With these few tips, you can now organize your schedule to give yourself some free time. Planning your day around your hobbies and favorite TV shows has now become simple: a little effort and consistency, and you’re good to go!
Keep what you need in one place
When you get home from work, resist the urge to throw your keys across the room and leave your bags in a pile on the floor. Instead, have a designated area for your phone, keys, glasses, wallet, etc. That way, in the morning, all you have to do is pick up your things and get going.
Plan your day the night before
Before leaving work or before going to bed, take 15 minutes to think about what you’ll do the next morning. Stop work about 15 minutes early, tidy your desk, and put away any stray items. Review your tasks and go over your daily schedule for the next day to decide which project you’ll tackle first. Place everything you need on your desk before leaving work so you can “hit the ground running” as soon as you return the next morning.
Organize your office for maximum efficiency
Every time you have to pause to find a paperclip or a piece of paper, it’s easier to lose your train of thought and forget what you were doing. Were you writing an email or writing down a phone number? Don’t let yourself fall into chaos just because your desk is a mess. Make sure you have all the tools of your trade within reach, whether it’s textbooks, drawing paper, or art supplies. Whatever you need to make your day run smoothly, make sure it’s organized and within reach.
Use your time wisely
A good way to ruin your day is to spend the precious morning hours doing something counterproductive, like surfing the internet and checking email. Before you know it, the hours have passed, and it’s already afternoon. Instead of letting the day slip away with these easy activities, spend your morning accomplishing something important. “Choose one big task to tackle as soon as you get to the office. It should be something you’ve been putting off, has a deadline coming up, or has been hanging over your head. Get it out of the way early, before you do anything else; and even if you don’t accomplish anything else, you’ll still have had a productive day.”
Let your calendar guide you
Every organized person should have a planner. Sure, it’s a good idea to have your planner in your phone, but physically writing it down can help you remember important dates and times. When we write something down, research suggests that as far as our brains are concerned, it’s as if we’re doing that thing. Writing seems to act as a kind of mini-rehearsal for what we’re doing. So, not only can you carry around a super cute notebook, but you’re also doing your memory a favor.
Don’t be too hard on yourself
Above all, give yourself some time to yourself and don’t be too demanding of yourself; think about your mental health! Putting pressure on yourself to be productive is the best way to implode, so regulate your work time with moments of relaxation of your choice. When it comes to relaxation, there are no rules: indulge yourself. If you prefer television to sports or reading, then watch television, without feeling guilty.
