Get Your Life Organized in Calendar Form

3 methods and programs you need to create a schedule that helps you organize your life and and manage your time! 

Start the new year of school, work, and life off in the most productive way by being on top of all your assignments, meetings, and events from the beginning! There are a few things that I incorporate into my life, even when I am not on a heavy school schedule to still be productive from day to day. 

Daily Planners

This is something you need! 

First, I have a daily planner note book (old-school style) that I carry with me everywhere I go. In this daily planner I write dates of upcoming assignments, projects, and meetings. Ill write out my weekly to-do’s at the start of each week, and break those down into my daily to-do’s in the space given for each day in the planner. On top of that, I will also write out other things I need to plan, such as my meal prep - i.e. when I will be prepping and what I will be eating each day that week - and my blog posts - i.e. how much time I will be spending on a particular post or what preparation I have to carry out. 

The set-up is key 

There are a few different planners I have used in the past, but I always come back to one with a particular set up. I like it when the one side of the page is for notes, and the other page outlines each day of the week. This allows space for me to have an overview of my weekly to-do’s on the “note taking side” and I can write daily to-do’s and appointments on the actual day, on the other side. 

Guidance 

One brand that I used for years and has this set-up is the Moleskin. You can get the calendar for 18 months (which I like sometimes so that I can start my new calendar off in September with the start of school) or for 12 months from January to December. It is a very simple version of this set-up that I like, with notes on the left side and the days of the week in blocks on the right side. It is clean and simple. 

A the beginning of this 2017 year, I started using another planner that I ordered from a very cool and alternative magazine called Flow. It has the exact same set up as the moleskin; however, it is composed of very cool designs and patterns, and poses little reminder and awareness questions each week, such as ‘how did you go enjoy the weather this week?’. The planner makes me happy just looking at it, which I find is actually super important. It’s helpful to me to have materials that look pretty and make me want to use them. It somehow makes writing out the massive amounts of to-do’s slightly more bearable. 

You do You

Make sure the set-up you choose is good for you. I am sharing the method that best suits my ways of organization and my methods of getting work done. There are numerous different set-up’s for planners, with no note space and just the week laid out, or different spaces for different notes such as to-do’s vs. grocery list. It is simply important that you figure out what method that distresses you and helps you feel onto of your work. My final piece of advice is to get a planner that also physically catches your eye so that you enjoy using it and seeing the different designs and reading the quotes. 

This gives my an overview of what things need to be done the upcoming week along with assignments I would like to be working on, even if they are not due that immediate week. -Just brief overview of weekly to-dos —> and how they can carry over into daily to-do's - not only making a to-do list on paper but actually put the time blocks into your calendar to designate specific hours and certain blocks of time to each assignment or to-do. *See “Designing Routines that Work- Daily Edition” to read a step by step process of organizing all your work. 
This is where I will also color code. All of my due dates for assignments are written in red, whereas my 

Google Calendar App

Why you need this in your life immediately! 

Google calendar is a perfect app for scheduling time blocks for work and appointments. I have all my classes blocked out, along with my morning wake up routine. Each day I have also added what times I have blocked out for work. When setting up my daily or weekly to-dos, I will change the name of the "work block" to specify what I will be focusing on during that blocked out time.

Google calendar syncs with my phone and sends me reminders 30 minutes (or whatever time you choose to put in) before so I know what appointment I have next. It also reminds me to get working during my work blocks, even though sometimes I'd rather just ignore it. I also like it better than the iCal from Apple, because Google calendar actually shows the blocks of time, whereas iCal only shows bullet points of to-dos, which just looks overwhelming when there are a lot of them!

This is a bit of an older example. Google Calendar has updated their colors and set up for 2018. Below is the most recent set up!

Calendar #2: Deadlines 

I have 4 months worth of calendars printed out, where I write all of my deadlines. I like being able to see the whole month like this (below) on paper, so that I know what is coming up in the next couple weeks and prepare. This is where I will also color code. All of my due dates for assignments are written in red. Then I have my internal deadlines written in brown. So many of my assignments are all due within a couple of days of each other, so it is important that I have an overview and prepare and write assignments ahead of time so that I do not get stressed and overwhelmed with everything that is due, last minute. 

