Throughout my life I've always had to keep a strong grasp on my time management skills. When I was growing up I begged for a multitude of after school activities: dance, singing, piano, guitar, karate, and even a short lived violin phase. Lucky for me I had my mother, otherwise known as my personal chauffeur back in those days, to make sure I was always on time for my classes, to feed myself as we scurried from place to place and even make sure I finished all my homework upon arriving home after a long day. As I ventured off to boarding school in grade 10 my schedule became even more hectic and crammed. Often I try to explain to people who ask me about my time there what it was like, but it's a difficult situation to understand unless you've actually experienced it. From scheduled cleaning and room inspections from 7-8:30 p.m. every Friday night to sign-ins thrice daily to chapel at 11:15 every Saturday morning I was fortunate to have more than fifteen minutes to relax before Saturday night or Sunday came around. For some, being told what to do and when to do it might drive them insane, but for me it was exactly what I needed. As someone who is easily distracted and tempted by any surrounding entertainment, having a well-structured schedule is a neccesisty. It wasn't until I came to university that I realized how lucky I had things back in high school. Every day since, I've been faced with the same challenge: to buckle down and focus on my tasks for the day without any distractions. Believe it or not, it's when my day is already filled with work or school that I'm the most productive. If I have a day off I typically find myself lazing around my apartment, watching tv, or, my biggest talent of all, sleeping. I trace these habits of mine back to my boarding school structure, where I was forced to be productive with the little bits of time that were thrown my way throughout the week. Obviously everyone is different and has different strategies when it comes to managing time, but the following are a few tips that usually work for me when I'm lacking the drive I need to be productive.
1. Get out of your house
Unless the task at hand is to actually clean your place then chances are you're going to be much more productive in a public space. Personally I like having a little bit of background noise around me, so I find I am most productive in coffee shops, especially ones with lots of space and comfy chairs. If I have class or work sometimes I try to leave a couple hours early in order to force myself to get a bit of work done, be it blogging, reading or studying.
A while back I remember reading in a magazine that devoting fifteen minutes to any grueling task may be the key to getting things done. Not only can you accomplish a lot more than you would think in that short amount of time, but the odds of you wanting to follow through and complete the task at hand are highly likely. Whenever I apply this rule to tasks such as cleaning my house or reading I always walk away feeling accompished and productive.
3. Take breaks
I'll admit there are times when my "break" turns into an afternoon of shopping or hanging out with friends, but most of the time taking a little break helps me a lot when it comes to regaining my focus. If I have a craving or an urge to go out and have some fun, I'll take even so much as an hour or two to roam around for a bit outside. Even allotting yourself a fragment of time for Facebooking instead of keeping it open the whole time you're doing work is a useful trick if you are easily distracted.
4. Opt for music
I'm one of those people who always has my headphones on, though when I get home I typically transition from background music to background TV shows. Often when I have a TV show on, especially one I've seen before, I can get at least a bit of work done while I watch it. However, if I am at all tired, sick, or just especially lazy, I'll begin to procrastinate and tell myself I'll start my work after "one more episode." Well, as you might guess, one episode turns into two, and then three, and then before I know it I've spent my entire day watching some sort of high school TV drama. If I opt for music though, become lazy is rarely the case. Having background music to zone out to almost always helps me focus. The exception to this rule being that every so often a fun party tune will come on and my apartment then becomes a one woman dance party. Most of the time though, no matter the task, music is a handy helper when it comes to getting a job done.
5. Put yourself first
Everyone is busy and has different schedules - there's no way you're going to make it to every party, event or activity. As easy as it is to let your life revolve around your social calendar, it's a sure fire way to reflect on a week and realize that all you've obtained is a hangover and a disastrous apartment. Being a social person, this is a huge challenge for me. As I constantly strive to go out, work, and get my assignments done, it makes it nearly impossible to fit in the things I like to do for myself, such as working out, baking, blogging, etc. A strategy that I find both motivational and effective for helping balance work and play is making weekly to-do lists. This week I made a list of things I had to get done before having any wild, fun nights. Obviously there will sometimes be setbacks, but if you can compile a list of seven or eight tasks, completing the majority of them before the weekend is a huge help. It's OK to say no to a night out with friends and it's also OK to go out every night of the week if you choose to do so. I know some people who go out all the time and still manage to get more work done than I do. When it comes to multitasking, everyone is different. The most important thing is to be in touch with yourself and to find a strategy that works for you.
Loved your post!!! Have a great weekend. Linda
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