Where does the time go? Life can get pretty busy, and with daylight savings time just happening, we might feel like we’ve lost even more time! Well, I’m here to help! If you’ve fallen behind in work or you’re not satisfied with your morning routine, try using these 10 healthy habits that are sure to make your day more productive!
Keeping a planner is a lifesaver. If I didn’t have mine, I don’t know if I’d be able to keep my head on straight! Using a planner is one of the key healthy habits to improve your organization and punctuality skills. Don’t be afraid to use your planner for everything, from workouts and eating habits to important project deadlines. Go out and buy some colorful pens, and assign certain colors to specific events. Also, use your planner to better prepare yourself for important events. If you know your finals are on “May 12th” for example, rather than getting blindsided with hours of heavy studying days before, use your planner to create weekly study reminders!
And, I recommend not using your phone to record important dates because the actual process of writing down your chores or deadlines helps you remember them better.
It’s true, a cluttered desk leads to a cluttered mind. Since we’re mostly working from home, it’s so easy to just roll out of bed and trudge over to your desk three feet away without even changing out of your pajamas! If you want to be more productive, one of the best healthy habits is to treat your workspace as a “workstation,” and set up barriers around it. For instance, before you start working, make an effort to open the window next to your desk to let in some natural light, or make sure all of those loose papers are in the right bins. In fact, I would add cleaning your workstation to your nighttime routine, so when you get up in the morning, you can start your classes with a clean desk.
If you want to be more productive, try waking up earlier, like an hour before you need to be in class. And, the first thing you should do every morning is making your bed!
Ok, I know I sound a little old school, but trust me, the point of making your bed is to separate sleepy/cozy time from work time! If you make your bed, you’ll be less inclined to jump under the covers after lunch, and instead, stay on track with your schedule. And in my opinion, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. On mornings I don’t make my bed, I forget more things as the day goes on and might even get frazzled easier. But if I make my bed in the morning, then I feel more organized and ready to go! This is one of the easiest healthy habits to implement into your daily routine.
If you know that you have a big project on the horizon or a difficult homework assignment due soon, rather than freak out, try breaking the task up into smaller, more manageable steps. Again, this is where your trusty planner comes in handy! Break up the assignment into chunks you’ll complete over the course of days, not hours. You will retain the information better and you’ll be less likely to make mistakes, as opposed to cramming in the assignment last minute.
This healthy habit is largely overlooked and extremely important today, more than ever before! Most work is remote these days, meaning you’re probably spending upwards of hours staring at the computer screen. Don’t strain your eyes! Be kind to yourself, and give your eyes a break now and then.
Also, I understand that at the end of a busy day, all you want to do is curl up in your bed and unwind with your favorite show. But if your eyes are especially strained that day, then put on a podcast instead so you don’t continue looking at a screen! And, consider investing in blue light glasses!
This last year has proven that stress can come in any form. Maybe your homework load has increased since school has gone remote, or maybe the pandemic directly affected one of your family members. Whatever the case, try using meditation to ease the pain.
Most people think meditation means having no thoughts at all, but actually, that skill comes after years of practice. If you’re a beginner, try finding a quiet place and focusing your mind on gratitude thoughts. Think of how sweet your partner is, how giving your siblings are, or any act of kindness. If this type of mindful meditation isn’t for you, then just try breathing. With every exhale, you are clearing your mind of worries. It’s perfectly OK if your thoughts start to wander, simply acknowledge the distractions, then guide them back to your purpose.
I absolutely love this trick! Whenever you are tackling a daunting task, consider incorporating the Pomodoro Technique. Simply pull out your phone and set the timer for 30 minutes. Turn off all potential social media distractions and get to work. When the timer goes, make yourself stop no matter where you are, and take a 5-minute break. Go get a snack or use the restroom. Make a cup of coffee or do 25 sit-ups. Then after the 5 minutes are up, start the timer again for another 30 minutes, and repeat the process! The idea behind this is that by setting a timer for chunks of time, you are telling yourself, “Ok, I only need to focus for 30 minutes, and then I get a break.”
Your brain can only focus for so long, so rather than try to force yourself to concentrate for hours at a time (knowing you will eventually get distracted), use the Pomodoro Technique to intentionally schedule “distractions.” Believe it or not, you will maximize work time and retain more information!
Have you ever heard the saying, “Sound body, sound mind?” Well, yup, it’s true! Start your day off with a morning run, and choose an apple for breakfast instead of Cocoa Puffs! While exercising and eating right are important, I can’t overstate the importance of getting more than 6 hours of sleep a night. With factors like weight gain, work productivity, and overall happiness, getting more sleep is a healthy habit you need! Trust me, try going about your day on 7 hours of sleep… you won’t even need coffee to wake you up!
If you want to be more productive, be honest with yourself and set clear goals. Create manageable steps that will help you achieve your goals, and again, use your planner to do this! Success doesn’t come overnight, you have to work for it! Just don’t be scared of failing, it happens to all of us!
It’s important to treat yourself once in a while for all the hard work you’ve been doing! Appreciate yourself by doing an activity you enjoy. It can be anything from eating your favorite treat to meeting your bestie for brunch, or even taking your dog to the beach!
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