I also love just crossing and checking things off. It makes me feel like i actually accomplished it and kicked butt and its DONE! 

Weekly To-Do Lists 

 

Overviews are Important

Writing out a weekly to- do list gives me an overview of what things need to be done the upcoming week along with assignments I would like to be working on for internal deadlines or other important tasks. Sometimes to-do's can be a bit overwhelming so instead of writing a massive list of to-dos for one day, write a weekly to-do list. What are things you need to get done for this week, later this week, or in the upcoming week. Think of this as short term things to get done.

How to Make Your Own

Each week I write out my to-dos that I would like to get done this week or that are due this week. Then, each day I write out what I plan on achieving each day. I set up weekly to do’s based on categories such as the various classes I have, errands, blog, or other. Instead of just writing "English Essay" as a to-do, I write down the final goal: "complete English essay research" or "write and edit English essay". 

Give yourself a specific amount of time to get that work done in. organized under their appropriate category. I then prioritize my to do’s (all of them together) from “1”, being most important, to the last thing on my list, which is the least important. The least important is either something that is due last out of everything or something that could potentially be ignored all together. 

Each day then, I look at how much work time I have in which I can get things done and take the top priorities on the weekly list and make a “daily to do list” in my calendar book.
This is where the google calendar comes in handy, so that you can block off the amount of time you will be dedicating to each task. If I have a big assignment, i will change the name of one of my “work period” blocks on my google calendar and allocate a specific amount of time to getting that project or essay done in.

If you want to read a bit more about creating daily and weekly to-do lists, check out "Designing Routines that Work- Daily Edition”, for a step by step process of organizing all your work.

Free D3 Template for Weekly To-Dos 

This is a lot of organizational tips and this post shows a lot of different ways to organize. Choose the one that works best! If you like to write things out on paper, print out monthly calenders to organize your to-do's. If not, get yourself the google calendar app! Regardless, I would recommend getting a calendar book to have a weekly overview, or you can print out mine above! Comment below or write me personally if you have any questions! 
 

A Truthfully Honest Post about Time, Change, and Letting Go

Time to Celebrate a New Beginning!

Time and the passing of time has always been something I struggle with. I try to enjoy and embrace every moment and experience and time I spend with people to the fullest, but then as the middle or ending nears, I count down the days and stress about only having a few days or weeks left. I remember the Thursday felt like it was just yesterday and then Friday happened and now suddenly is late Saturday night, almost Sunday - Duh, that's how time works. But I can't help thinking about how fast it suddenly seems to go.

I would argue that I am pretty good at being present and enjoying each moment, but with a big global event like New Year's Eve, reflection is in the air and I look back on a full amazing year.

New Year's Eve and the start of a new year is a reminder to me about how fast time flies by. And then it starts to stress me out. I think, last New Years Eve feels like it was just yesterday, and I cannot wrap my head around how fast. There were millions of little moments and feelings and thoughts that happened in between... and time actually went slowly. It was just filled with so many amazing things, positive experiences, and loving people, that I was so indulged in it all... And suddenly its New Years again, and I don't know where the time went.

Some thoughts for the New Year 

Now that I have shared my little rant about how difficult I find dealing with time and therefore change, here are some things I have tried practicing to better deal with time. We are all in the same boat and time is passing for all of us. I am definitely a sentimental person, so miles stones like the end of a year make me very reflective.

Remember, it's all Relative
As I mentioned before, I usually think I am pretty good at staying present. New Year's is a special time though because you along with everyone else in the world have just lived yet another year (how lucky are we!). In the big picture, it feels so sudden that another year has already gone by. With this initial anxiety of time, I take a moment and go through all the things that happened this year, month by month. There will be a lot because there are 12 months, and approx. 30 days per month, and 24 hours in a day, and thousands of minutes and seconds. Another year has passed! It is exciting! And you have done and accomplished so much. Be grateful for that and let it go so you can look forward.

