Since I'm a student, running this blog is another thing on my plate along with schoolwork and personal projects. In order to accomplish all the things I need to do in a way that's up to the high standards I set for myself, I need to have my stuff together. In high school, I was an average-at-best student because I wasn't managing my time well. Once I figured out how to effectively use my time on the things that actually mattered to me, my grades went up and stayed up, I spent more time on what mattered to me, and I generally get more done in my day. After some thought, I came up with the five things that helped me the most in increasing my productivity.
1. You Have to Want It.
Nothing is going to change if you don't do anything about it. You can say to yourself over and over that you're going to change, but that doesn't mean anything until you actually do it. Recognizing where you lack and wanting to make the change is the first step.
2. Don't Wait.
I know January is the month when everyone is on top of their new year's resolutions, so if you've set any, I hope you stay on top of them! As for me, I don't wait for the new year or the next month. Going back to the first point, if you really want to make a change, it makes sense to do it as soon as possible. In July of 2018 I decided I wanted to start studying Spanish and French. It didn't matter that it seemed like a pretty random hobby to pick up, I just started and now I know more Spanish and French than I did six months ago. Don't wait!
3. Make Habits.
When you're changing something about your life, making it a habit is a great way to make sure you don't drop off the bandwagon. A couple of years ago, I knew that starting to read my Bible every day would be really beneficial, but I hadn't started. I decided to take my mornings and use them for studying the Bible, right after I wake up. Setting a designated time every single day really helped me make it a habit. Now, if I don't start my day with a cup of tea and my Bible and a notebook, my whole day feels wrong. That habit has turned into a routine for me.
4. Have Routines.
What a nice transition! Once you've got your habits, order them into routines to make sure you get everything done. For example, some of my habits are eating breakfast in the morning, reading my Bible, and sitting down to plan my day in my bullet journal. Now, I have an order I do those things in every day. Bible time is first, then breakfast, then I'll go plan my day. It helps me start my day well and have a clear idea of what I need to do. Having set routines helps me make sure I'm using my time well.
5. Write Things Down.
I cannot say enough about this. WRITE THINGS DOWN. My biggest problem in freshman and sophomore year of high school was that I had a planner, but I never used it. I was forgetting assignments and my grades were suffering. Once I committed to writing EVERYTHING down, everything changed. Write down birthdays, appointments, travel dates, due dates, assignments, anything that you think you'll remember and then don't. I write down my school assignments to keep track of them of course, but if I want to call my mom, go work out or clean my room, that gets written down too. At this point, if I've written something down, I consider it done.
I can talk about this all I want, but I have to say that I don't abide by these every day! I'm not perfect, there will always be days where outside circumstances get in the way and absolutely wreck all the plans I made for myself. On those days, I just have to adjust and move on. It's great to have a string of productive days, but if I need a day where the only thing I write down to do is "watch Netflix", that's fine and I probably need it! Just make sure to have balance.
What are your favorite tips for productivity? I'd love to hear them!
Thanks for reading!
xx, Hannah
Amazing! I enjoy reading your blogs - and this is very good information! 😊❤️