Most of us benefit greatly from routines. They help us stay consistent and effective in our work. Now, there are some people who don’t seem to require organization or routine, and by some strange alchemy produce effective work from chaos. For these people I have envy. For everyone else, I have some advice.
So, here are some tips for developing productive routines for your college experience. Adapting yourself to new habits can take some time, but it is always worth the effort.
Establish clear goals and priorities
A good first step is to isolate both:
- What you need to do, and
- What you want to do
This can be as simple as making a list of tasks (related to school, chores, jobs, etc.) and goals. You might tier your goals as Minimal, Ideal, and Dream. I’ve usually kept a running list in a note on my phone, but there are many, many strategies for organization you can try. Determining your needs and goals will allow you to focus your attention on what is most important to you.
Plan out time
The next step is, of course, to do the thing. Time management can be tricky, but for many people this can benefit from planning. Simply put, what do you need and want to do as part of your routine? For a few years now, I’ve used a spreadsheet, blocked out by day on the x-axis and half-hour increments on the y. On Sundays, I go through my list of tasks and goals and organize my week on the spreadsheet.
Monotasking
Try to focus on one task at a time. This can be difficult, especially when your mind is assailed by all sorts of due dates and obligations, but narrowing your focus on matters of immediate importance will help reduce your stress and improve productivity. Also, try to let yourself have a bit of a break (maybe 20 minutes), before moving on to your next task. (Although, if you’re like me, you might not have any problem remembering to take breaks).
Rewards and accountability
The next ingredient is motivation. This could be Pavlovian in origin: some sort of treat after a successful week… or even just a day (hey, if it works, it works). This could also be as simple as setting personal deadlines (though sticking to these can be difficult). You might consider sharing your goals with a trusted friend, or a mentor, and ask them to check up on you (and you can do the same for them). There are even such things as accountability groups, in which the members work together to motivate and keep track of each other. Sometimes these are organized through a university institution, but you can also form one yourself by reaching out to some friends and establishing some goals.
Consistency
The single most important element to developing a routine is consistency. And sometimes, strangely, this can be the hardest part. You do have to do it every day. But, a twin component to this is being able to work past those days when you can’t be consistent. They will happen. No plan, no matter how intricate, survives the craziness of life. Unexpected problems will arise, and there will be days when you, for lack of a better phrase, just can’t even. And that’s okay. If you mess up one day, try again the next. If you mess up again, well, try again the next. You just have to try.
Take notice of self-improvement
Developing a new routine can be difficult, and it can take several days or longer to get it into your system. If you’ve spent years doing things a certain way, adapting to a new way won’t happen overnight. The point here is to be kind to yourself and accept that change takes time, but it is possible. It can also be good to start small: pick something minor (making your bed, perhaps), and do that for a few days, then add on something new, and so on. Attempting to revolutionize your life in an instance will probably only overwhelm you (and in this I am speaking from extensive experience). Remember to keep track of, and find pride in, the progress you’ve made. You may be pleasantly surprised at what you can do.
Postscript: Books on routines
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
- Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day by Jake Knapp
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by James Covey