Remember you can Alter your Perspective 
I am trying to change my perspective now. Time is simply a form of change. So my anxiety with time really goes deeper into my anxiety of change... specifically that the past is ending; really though, when I look at it in terms of the future, I am excited about the new next chapter that then happens. I just have a hard time letting go then.

Time changing is not a bad thing, and the passing of time is just bringing me closer to my next goal. If time never changed, life would be boring, there would be no journey's to take and no memories to make. Be grateful for the change. Looking back, I think of all the wonderful things that I did and that happened this year. I guess I just wish I could embrace each second even more, live each experience again, and feel all my feelings twice as intensely - and those wishes are really nothing to be complaining about. I am incredibly lucky to feel that way.

Remember that Time is just a Social Construction 
Time and our conception of time is established from thinking not feeling. Memories and time are illusions constructed in our imagination. Its hard to "let go" because I feel like all I want is more; I want to hold the moments and the memories in a controlling way. I think most of us feel that way though. We want to believe that we have something tangible, but we don't. Memories are intangible but the construction of time has given us the false illusion that we can somehow go back to moments possess them.

In these instances, I would argue that we can look back on memories - cherish them. But do not hold onto them so much that it ruins your life now. By this I mean, do not use happy memories as a benchmark. Be in this moment without comparison, competition, or judgment. If you are having a down day, feel it. If you are doing something amazing, embrace it, knowing that this too it is only temporary.

"This too shall pass." This saying rings true for the good as well as the bad. Be grateful for your past, but live in the now, before that too becomes a memory.

                                                   

Remember the Marble Jar 
Brene Brown has this great analogy for trust called the marble jar. She argues that trust in a relationship is not built with big acts or grand gestures, but with small, almost insignificant acts. In this analogy, she says that each time someone does small acts that are meaningful to you, you add a marble to their jar. This jar signifies the trust you have in your relationship with this person. You can think of time with this same analogy. Memories fill up the marble jar. Sometimes only one marble goes in for a smaller memory or a few marbles for the amazing trip you took. Sometimes there is a dark memory marble, and sometimes that marble ends up having a silver lining. Regardless, each moment fills us the memory jar.

Think about all the marbles in your jar and be grateful. But tonight, on December 31st 2017, you will push that jar to the side and start a new marble jar with a new focus. You need to make space for new marbles, and you can't do that if you are still holding onto your old ones. The memories do not go away - they are always with you and always there for you... But you have a huge new jar to focus on filling up now!
                                                

Remember to Breathe
As I think about all these other memories and moments and the time that has flown by so quickly, I realize I am missing the moment that is happening right NOW. Meditation is a practice that helps calm your mind and bring you back to the now. Enjoy right now because that is all you have.


                                                          

"How long is forever?" ... "Sometimes just one second." 

Time is just a construction ... it has no further meaning other than being a way to organize our days and create overly busy lives. What matters is right now. What you choose to do NOW. How you are feeling or choose to feel NOW. Remember the memories and be grateful, but do not feel the need to control and hold onto them. Holding on means living in the past and in sadness that the past is no longer the present... and then you miss out on right NOW.

Celebrate a new beginning!  

Thank you for reading this year and I wish you all a wonderful start to 2018!

Detox with Avocado Pesto and Zoodles

This homemade avocado pesto is a quick, easy, and delicious dips, sauce, and side to almost any dish you can think of...

This a such a yummy easy pesto to add to Zoodles (aka spiral Zucchini aka Zucchini noodles). It takes 5 minutes to make, and makes just enough that it does not go bad! 

Ingredients 

• 1-2 Avocados
• A handful of basil 
• 1/2 cup parmesan (add to your taste) 
• Teaspoon or 1 clove of garlic 
• About a cup olive oil or avocado oil - this depends on how big your avocado(s) are
• About a TBSP of lemon juice to keep the avocados fresh  
• Pinch of Salt and Pepper 

The "how to" 

Mix it all in the blender! Quick and easy!
Add more olive oil if it is a bit thick, or basil or another avocado (or half) if its gotten too runny.
You can also add some more salt and pepper or parmesan to add to the taste... whatever suits your taste buds!

This is so easy, there is hardly anything to write about here. Just blend until pesto like!

