARLY! You never know what you'll encounter. Whether it's traffic or bad weather, driving with extra time is a lot more relaxing and you'll arrive on time.
Don't procrastinate. I know this is hard because I tend to do it myself too. However, imagine the amount of stress it would reduce if you got that task out of the way. Sometimes it doesn't even take that long to do it (you might be putting more effort into avoid doing it than to just finish it).
Enjoy this time of your life. Don't rush to grow up, to graduate, to settle down because our whole lives would just be us constantly running somewhere. Make memories and stay around people that positively impact your life.
These were some items that help me with my productivity and I hope they do the same for you!
Image by Vesa.
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