We all like to think of ourselves as inhuman-like productive beasts of the 21st century, but let’s be honest, its way to easy to get off track, procrastinate and do everything but the 2,000 essay that we need finished before 10pm. So, here’s the ultimate guide to staying productive at university.
Even if that means going to bed at 11pm rather than 3am, sleeping enough is crucial for better productivity and overall energy levels. Uni isn’t all about partying (sorry), there has to be some balance which focuses on getting all of your work finished to degree standard! If you’re feeling groggy and exhausted, what are the chances of that? Get yourself 8 hours please!
Yes, actually wake up in the morning, who’d have thought this was a thing? No more sleeping in until 2pm, fellow student! Once you get the hang of it, your body feels so much better and full of energy. You even get a thing or two done and then have the evening left to treat yourself! Set your alarm for half an hour earlier each day and when you get to the time you want to wake up each day, continue this until your body clock has adjusted.
On a student budget, it can be tricky to afford quality, healthy food. But it’s not rocket science. Go to local markets which offer local, fresh produce at a reasonable price. Eating well doesn’t mean you can’t have occasional treats or snacks, where’s the fun in life without a choccy bar? It’s all about balance. Get your vitamins and minerals each day to replenish your body, leaving you more motivated to tackle your essays. Then treat yourself for your hard work with a nice bar of dark chocolate.
Being productive is so much more appealing when your surroundings are clean. How many times have you got in and seen mountains of laundry on your desk and just slid into your clean comfy bed instead? You’re not the only one. Keep your work space attractive and clean. Have all of your notebooks and stationary organised so that you can access everything easily from your chair. Sitting in bed to do work is not ideal, it’s too comfortable and you will feel your productivity drifting off into a little nap. No more! Clean up. Have as much natural light in your room as possible to keep you from feeling tired, also allow fresh air to flow by opening your window every day. If having a neat work space is unrealistic in your dorms or shared house, stay behind at uni to finish your work. The library is open all hours, find your favourite spot and bring snacks!
Ever thought about how much time you spend watching tv when there’s nothing you actually like on? Or countless random YouTube videos? You’ve gone to watching “How to be more motivated” to Jenna Marbles’ “My Dogs Try Fruit and Vegetable”. Again, you’re unfortunately not the only one. So swap those wasted hours for a little bit of work. If you’re sat there thinking “why the hell am I watching *insert BBC Two show here*” then stop! Pull that study book from your bag and get highlighting. It doesn’t always have to be so formal. Commuting to uni? Read. Even curling up on the sofa highlighting quotes with Hollyoaks on in the background, every little helps!
Ever been to the gym for an hour and then felt on top of the world(and ready to eat an entire elephant) after? Exactly! Once you get into a routine of exercising, productivity levels escalate due to energy levels being elevated! If you can’t afford a monthly payment for the gym, why not do a few home excerises? Or dabble in the art of Yoga. There’s plenty of simple home exercise tutorials available on YouTube, so pick your fancy!
If you push yourself too much too fast, you won’t feel the benefits of all of these steps. You won’t want to stick to your schedule either. So just take it slowly, try your best and reward yourself with a film in bed or a coffee at your favourite café. This way you will want to earn your rewards and feel a bigger sense of accomplishment.
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