If you are making the pesto with Zucchini noodles, which I highly recommend, spiral those babies and put some salt on them. Let them sit a while so that the moisture comes out a bit. Then, add your delicious fresh avocado pesto on top! Enjoy! 

Stress, Self-Inflicted Sickness, and Curing it with the "NOW"

A truthfully honest post about how we cause ourselves pain and stress when we forget that we have to put our happiness above it all 

Something that has been a constant pattern in my life is that I get sick when I am most stressed. In middle school i would get stressed when school started back up again, because I would go from beautifully empty and easy summer days back into the work grind. I always took work and school very seriously as well, which led me to stress myself out even over the amount of work I had to do back then. 

Similar situations happened in high school, but it always seemed better to be able to go home at night to a home made meal and distance from school. My mind could actually relax a bit, even if I was stressed. 

Now especially, getting sick when I am the most stressed is far from helpful, and really does not help my stress levels at all. But I have come to learn that getting sick is a clear sign for me that i need to SLOW DOWN. 

Is your life really balanced? 

And honestly, it is self-inflicted sickness. I push myself too hard, I don’t give myself the time to slow down and relax, I’m always planning, and Ive decided that there is such a thing as being too organized that being organized can actually stress you out. Planning is a good thing but it makes me always look forward to the next and then the next thing - always going through that list in my head, over and over again. I have to do this, and then i have to do this. And in the end I’m not even enjoying the work I do because it is always about getting things done and stressing about getting the next thing done. My brain is jumping around filing up on the stress of having to do everything that lies ahead. And i am definitely not staying present in this moment. 

Even if I feel like I’m balancing waking up for workouts in the morning, watching a show, or reading my book before bed, or working on my next post, it is not balanced if, as soon as you are done one thing, you go right onto the next thing and not give yourself the time to appreciate the moment or the day or that achievement.

Time can be your enemy, or your best friend 

Time is the biggest stress creator. The constant making of to do lists and that hard work to make sure they are all checked off by the end of the day can result in either a wonderful feeling of accomplishments (having checked everything off), or a disappointing feeling (if you did not have time to complete the massive list of to-dos). 

Even though I am a big fan of being organized and making to do lists, its important to stay present throughout all of the things that you need to get done. This is the one major thing I have realized with the repetitive colds and flu's I get during stressful times. The to do lists are never ending which results in me setting myself up for failure. Most crucially, my to do lists do not involve breaks for relaxing or doing things that make me happy and counter the stress of getting things done. Through doing this, I hope to practice and improve my relationship with time and make it a positive one rather than a stressful race.  

Breaks are not considered cheating 

I am also the kind of person who struggles to take breaks before all the work is done. So I’m always trying to look to the next thing to look forward to when i can finally “afford” the break (which honestly is never, because you can NEVER finish your entire to do list of life - there is always something that will come up). It doesn’t have to be so black and white though. I can work for 30 min, and then take a break. I need to enjoy the work and the learning instead of feeling a though I need to “finish” it all in order to be happy 

Happiness is NOW 

I need to be happy NOW. Later will never come. I am making myself sick because all I do is go over the list of the piles of work that I feel weighing down heavily on top of me. I need to put that pile aside and just take bites of it that I can chew, one small bite at a time. Because I do love being at university and learning and working. But I have to change my mindset in order to do that in an enjoyable and exciting environment. Instead, I feel like shit. Physically. 

I need to do things for myself - make time to read my book, write my blog, go on long walks not worrying about the time. And I’ll get done what I need to get done. That is the bottom line. And done is better than perfect. I need to look at each little thing from a big picture perspective…. the world is so tiny and this single assignment or stressful feeling is insignificant in the big picture of things. All I need to do is get the basic important things done. Everything else is great to know and do, but it is not vital. 

Affirmations

I need to cheer myself on a bit more! I am smart. I am organized! Thats one thing I’m actually really good at. I know I got this. All i need to focus on, in my situation, is this assignment I am working on now. Then I can move onto the next thing. What are your affirmations? What things can you tell yourself to motivate yourself and love yourself a bit more? 

