1. A Routine Sleep Schedule
One of the biggest time wasters amongst students is napping (of course), and whilst it’s nice to come home from a lecture and get back into bed, the reality is that it can be disruptive and ineffective, therefore a waste of time. A regular sleep schedule, which would involve going to bed at a reasonable hour (so not 2am) would mean you’re well rested for the day ahead, after a good night’s sleep. Eventually your body would naturally wake up in the morning, so those 8am starts won’t be too painful for long!
2. Avoid working in your bed
As an English student, I have definitely fallen victim to this bad habit in the past as I much prefer to read in my comfy bed rather than at my desk, but this is one of the worst habits that can affect your productivity. If you’re working in a place your brain associates with relaxation and sleep, it can be hard to concentrate on work and likewise, if you sleep in the same place you’ve been working all day, it becomes hard for your brain to shut off at night, thus leading to a bad night’s sleep and tiredness the next day.
3. Get rid of the distractions
It’s so nice to be able to work from the comfort of your own home; however there are also a lot of distractions that can hinder your productive working. It might be the food in your cupboard calling your name, your flatmates wandering in to tell you the grisly details of their previous night out or the TV blaring in the living room but if you’re not in the right studying mind-set, anything will be an opportunity to stop. It would be really helpful to exercise a little self-control; ask your flatmates to not bother you in your room or to turn off the TV, and bring your snacks to your desk so you’re less likely to waste time taking many trips to the cupboard. This will enable you to get into the right mind-set for a productive day of work.
4. Consider not working in your room at all
Personally, I find that working on campus in a study room or the library makes me much more productive as I’m in an environment associated with studying and learning. Whilst it’s okay to work in your room if you can trust yourself enough to not get distracted, it can be more effective to just separate yourself from those distractions completely. Creating a clear distinction between an environment for work and an environment for relaxation, will result in you increasing your productivity throughout the day as you are no longer around the distractions of your home and also your down time in the evening with friends will then be much more rewarding. Whilst it’s okay to work in your room if you can trust yourself enough to not get distracted, this tip is for those who find it a little harder to turn away from the distractions of home.
5. Find a study buddy!
You are much more likely to be productive if there is someone to hold you accountable. Similarly, you’re likely to get more studying done when working with and around other people who are also studying. So next time you want to go to the library, suggest to one of your flatmates that they come along, that way there’s someone counting on you getting up early in the morning to go with them and then you can enjoy down time together at the end of a productive day!
I hope you find these tips helpful and have picked up some habits that will enable you to lead a more productive and sustainable lifestyle. In first year I used to get up at 10 everyday, go to my lectures and do the bare minimum for work. Through doing so, I was restricting my success and happiness but by changing my bad habits and implementing the tips above, I have become a lot more productive and I hope you will too.
Good Luck!
