If you know me, I am a firm believer in a solid routine! Having a set routine ensures that you are being productive with your day, while also making time for the things that are important to you. Now that we are all working from home, it is especially important to stick to a schedule. Now, I am not saying that you have to plan out every hour of every day (guilty!) but having a little bit of structure never hurts! Below you will find a general outline of a day in my life at home, mixed in with tips to keep you organized during this time. I hope you enjoy!
#1: Starting Your Day: For me, this begins between 7-7:30am when my alarm goes off. This time frame may be different for everyone, so pick a time that works best for you! Personally, I like to wake up early and get ahead on my day. I make my bed, take a shower, and get ready. One of my biggest tips is to actually get dressed! It is definitely acceptable to lounge in leggings and a sweatshirt every now and then, but I have found that putting on “real clothes” puts me in the mindset to do school work and get things accomplished!
#2 Do Something You Love: It can be difficult to go right from your cozy bed directly into grind mode. To make the transition a bit easier, try to do something in the morning that you enjoy! This could be working out, making a good breakfast, reading a book, or spending time with your family! For me, this usually happens when I make my coffee between 8:30-9:00am. I wish I could make a coffee like this at home, but K-cups will have to do for now!
#3 Make a To-Do List & Get to Work: I love lists! They are the most efficient way for me to manage my time. Each morning, I go through my planner (shown above) and write down all of my homework due for each class. I then make a to-do list with all of the assignments, projects, exams, etc. that need to get accomplished on that specific day. From here, I log on to Zoom and get started!
#4 Take Breaks: It is easy to get in the zone while doing school work. You sit down, and next thing you know it’s three hours later and you haven’t moved. This has happened to me more times than I care to admit since being home. It is important to take breaks throughout the day to get up and move. I usually take a lunch break between 12-12:30pm, and another break around 3 or 4:00 to run or workout. This is a great way to break up your day, and clears your head before you get back to work!
#5 Wind Down at Night: It can be difficult to cut yourself off sometimes. There are days where I find myself working until 10 or 10:30pm, leaving me very little time to relax before going to bed. However, it is important to give yourself a set time to step away. For me, I start to lose focus around 9pm so this is when I begin to pack it in for the day. I start my night routine by organizing my workspace so it is ready for the next day. I usually give myself about an hour or so to catch up on TV and watch a show or a documentary that I enjoy. After that, I always read a book, whether it is of my choice or for one of my classes. Taking a break from screens at night is very important so this is a great way to do so! Around 11:00 is when it is officially time for bed. I have always had trouble falling asleep, so I usually listen to a Sleep Story or Sleep Meditation from the Calm app. Whatever your night routine looks like, make sure you leave time to relax and settle in so you can have another great day in the morning!
Let me know if you try any of these tips or if you have any of your own! I hope this has inspired you to stay focused and organized during this crazy time. Thank you for reading and I’ll see you in my next post!
[…] in work. My answer for you is to balance your day! I have previously mentioned how important creating a routine is for time management. Having set times for studying, eating, taking breaks, etc. will allow you to […]