"I am smart. I am focused. My thoughts are calm and under control. I trust myself to make the right decision. All problems have a solution. I am a positive thinker. This too shall pass. My body is healthy and functioning in a very good way. I am conquering stress, defeating it steadily each day. Challenges help me grow. I am full of optimism. I can accomplish anything. Everything happens for a reason."

Show yourself that you are there supporting, always.

Things that I personally need in my life to be HAPPY! ... And maybe you do too!

Music! 
I need dance parties where i can let of steam! I need music in my headphones when I walk to campus to get my blood flowing and my energy up! (Even if I look like a unaware, technological millennial zombie). When else am i really going to have time where all I am really doing is listening to music? Working and listening to music just doesn’t cut it.
 
Reading
Reading books about self-help or self-awareness or bettering your life make me happy! Reading about positivity and life lessons that I can apply make me really enjoy where I am at in life and taking on the challenges that await me, because I truly feel (and know) that i can! I would like to read these books for 30 min in the morning to really get me pumped for the day! 

Soaking up Nature  
My favourite days and memories are those spent doing something outside. Yes, that includes going for a walk, but I would like to take that a step further. I love enjoying the beach in the summer, going on hikes in the forest, taking in pumpkin patches and apple picking orchards in the fall, and talking Christmas light viewing walks in the winter. Enjoying something outdoors with a purpose or a potential adventure that awaits gives off a productive feeling as well as one of pure happiness! 

Mediate and Practice Yoga
I always find that I feel more at peace and really happy with myself and where I am at after I practice yoga in particular. Similar feelings come from mediation, but that is definitely a practice I need to work on a bit more! I general it will really allow me to be aware of being in the moment, even in the most stressful of times. That way I am also not always so overly concerned with checking things off my list and always looking to the next thing. 

Find YOUR Happy 

Take a moment of silence and think about all the activities that make you happy. What are some things that you do, and time seems to fly by? Do you love the feeling you get when you are being creative? Does time cease to exist when you are painting or writing? Even if you are not a creative person, there are coloring books for adults that are can act as a calming and de-stressing activity. 

Maybe relaxing means being active. Plan time for this. Make time for an afternoon hike, or a walk into town and spend an hour at a coffee shop. Maybe going for a sun set run is exactly what you need at the end of the day to make time for yourself. 

These shouldn't take up to much time to the point that they make everything else that you have to do even MORE stressful. It can be incorporating one small thing each day that is truly for you, that makes you happy inside. 

I get so carried away when there is a lot going on, that I forget to find moments of peace and joy in between. I have found that making time for some of these small things makes the work seem a little bit less stressful. Giving yourself time for yoga or a run, taking a crisp fall walk, or pumping yourself up to music in your breaks can alter your tired mindset to a positive one. It can keep you motivated but also remind you to take time off, and BE DONE with work at one point, so that you have time for yourself, NOW.  

Morning Boost #5: Chia Kefir Superfood Porridge

Yet another fantastic and easy recipe to start your morning off stress-free and happy! 

This is a super easy breakfast that you can make before you go to bed and refrigerate over night, so that you have a ready-to-go healthy breakfast in the morning! 

Ingredients 

• Kefir 
• I like to choose a flavored one ... mango is my favorite and what I used in this morning boost! 
• Fruit of your choice 
• The fruit you can either add in the night before as well or in the morning. 
• Chia seeds 
• This is what makes this breakfast into a porridge consistency, when it sits overnight 
• Hemp Hearts
• Steel Cut Oats (or normal oats if you prefer) 
• Coca Coconut Powder
• Goji Berry Superfood Powder 

The last two powders are just suggestions of what I like to include, but you can choose to leave them out or add some other superfood mixture as well ... if you do, let me know how you made it your own! 

What is most important to include is the chia seeds, because those soak up the  

The "how to" Part

As mentioned before, this is a super easy breakfast to prep. Essentially, pour the bowl full about 3/4 with the Kefir of your choice. Add the chia seeds, hemp hearts, steel cut oats, and whatever else you would like to include! 

Stir until completely mixed! 

You can either add the fruits in now or wait until the morning. 

