As busy students in the modern world, we often struggle with efficiency because there’s just so much more significant things out there aside from school! School life expectancy in the US is 16 years, and it sounds like a long time, no? However, average adolescents spend only about 1.25 hours on education-related activities at the weekend. In contrast, a typical Ivy League student spends at least 8 hours studying during their holidays while still getting enough sleep and recreation time! How did they manage to do that? The answer is quite obvious: efficiency. If learning is a way of investing time and money to ourselves and our future, efficiency is an essential way to make our stocks soar. Keep reading to learn about five simple ways you can improve your work/study efficiency through better time management skills!
Tip #1: Making a to-do list
It can be very easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about all the things you have on your plate and all the deadlines you need to meet. Rather than try to remember everything on your own, try making a list of everything you need to accomplish. It doesn’t have to be in any specific order- just write down anything and everything you need to do, regardless of how big or small the task might be. This way, there’s a tangible reminder of your responsibilities that you can reference, organize, and check off upon the completion of each one.
Tip #2: Prioritizing tasks
Just having a to-do list isn’t as helpful as it could be without proper organization. If you just have a list of countless things you need to do, it can still be overwhelming and you may have trouble figuring out how to begin attacking these duties. I recommend that you divide up your list into three categories: urgent, semi-urgent, and long-term.
The urgent category is for assignments and tasks that must be done within a week. Once you have sorted out which items are the most important to finish first, list them by soonest to latest deadline under the urgent category and get going! The things going under semi-urgent are what must be completed within the next 2-3 weeks. You have more time to finish these things, but they still have deadlines that can sneak up on you if you’re not keeping track of things and forgetting about a few of them. Finally, the long-term category is for everything that you have over 3 weeks to get done as well as for any goals that you have for yourself, such as waking up a little earlier every morning to eat a healthy breakfast and maybe go to the gym. These things take a while and there’s no need to rush.
By prioritizing and organizing every task and goal in your life, it will become much easier to steadily finish things off one by one and get everything done on time.
Tip #3: Taking breaks
Scientific research shows that taking breaks actually improve work performance by a significant amount. It helps us recharge often to keep from getting bored and let new information sink in more quickly. This is because the human brain, especially the modern brain, is not well suited for concentrating over long periods of time. We’re most efficient when working in “bursts”, which is why it’s so important to take breaks in between sessions. There are many different ways that you can take breaks- here are three suggestions that you can consider, depending on which one(s) work best for your study/work habits and your schedule.
The first break method is the Pomodoro Technique. This method utilizes a cycle of 25-30 minute work blocks punctuated by 5-minute breaks and a 30-minute break after the fourth work session. You can keep repeating this cycle throughout the day until you accomplish the task of focus.
The second break method, called the Ultradian Rhythm, is a constant repetition of 90-minute work blocks punctuated by 20-minute breaks. This work and break model echoes certain patterns in our natural sleep cycle and is thought to be very efficient for some people who tend to rely more on their subconscious instincts.
The third break method is a recent theory developed by scientific researchers that combines the previous two methods in such a way that it should produce maximal results. This one is called the 52-17 Method, and it’s just what the name suggests: you work for 52 minutes, where you put all of your focus and concentration, and then take a 17-minute break to reinvigorate your energy.
Regardless of the method you choose, keep in mind that what you do during the break should be relaxing, yet not too distracting or it could end up doing more harm than good. For example, doing things like checking social media can often take up a lot of time once you get started, so avoid using break time to browse the internet or text people if you’re planning on going back to work afterward. Instead, do healthy activities such as stretching, going on a walk, and/or eating a nutritious snack!
Tip #4: Minimizing distractions
Continuing on the idea of what to avoid doing during breaks, it’s important to minimize as many sources of distraction as we possibly can while working. Things that take away your focus include your phone, social media, email, the radio, and the internet. When you have your phone on and next to you, it is likely that you’ll stop working or work very inefficiently and check your messages and scroll through social media. Also, having the temptation to browse online through sites such as Youtube and news outlets can also be a big source of distraction. Researchers recommend working in a quiet room by yourself and keeping your phone out, as well as turning off notifications for email and internet pastimes.
Tip #5: Utilizing chunks of time
There are many scraps of time throughout our day that can be used for some quick studying or work. These little chunks of time add up, and the long-term results will prove that it’s a good idea to use little pieces of free time in between different parts of your day to get some important things done rather than waste it on meaningless things like going through social media posts. During times like riding the bus to and from school, recess, and car rides to various places, you can bring along a book to read or some homework assignments to complete as you’re waiting. This way, you add up work completion bit by bit and end up having less work to do during work sessions, meaning that you can finish your work quicker!
Try using these five tips to help you improve your work efficiency, and hopefully, they will lead to a better, less stressful lifestyle overall. Happy studying!
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