Check out Peer Advisor Parker Blackwell’s advice on budgeting your attention and how to stay productive in these unique times.
Throughout my experience with remote learning these last few months, I’ve found that without routine location changes, everything melds together. Snack breaks take over online lectures, and with finals approaching, my self-care has dwindled from regular yoga and meditation to the occasional deep breath between submitting assignments. Clearly, this is not a sustainable lifestyle.
As a reminder for myself and anyone else who, like me, finds themselves careening haphazardly between binging Netflix and laboring through coursework, I’m here to say, there is a better way! So here is some wisdom I’ve clung to over the years, collected from podcasts, proverbs, and good old fashioned experience, that I hope might be helpful in this trying time.
1. Budget your time!
Try thinking of time as a commodity: finite and valuable. Consider time-blocking. Ever notice how productive you are in the minute it takes to heat up food in a microwave? Set timers for certain tasks and challenge yourself to finish each one before the timer runs out. Time blocking can look like setting a realistic goal for getting a reading done, or it can look like leaving yourself thirty minutes to eat a solid lunch before class. This brings me to my next point…
2. Get your priorities straight!
Invest your time with intention. Try thinking of each day as an opportunity to make something happen. Spontaneous moments are wonderful, but sometimes you have to actively pursue things that spark joy. For me, writing To-Do Lists every morning helps me reserve time for things that bring me joy. Each day, I have the agency to decide what’s best for me. Some days, frontloading the hardest tasks and rewarding myself with TV is best. Other days, recognizing an impending burnout and taking time to rest takes priority. Either way, giving yourself agency is key!
3. Make it count!
When you do sit down to relax or study, make it count! Before college, I approached studying head-on, with no strategy or purpose. Sometimes, it worked, but other times it didn’t, and more often than not, the information I’d crammed for a Friday test would be gone at the end of a weekend. Knowing yourself is critical to ensuring that you utilize your time. Where and when do you study best? Be strategic with your study time. Do you know what kind of learner you are? Try taking this quiz to make sure your study habits are working for you.
In my personal and academic life, it’s often too easy to robotically go through the motions. But, considering the value of my time and choosing what matters reminds me that I can choose to give my actions meaning. Hopefully, this comes as a reminder that, despite adversity, you can too.