Once you have added everything your breakfast heart desires, put the bowl in the fridge to refrigerate overnight, and you'll be ready to go when you wake up! 

Enjoy this wonderful start to your day! 

Organized Space Series: 5 Steps to a Clear Desk

A new series of posts about quick organization tips for specific spaces; what you really need and what you can ditch, to create a happy clean environment and a less stressed self!

1. The three piece rule

Aim to have only three objects on your desk at all time. This can include a cup holder (or holders) for pens and pencils, a desk lamp, a note pad or a calendar diary, a laminated desk mat to write on, a speaker if you like to listen to music while you work, maybe your printer, or even a pretty picture or a nice candle to help de-stress you while working.

The main point here is to make sure that you keep your desk as clean and simple as possible. The more stuff you have out on your desk that doesn't need to be there or that doesn't have an actual home, just creates more clutter in your mind. You can focus better on your tasks when your space is organized and when you know where everything is that you might need to use.

When you are doing work at your desk, all that should be in front of you is the work that you need to be doing. If you have work lined up to do after you're finished with the task at hand, organize it in a binder or to the side of your desk. If you follow this method, the only things on your desk should be what you are working on and your other "three things" that make the desk space useful.

2. Shelf the extras

It's nice to make a desk space a focused one by adding a simple picture or a plant to create life in that area. Shelves are also good to display your books or even keep supplies or textbooks that you need often for work or for class. Shelves can act as a "home" for the things that would otherwise take up space on your desk.

Even if you are using shelves as a display, try to keep it simple. This work space should be a positive atmosphere where you can focus. If there is too much going on (even in terms of decoration) it can get overwhelming. Still, make the open shelf look nice to your own tastes so that this type of storage can still add to your focused environment. If you love your space you will want to be there, and hopefully, this will help you get things done!

3. Create Systems to eliminate clutter

Desks are a great surface to collect extra papers, recipes, dust, and random nicknacks that have no home. Try and eliminate this extra clutter by creating a system. Have a filing system for loose papers that you may need at a later date. Have separate assigned places and folders for banking, bills, work or school papers, and so on. If you have lots of loose papers to file away or a cluttered desk that needs to be cleared up, add that to your to-do list for the day!

Get rid of all the extras. If you don't need it and don't want to file it away, throw it out.  Always make this decision right away. Don't let yourself start to create piles of disorganized papers on your desk. If you don't have time to file it into its place immediately, start and organized pile (or piles to keep the papers separate). One way to do this is by having a filing rack to stack papers in an organized way until you get around to taking care of them. For example, you can have one rack or mail that needs to be opened and another of bills to be paid and finally one for papers that need to be filed away. I would suggest trying to clear out this filing rack or to clean up the loose papers on your desk before you sleep so that you end the day with a clean desk... And you can start the next day with one too!

 The more clutter you let build up in your life, especially in your immediate and physical space, the more cluttered your brain and mind will be, making it more difficult to stay focused and be productive.

4. Have an Overview of Upcoming Events

This one is pretty straight forwards, yet often forgotten. Having a calendar above the desk or your work space that you can see every day, is a great way to have an overview of what's coming up. It can be a basis for helping you plan your to-do's keep you from stressing out like crazy.

A calendar can be self-made with pictures or notes, and you can make a list for each month, or you can simply buy a pretty one. Calendars can also be a great way to add some color and pictures into a focused and clean space.

Make the calendar your own and set it up in a way that best suits you and your organization tactics. You may have an overview of whats happening this month, or you might write out everything you have on your agenda for this week. If you need more tips on organizing your calendar as well as weekly and daily to-do's, take a look at my "Designing Routines that Work: Daily Edition". 

5. A Clean Desk Space = Positive Productivity = Daily Routine

We can focused best when we don't have distractions all around us, and one way to achieve this is through eliminating those distractions. That is why I advocate for a clean organized space for the environment you choose to work in, which in turn should create a more calming atmosphere for you. You have enough stress going on already, so why stress your eyes out by the piles or random shit on your desk!?

You need to design your desk space in order to create an environment that you can be productive and focused in. To do this, you need to know what kind of worker you are. Does it help to study with music? do you like making lots of lists and hanging them up? Would you rather have everything on your computer? Is there a certain color that you find calming? Or a specific scent that can de-stress you?

