Productivity Tips For College Students

As adults we know all to well there’s nothing worse than a day when your to-do list just keeps growing But, just imagine being a college student and having to now tackle being productive on your own. See, the truth is that what works for one student might not work for another! Hacks are the big thing now, so here are a few productivity hacks that are dictated by a student’s individual personality.

The Planner

Scheduling your time will be your friend. If you’ve ever felt uncomfortable just looking at an unorganized inbox or jumbled desk, there’s a good chance you’re a planner, and the best way to beat your lack of productivity is to take control of it. Take a look at your to-do list and estimate how log each task will take to complete. Then, prioritize them!

The Over-Thinker

Taking a break will be your friend. If you feel overwhelmed by the sight of a long to-do list and the prospect of even starting it sends you into stress. Please don’t think that you’re alone. See the Yerkes-Dodson Law reveals that too much stress can significantly impair one’s productivity. Take a break. You could go for a walk around campus, go work out, sit quite for an hour and just listen to music or watch something on Youtube. Oh, yeah. Don’t forget something simple as just taking a deep breath or stepping away from the task to get something to eat. These could do your to-do list wonders.

The Problem Solver

Take out your investigator hat and find the root of it. Sometimes the most important aspect of winning the fight against your unproductive feelings is understanding why they are there in the first place. What exactly is keeping you from completing your to-do list? Too many tasks may need to broken up into more manageable ones. Once you reach the root cause of your lack of motivation, its easier to understand the problem, and therefore; you can solve it.

The Athlete

Make a game of it. For those students who get competitive over everything, try turning your to-do list into a game. You know researchers have found that gamification can be instrumental in increasing productivity. Tap into your competitive side and see how many tasks you can get done in an hour, or track the time it takes you to complete a task. At the end of that hour, don’t forget to give yourself a reward when you beat your personal record!

Parents & loved ones as you read this and share with your college student. Understand that they still are finding their way through their new journey, so ask questions instead of forcing how you do things on them. They now need to begin to look a their personality to find solutions to their productivity problem!