How I Have A Productive Day

Productivity is something I can really struggle with, especially if I don't have a good start to my day. In today's society, there's a lot of focus and pressure on being productive 24/7. There's this mindset that you have to be doing something productive with your time, everyday, all day, otherwise you've wasted time or are failing. I am guilty of feeling this mindset a little to often. Even when I've finished all exams and assignments, I'm constantly looking for the next productive thing to do - even if there is literally nothing to do! I find myself Googling; 'Productive things to do when bored', and I'm always reading posts on staying productivity. It can be quite a damaging mindset to have. 

However, I have made this post, not to make people feel guilty about not being 100% productive, nor to tell people that you need to do these steps everyday. I am simply trying to show you the ways I remain productive, and hopefully if it is an issue you've been struggling with, you might find something here to help you! 😊💗

1. Wake Up Early

In order to make the most of my day, I like to wake up as early as my body will allow me. This is usually around 7:30AM. Don't be fooled, though, I am asleep in bed until gone 9:00AM on weekends and when I don't have lectures! 😁

Personally, I feel more motivated in the mornings, and I just like being an early bird. I feel that I have more time in the day to do the tasks I need to do, but to also chill and do things I like - such as watching TV or writing these posts for my blog and Instagram page (@astudentofbms). 

Of course, some people might be 'night owls' and function better at night - that's fine! I am just not one of those people and I prefer working in the morning. If you wake up late but still get the job done, great - I even envy you!! For me though, I need a good, fresh start to the day, and this means waking up early. ⛅

2. Have Breakfast, Tea and Chill 

I always do this, just to give myself some time to wake up and get settled. I don't necessarily always have breakfast, but I always, ALWAYS, have a cup of tea and just sit down and watch an episode of whatever TV show I'm watching. At the moment I'm watching The Good Doctor! This is also why I get up early, so that I have around an hour to just get ready for the day. 💪

"Tea time is a chance to slow down, pull back, and appreciate our surroundings." - Letitia Baldrige ☕

If you prefer to get straight to it, I don't see nothing wrong with that! On days when I wake up late, I usually do this - open my laptop when my eyes are barely open! You know how you work best. ✍

3. Make a To-Do List

I have an awful memory, so to-do lists are essential if I want to get anything done. I'll either make a list the night before, if I have something I might forget about by morning, or I'll do them whilst having my tea. Maybe you don't need a list to be productive, but I definitely do. If you don't have a list - how do you remember all the tasks you have to do? Comment below!👇

I really like making lists, and I especially like writing them down on paper. I like having it in front of me at all times, and it's so satisfying crossing them off! I'll write down my tasks and then give them a number: 1 being the most important/urgent task I have to do, then the last number is the least important/urgent task. 📝

4. Hide My Phone!

I don't know about you, but if my phone is near me when I'm studying, or if it just makes a single noise, I go on it and then I can't get off it! I get hooked on Reels, or Facebook. That's why I have to put my phone on silent, or turn Wi-Fi off, and put it away from my working area. This allows me to focus more and by not having my phone in view, I don't reach for it and I actually forget about it.

Or, what I do sometimes, is I do a time-lapse of me studying. This is good, because my phone is in use so I can't go on it, but it's also cool to watch back, and you can even post it on Instagram - that's what a lot of studygram accounts are doing at the moment! 📱

5. Take Frequent Breaks

I think this is something essential in ensuring that you stay motivated and keep productive - it is for me anyway! I generally take a break after completing each task, or after every hour and a half - whichever comes around first. This is important for me, otherwise I get burnt out and my motivation levels just drop. 📉

During these breaks, I might get a snack, do a cup of tea, go for a quick walk, or just finally scroll through Instagram! You can do anything you like - even review what you've just been studying. Just anything different to what you've been doing. 😌

If you don't need breaks and you can still study effectively, then that's amazing. However, the reason I take breaks isn't really just so that I get work done, it's so my brain and body can have a few minutes of just something different. It's so important to keep hydrated, energised, and active - even more so when you've been sitting in the same position for hours! - that's why I have a reminder for me to take a break. ⏰

If you struggle with taking breaks or just don't feel like they're worth it, I would recommend doing the Pomodoro technique for a few study sessions. You simply study for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break. When I'm doing longer tasks, such as writing essays, I usually apply this technique. It certainly works for me! ⏳

6. Celebrate the Small Wins!

This is vital for me, because if I don't accomplish the tasks I wanted to that day, I can sometimes get overwhelmed and annoyed at myself. That's why, if I had a list of 6 or 7 tasks, and I only accomplished 3, I don't panic. I appreciate that I've managed to do those 3 tasks, and as long as they are not urgent, I can do them tomorrow. I'll celebrate the smaller tasks I've done that day, otherwise my mental health can start to decline.

Your mental health is waaaaaay more important than any task or assignment. 💗 If you feel that you gave 100% effort and you literally couldn't have done any more - that's all that matters. Similarly though, if you feel like you could have done a bit more, or you spent just a liiiittle too much time on Instagram (me!) don't beat yourself up about it. Just recognise that you could have done better, tell yourself that you won't do it again tomorrow, then get a good night's sleep. Do NOT worry about it - there is no point worrying about anything.

"If it can be solved, there's no need to worry, and if it can't be solved, worry is of no use." - Dalai Lama

That's why the mindset of being productive all the time can be quite dangerous. If you don't accomplish the tasks you needed to, you can easily become stressed and anxious. This can impact your mental health, and lead you to feeling unmotivated and then you won't get ANY tasks done. Remember to take a step back and just breathe. 🙌

Although it’s good to stay productive and do things that will lead to you ultimately being successful, I think it’s important to not get so caught up in it. If you haven’t been so productive one day - so what? Just remember that everyone has their own idea of productivity, and that theirs might not be the same as yours - don’t compare yourself to everyone else! 🤍

- Lucy 👩🏻‍🔬🧪📚