Do this little exercise and write out what kind of worker you are and in what environments you work best in. Sometimes people like having a few nicknacks on their desk or a bit more of an organized mess, whereas others like it empty and clean. You simply need to determine what kind of a worker you are and what your needs are in order to create a space where you feel focused!

Designing Routines that Work: Daily Edition

A Daily Routine Example along with 8 Daily Time Management and Organization Tips to Design Your Most Productive Day, Every Day! 

Designing my Day in the Morning

Each day of the week once I have done my morning routine, I need to prepare in order to truly be ready to start my day. This is my daily routine that I need to complete before I start my day, since my day is based on this daily organization.

1. Sunday Night: Make a Weekly To-Do List 

   While I’m at University, I set this To-Do list up based on classes. I order the classes based on when I have them each week because usually the assignment, reading, or essay is due during that class period. Underneath each class, I list the to-do such as an essay or reading I have to complete, along with any sub to-do's and the amount of time I will allow myself to work on that task.
2. Each Morning: Make a Daily To-Do List
   
I Set up a to-do list of what I plan on getting done TODAY, based on my weekly to-do list. I set up my daily to-do's based on their priority. For example, if I plan on doing essay research and I have three readings to do, only one of which is actually important for class, I will make sure to do the important reading and then essay research first. This doesn’t mean I ignore the other readings completely (well sometimes it does), but it just means less time needs to be put into them when it may be sufficient to simply skim through the reading before I go to bed the night before that specific class. Especially in University where you are buried in work, it is all about delegating and prioritizing and needs to be done vs. what can be done later if at all. 
3. Set up my Calendar - Weekly and Daily 

   Weekly Overview:
   Again, I try and do this Sunday night. I put in everything from appointments, to meetings, to personal dates with friends, etc. 

   Daily Overview:
   Once I have made my daily To-Do list, I set up my calendar accordingly. I see what times I have blocked out for classes, meetings, or appointments and from there I schedule in blocks of time to do each of my To-Dos for that specific day. You could of course to a daily overview for each day of the upcoming week Sunday as well; however, I find that there is so much that changes during the week that it is better to plan each day on the day or the night before at the earliest. 
4. Find a Work Space that Feels Productive 

   This is a BIG one for me. I need to feel like the space I choose to sit down at for a couple hours feels like a focused area and environment. Sometimes I like being at home at my desk, and other days I want to be in the quiet basement library in a tiny cubicle forced to work by the silence, and some days I want to be in a busy area like a cafe where a lot is happening. A lot of my productivity is also based on the environment I am in, so find one that suits your needs. 
5. Begin the First Task and Start the Timer 

   I try my best to focus on one task at a time and not let myself get overwhelmed by everything else I have to do after this. I am the type of person who likes to feel as though I have control over all my work because it prevents me from stressing so much. However, it is so not helpful for my productivity when I am switching between this assignment and this reading. Therefore, it helps to look at one assignment at a time, but because of this I also try not to give myself a To-Do of writing a full essay in one day, and instead I break it up over a few days. Then, I can feel in control and also get all my other work done in-between and on the side as well. 


8 Steps to Having a Productive Day

Everyone’s day looks different based on their job, schooling, environment, living situation, etc. This post is a bit different than the morning routine since this is simply how to plan your day whereas the Morning Routine post was about what you can incorporate into your morning to make the most of the early hours and create a positive mindset for the rest of the day. 

The following steps can be implemented in order to create a productive day. The main way to do this is by creating a daily plan on how to tackle everything that you have to do!

1. Preparation is key 

There are a few different steps I have in order to prepare (listed above), but most importantly these steps give me an overview of what my day is going to look like. The best way to prepare is to write out everything you have to do. If you're not a huge fan of organizing, write your to-do's out on a separate sheet of paper first and organize them nicely later on - whatever you have to do to create an overview of your tasks.

