Written by: Riley Wang
Date: February 2021
Sometimes we have all the time in the world and the pain of boredom is, well, boring. Other times, our brains are racking through all the things we must do, and it becomes too hard to keep up with all the tasks we need to complete. Does this sound familiar? It’s all connected to time management and productivity. Throughout this article, you’ll learn how to enhance such skills to keep you productive and successful.
Tip #1: Phoneless Mornings
Whether we admit it or not, phones in the morning are addicting. Five minutes can lead to fifteen minutes and fifteen minutes can lead to an hour. It is not healthy to enter the social media world the second you open your eyes since the minutes spent on your phone are not aiding your productivity in any way.
Do something productive before checking your phone:
Exercise
Work
Make your to-do list
Eat breakfast
Put your phone in another room or far away from your bed at night
Don’t set your alarm clock on your phone
What do you NEED to get done today? Do it.
Instead of letting our phones take up large amounts of our mornings, we can use that time to exercise, get ready, or shower. If you want a detoxifying morning where stress does not overwhelm you, remove your phone. Time is inevitably ticking and taking control of your morning leads to a successful day.
Tip #2: Just a little exercise
Try to fit any sort of exercise into your schedule. It doesn’t have to be crazy. It can be a light ten minutes. Exercise has several benefits to our mental and physical health. It reduces the risk of developing heart diseases, and it is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety, depression, and negative moods.
Yoga
Pilates
Walk or run
Full-body workout
People to follow for workouts: Pamela Reif, Sane Volet, Lily Sabri, Sami Clarke
Take advantage of your time. Replacing ten minutes of screen time with ten minutes of exercise is extremely beneficial. Strive to take control of your day, and training yourself to prioritize your health and time management skills will help prepare you to stay successful.
Tip #3: Clean up after little messes
Did you just cut an apple using an apple cutter and cutting board? Wait! Before eating that apple, take 10 seconds to clean up after yourself. After all, little messes build up to large messes. Having an organized and clean space improves your focus on the main tasks you need to get done.
Put things back immediately after usage
Before going to bed, pick up a few misplaced items and put them back
Little adjustments like tidying up after yourself prevent disastrous messes. A skill like staying clean will benefit your productivity during the day, and in the long run, when you go to post-secondary school, work, and so much more. Be responsible and accountable for your actions.
Tip #4: The blast-off method
Have you ever felt like not doing something or anything at all? Use the blast-off method.
Countdown from five
Five, four, three, two, one…
Once you reach one, get up and go do your task
Several people use this method to get out of bed, get some work done, or even exercise. After counting down, it gives a sense of urgency and our brains try to avoid that. We must take the first step and take control of our day. Pushing ourselves to do something we do not want to do is the first step to self-improvement.
Productive day
Everybody goes through non-motivational and non-productive days, but we must differentiate ourselves from those who never take action. It’s time to take authority of our time during the day and it all begins with small steps like these. Let’s benefit ourselves in the long run and take action now.
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” - Walt Disney
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