6 Tips for Being Productive Your Freshman Year

Your freshman year in college is very likely to be your toughest. You’ll need to adjust to being away from home and to being fully responsible for yourself. You’ll also need to deal with managing your own money and so much more. It’s an incredibly exciting time, but it’s also super scary. The fear, stress, and excitement can all be a huge danger to your college career. It can distract you from being productive and getting things done when you need to the most. If you’re wondering how to keep those emotions at bay a bit, check out these 6 Tips for Being More Productive Your Freshman Year. They’ll help you get your year off to a great start.

6 Tips for Being More Productive Your Freshman Year

Make sure you get a good night’s sleep. Whether you realize it or not, your productivity is directly linked to how much sleep you get. If you’re not getting enough, you may have trouble paying attention and concentrating. To prevent that and be as productive as possible, make sure that you’re getting 8 solid hours of sleep each night.

Find and keep a to-do app on your phone. Being unorganized can lead to feelings of your life being out of control. If you’ve got a lot going on this year, find a great to-do app for your phone. Look for one that allows you to create simple to-do lists and is free to use. By having your lists made and the ability to check off completed tasks as needed, you’ll keep your productivity high and really get things done.

Use your phone’s alarm to your advantage. We all know to set an alarm when we want to wake, but what about when it’s time to study, go to class, or be at a club meeting? Using your phone’s alarm to your advantage is a fantastic way to increase your productivity for your freshman year. Most phones also have a way to set reminders for things like projects, doctor’s appointments, and so on.

Set a schedule and stick to it. One of the reasons that most people have unproductive days is because they don’t have a set schedule. You don’t necessarily need to be militant about it but having a general idea of when and what days you need to do specific tasks can help you make sure that they get finished.

Find a group of like-minded people to study with. Studying by yourself is not only boring but can actually be hard if you have no clue what you’re studying. Find a group of students (preferably those who want to study as hard as you do) to study with. You will have help when you don’t understand something and make new friends. Just by being happier when you do the task of studying, you’ll make yourself more productive.

Reward yourself once a week for staying on task. All work and no play makes for a dull and stress-filled life. To keep your stress levels low and ensure that you’re in tip top shape mentally for classes and other tasks you need to finish, reward yourself. Once a week treat yourself to a night out with the girls, a special food treat, a Netflix marathon, or whatever you find enjoyable. It will give you the break that you need and keep you from burning out.