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[coffeefuelledjournaler]

10•01•23// attempted to get a bunch of my reading done but I ended up cleaning up the Christmas decor, cleaning the kitchen, repotting plants and doing laundry ✨

I did get some reading done but I do tend to default to literally anything else when I should be studying 😅☕️

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

30.03.18 // Rainy day at the RA. ↳ instagram ⇢ expatesque

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

Breakfast in the wheelhouse ☕️

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

16.10.17  The light was so cool this morning it was like everything was under this autumn-y orange glow. I think it was the storm which passed over.  Once again I spend the day in the Wills Memorial Library. I feel like today is going so slowly but at last I’m being really productive! I think I should try to keep 8am starts up, start studying by 9? Feeling very harry pottery today! xxxx emily

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

|| 2.25.2016 || I’m sick, but I get so bored just staying in bed all day, so I redecorated my room. I’ll probably end up changing it again soon like I always seem to do, but for now I love it!

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

Mornings suck but

Grab a coffee, eat some nice food, take a warm, comfortable shower and listen to music. Make a list of things due today, make a list of non academic things to do today, complete these tasks. Make a list of things you will (most likely) have to do in the afternoon. Pick the ‘evening reading’ book in the morning. Brush your teeth. Remember to fill up your water bottle. Remember to bring your phone, wallet, keys and earphones. Remember to bring a sweater and tissues. Keep deodorant in your bag. Remember to put deodorant on in the morning. Check that your laptop is fully charged. If it’s not, put your charger in your bag. Bring a phone charger. These are the small reminders to keep you organised in the morning.

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

PLANNING YOUR MONTH

The early bird gets organized

Start 2 days before the beginning of the next month . If you’re scrambling to organize everything you have to do for that month the day the month starts, you’re already behind.

PICK A LOCATION

It can be your planner, your bullet journal, or your bedroom/ dorm room wall. But pick a location where you will use your monthly plan, and see it often so that you’re acclimated with it.

COPIES???

What if the only monthly plan you made suffers severe water damage? Then you’re screwed for an entire month. I i m p l o r e you to please PLEASE make a copy of your plan. Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days. Don’t let that DAY ruin your MONTH.

Start with your academics

Starting with academics not only keeps your priorities in line with where they should be, but it permits you to get all your ducks in a row for your classes. Find out when they are, if you don’t have the same courses every day, so you know what to be prepared for on which day

Follow up with assessments

Academics and assessments go hand in hand. Now that you know what day everything is for this month, and when you will be having your classes, find out what assignments you have in those classes. Knowing your assignments in advance allows for more preparation, and more consequent success

Prioritize those assessments!

If one assessment is your final grade for a mandatory course, and one assessment is a vocabulary quiz, the final grade assessment needs to be prioritized over the vocabulary quiz. Make sure you are highlighting the more important assessments, so you know their value!

Do the same with homework!!!

Homework is often seen as less important that assessments, but you still need to get it done. If you know in advance what assignments you will have, put those in!

Got projects?

Projects are the bane of every individual’s existence because you think you have all the time in the world to get it done, and then they due date sneaks up on you like the plague. Not only should you WRITE IN THAT DUE DATE but separate the tasks that you have to do for that assignment and assign it to yourself as homework.

Make your appointments!

Figure out what appointments you have that entire month, and preferably before the month starts. That way, you can ensure there are no conflicts and go in with ease.

Extracurricular obligations!

Find out what obligations you have for your extracurriculars before they sneak up on you. No one wants to be out of compliance for an extracurricular, but you don’t want it to conflict with your life either.

Fit in some F U N.

Don’t make your monthly plan just boring this, and plain old that. Incorporate some hang-out sessions with friends, or a personal day (maybe two). Everyone needs that R & R.

DO IT AGAIN

Repeat it the next month. Soon, you’ll be in a habit of planning. I promise, this will make your life s o m u c h e a s i e r.

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

Study breaks are really important, but sometimes it can be difficult to think of what to do, or even know what kind of break to take. So here are some suggestions for breaks depending on how you’re feeling at the time. 

Some generic multipurpose breaks:

Yoga or guided meditation.

Moisturise your hands, or paint your nails.

Go to the toilet, and get a drink.

Go for a walk.

Play a game online.

Listen to some music.

Write down a bit of your daydream.

Make a meal.

Play with a pet.

Read an article/wiki page

For when you’re overwhelmed:

Have a relaxing shower with a favourite body wash.

