With reading week finished and finals approaching, now is the perfect time to optimize your productivity. Use these five tips to help you finish the latter half of the term strong and have fun doing it.
- USE YOUR CALENDAR
Yes, use your calendar. You need to commit to one calendar and one calendar only. Write down everything due and make sure it’s easily visible from your workstation so you always know when your next deadline is approaching. Don’t have a calendar? Decide whether a digital or paper version is right for you and start using one. Optimize your calendar use and check out these 100 Calendar tips only productive people use.
2. TRY THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
Now, what exactly is the Pomodoro technique? It’s a time management system that breaks out your day into more manageable chunks. You work for twenty-five minutes and then take a five-minute break. After four or so, you take a fifteen to twenty-minute break. Try it for yourself and learn more about how the Pomodoro technique actually works.
3. SPEND YOUR BREAKS WISELY
How you choose to spend your study break is the difference between you coming back rested or restless. Use this time to get up to date on social media notifications you’ve missed out on or try taking a walk, exercising or chatting with a friend. When you get back to those notes, you’ll be more energetic and ready to get into it again.
4. STREAMLINE YOUR NOTE-TAKING
Organize, organize, organize. Find a note organization system if you haven’t already and stick with it. Google Docs, Evernote and OneNote are excellent online options, but paper notes can work just as well. Try different platforms to discover what you like best and use these 7 Note Taking Tips to perfect your note-taking and develop a system that works for you.
5. CREATE YOUR PERFECT ENVIRONMENT
Music, lighting and greenery all enhance your study environment. Create one that works for you and studying for those long hours near the end of term will be much more pleasant. Like the other points, it’s all about finding what works for you. Are you a fan of listening to music while studying or do you require the absolute silence only found at the library? No matter what you prefer, make sure your space is organized, well-lit and conducive to you completing the work you need to. Looking to learn more about optimizing your study space? Why not try these 10 ways to improve your study habits?
THE BOTTOM LINE
Implement these tips sooner rather than later to make sure your end-of-term studying goes as smoothly as possible and enjoy going into the Christmas break with a newly perfected productivity routine.