7 Steps to Boost Productivity

Effective time management skills can help you boost your productivity while avoiding burnout. Here are 7 steps to get your started:

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𝟭. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱! Start by adding your ongoing activities (e.g. lectures, labs, tutorials, extra-curriculars, etc.) to a calendar or agenda. Check out these FREE printable planners.

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𝟮. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀! If you have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, you are more likely to work towards it. Need some help? Check out this guide on setting SMART goals.

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𝟯. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲! List all your tasks for the week and/or month (e.g. lab reports, essays, midterms, etc.) and their due dates. Classify them based on importance and work on high-priority tasks first. For example, a report due in two days may be ‘urgent’ while a report due in two months may be of ‘low importance’ at the moment

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𝟰. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲! Having a weekly study/work plan can help you stay on top of your course material. Don’t forget to schedule time for fun activities too. Balance is crucial.

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𝟱. 𝗗𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸! This can be distracting and inefficient. Try to focus on completing one task at the time.

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𝟲. 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀! You can go for a walk, grab a cup of tea, stretch, meditate or perform any other activity that helps you recharge. Take a 10-min break for every 50-min work session. Try not to get too distracted though and avoid the use of electronics – most of us will likely scroll on our phones or watch TV for longer than 10 minutes.

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𝟳. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆 “𝗻𝗼”! Taking on too many tasks/activities can be counterproductive and end up becoming too overwhelming. It is okay to be honest. Your mental health is much more important.