The main thing is that you write it all out so that you can prepare for your day and your week. If you just have all these tasks floating around in your head, you will constantly be distracted and skip from one task to the next without really finishing them. Catch all those thoughts and to-dos and write them out! Write them down on paper so that you don't have to waste energy and memory space remembering what it is you need to do.

2. To-Do Lists are your new best friend

To-Do lists are a great way to have an overview of everything you have to do. They help remind you constantly that you have tons of work to do, but at the same time they calm you down and remind you that you’ve got this... At least if you've done them in an organized manner.Write your to-do list based on topics, rather than randomly listing to-do's at random and mixing up tasks that belong together. The topic, class, or assignment can act as your heading and you can list all the to-do's that belong to that topic underneath the specific heading.

3. Big to-do's vs. sub to-do’s

I have weekly to-do's that I write out at the beginning of the week, as well as daily to-do's that I list daily based on my weekly to-do's. In my weekly to-do list, I have major headings, for example, “Journalism Essay”. However, then I will have sub-to-dos that come underneath the Journalism Essay. This will look something like this:

This to-do list set up allows me to have an overview of the major assignments and as well as the sub to-do's that have to get done in order to complete the entire assignment. This not only outlines all of the aspects you need to make time for, but it also allows me to check off a lot of sub to-do’s from my list...  It helps me feel productive! There is a mental celebration that occurs when you check things off because you can see how much you are getting done. Therefore, waiting to check off the “one big major to-do” because that is the only thing you have listed, can create a draining unproductive feeling. Sub to-do's in general also help me maintain a focus of all the important steps that I must take to complete the task. 


4. Prioritize lists and assignments
 
Write out your “to-do’s” for the week or day in order of importance, or simply number their importance after you've written out your list. This ensures that each day you go down the list in order of whats most important. You can divide your weekly list into each day of the week so that you have a clear to do list for each day based on your priorities.

5. Time yourself - Done is better than perfect
 
Beside each of my weekly “To-Do’s” I have also written how much time approximately I will be dedicating to each assignment (see above example). I know that some are very important and need to be given a lot of time such as big essays or important readings, whereas others can be skimmed through or completed in 30 minutes. Set a timer for yourself and aim to be done with that assignment or that part of the task when the timer goes off. This is the hardest area for me to strict about because the timer will go off and I will keep pushing up the time and resetting the timer. This partly defeats the purpose of the timer because my goal was to be done; however, resetting the timer at 5 or 10 minutes and knowing I only have a few minutes left does motivate me to work faster and add those few sentences or ideas quickly. Over time, this method begins to alter the way you work because you will start doing your tasks in a way that you will be done after the 45 minutes that you are giving yourself to complete it.

If you are a perfectionist, this can be an incredibly difficult concept to incorporate into your work. I try my hardest not to be a perfectionist. I am constantly reminding myself that there is no such thing as perfect … there is always a different way to write a sentence or present an idea. 
But at the end of the day, it is better to have it done so that you can dedicate the rest of your time to other things that are important to you, instead of stressing about one little sentence.
DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT. Just DO it!

6. Color Outside the Boring Lines

Some people love to color coding and some see it as a waste of time. I would never turn down the option of adding fun colors to my lists, but often it becomes a form of procrastination and my task becomes organizing my list rather than doing my work. Seriously though, I could sit and organize and color code my “to-do’s” all week long, but then I wouldn’t get anything done.

It’s important to write out the list in an organized manner and then simply GET STARTED. So I am here to tell you that you can add color with very little hassle. I pick a color for each week. Use the colors to stroke things out, write the headings, or add important dates on your calendar. Make it pretty or fun or whatever your goal is, but don't let it take over. Just make it neat and readable, with a few fun colors!

7. Stroke it Out.  

Cross it out when it's completed! This can act as a mental achievement because it feels so damn good to just cross things off your list … it creates a sense of accomplishment! It can also motivate you to move on to the next to-do and move through your list like the productive focused badass you are!

8. Be DONE! 

Let it go. Move on. And don't forget to give yourself time to do things that make you happy. Even if you love your work, life is not all about work!  




Comment or contact me with any more questions, suggestions, or ideas you may have.
More declutter posts along this focus of work, organization, and time-management are underway, so if that interests you, come visit more often!