In autumn we are back at school, a lot of us also have our jobs, projects and other commitments. In this article we will talk a bit on how to do it more effectively, how to plan our time and be more productive.
- Find that time when you are the most productive. Some of us are morning people and get more done in the morning. Others are night owls whose most productive time is at night and at that time the best ideas are born and they get done more effectively. It is important to find out which one you are and plan your activities accordingly.
- Write down your activities and goals for the day. The easiest way to get things done is to physically write them down so you can see them in front of you. Break it down to chunks, decide when you are going to do something, don’t try to do everything at once and be realistic.
- Do the most important things first.
- Rest! Find a time during the day or week that is reserved only for you. Watch your favorite show, read a book, go for a walk – find something that will helps you rest and let go of your stress.
- Learn to say ,,No’’. A lot of commitments may help you learn how to plan your time, but you should not take it too far because being overly stressed can lead to more serious health problems. Take on projects and commitments that you really care about and know you have time for.
- Sleep! Sacrificing sleep is not the way to productivity, most people need at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night for their bodies to work the best. This means that these hours you sacrifice actually might set you back and make you less productive.
- Dedicate your time to one task at a time.
- Leave time between different tasks. If you jump from one task to another, then your brain can’t rest and it is hard to be motivated and focused.
We should work smarter not harder. It is important to find balance and make smarter choices. For example, if you have school during the day and you work in the evening, it is not a good idea to hope that you will make it to the gym after all that. The best way would be to wake up earlier and head to the gym in the morning before you are tired of the day and start looking for excuses. Between hard days you should find some time to do something that will make you happy and help you let go of that stress. Go to the gym, go for a walk, have coffee with your friends! Work out a night routine that will help your body to understand when it’s time to wind down and let go of that day. Find a morning routine that will help you prepare for the day ahead of you and get you in that right mindset. Find the motivation, the reason why you do things and learn to enjoy those things.
,,Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”
-H. Jackson Brown Jr.
Translator: Marlen Kuusk
Editor: Tea Teesalu