Make sure to step away from your study space, this is important.

Go for a walk; do a short yoga routine, or a 15 minute guided meditation.

Talk to a friend or parent, see if they can give you some support.

Give yourself a treat - like a packet of chocolate buttons, or something small you enjoy. Eat them, and savour them, away from your desk.

For when nothing seems to be coming together:

Make a to-do list of what needs to be done.

Look at the task as if you’ve never seen it before.

Have lunch or a snack, or nice drink. Do it away from your desk.

Do something you enjoy, like reading a bit of a book, or playing a playlist you like.

Talk to someone about the problem; ideally a supportive parent, friend, or teacher

For when you are stressed and want to rip your hair out:

Shower, or have a bath.

Watch funny videos online, or read those funny reviews, like the Haribo gummy bears ones.

A short yoga or guided meditation video can really help (and I’m not one of those ‘yay, yoga’ people, but it can really help).

Do something you are capable of doing without much stress - this could be a chore, a hobby, or something random you like.

Make yourself a drink you enjoy, make it as special as you can, and then find somewhere else to drink it.

When you are bored:

Engage in productive procrastination.

Learn a new skill - such as a basic crochet stitch, or how to start a fire without a lighter.

Watch a TedTalk, or short documentary on YouTube.

Make a study playlist, try to include some music you’ve not heard before.

Find a new recipe to try / place to visit.

Play a quick game online - bingo, pictionary, etc.

When you are hungry, but the bored kind of hungry:

Try eating something that takes longer to prepare. Not just a snack that’s quick to grab, but something that takes a little more time. Cut up your fruit, make it look nice; make several snacks that can be stored for latter or another day.

Take a few minutes to some pictures of your study space or notes, edit them and make them into a post ready to pop on your blog.

Go for a wander. It needn’t be outside, even walking around the stacks in a library and looking for some interesting titles can give you a break (and an inflated reading list, so do this one at your peril).

Paint your nails, or do some cuticle maintenance by moisturising them.

Spend five minutes on Pinterest looking at ideas for crafts or something you enjoy (make sure to set a timer for this, it’s easy to be distracted).

When you haven’t taken a break in a while because breaks are for wussies:

Read about the Pomodoro method and how it helps boost productivity. Use a free timer app to give it a go.

Zentangle, relaxation colouring, going to the toilet, etc.

Just chil-lout. Seriously, do something to relax yourself. You need a break!

When literally anything is more interesting than what you’re supposed to be doing:

Go for a short walk, or do a few stretches away from your study space.

Watch a TedTalk on something interesting or a totally random subject.

Find an article/wiki page on something you know nothing about. Remember to limit yourself, time-wise, on this sort of thing.

Organise your bag/folder/pencil case (anything small you have on you).

Listen to some music in a target language/language you would like to learn.

When something keeps distracting you:

If it’s something you can get rid of, try to do that.

If it’s something you need to do, if possible, then to do it.

If it’s a thought that won’t go away, take five minutes and write it down in as much detail as you can, and then put it away for later.

Leave your study space for a moment, get up and walk around a bit, maybe stretch your neck, back and arms.

Tell your pet what’s wrong. Bonus if you do this in another language.

For when you feel like giving up:

This is a good time to step away from your work and doing something else entirely for a little while. Take a longer break, watch an episode of a show you like, or browse for some new music, read a bit of a book.

Take a shower.

Make yourself a drink and something to eat, and eat it away from your desk. Relax a bit while you’re doing so, and set up a pomodoro-style timer when you get back to studying, so you can remember you’ll soon have another break.

Engage in a small act of kindness.

Pet a cute fluffy friend.

When you feel entirely unproductive:

Perform some productive procrastination! Vacuum the house; wipe down a window, scrub the kitchen tiles, reorganise your underwear drawer. Pick a chore that needs doing and do that. Honestly, even just tidying a bookshelf, or taking your washing out of your room, or packing away some clothes can help. Do something where you will be able to see a visible difference that your actions have made.

Spend half an hour on a hobby you like - knit, make origami swans, fiddle around with a robotics project.

That thing you’ve been putting off? Go on, go and do it, and tick it off your check-list.

I hope that these give you a few ideas for much-needed, and productivity-boosting breaks.

[coffeefuelledjournaler]

04/10/18: Stationery shopping in Manchester ft. pining over pens I could never afford! Ah well... I can always dream