Have you ever had an extremely unproductive day and thought to yourself "Tomorrow, I'm really going to kill it!" only to end up in the exact position the next day? Me too! I absolutely hated it when that would happen. It was extremely discouraging and frustrating. But there were a few tricks I stumbled upon through my own research and trial and error that really helped me stay on top of my tasks and complete what I had set out to do. In this post, I will be sharing some of these tips with you.
Tip #1: Plan the Night Before
When we wake up in the morning, we typically want to hit that snooze button and we are barely conscious. At this state, you are barely able to keep your eyes open, let alone come up with a master plan to conquer the LSAT. Also, starting the day off without a plan puts you at the whim of other people and other priorities. You are more prone to think "I'll come up with a plan after I take a shower" or "I'll get started right after watching this one TikTok video" (so addicting, I know). Next thing you know, you spent an hour laying in bed and then you feel unaccomplished and unmotivated.
Instead of waiting until the morning, set up your plan the night before. This not only helps you come up with a plan with a clear state of mind. This also gives you something to look forward to the next day.
Tip #2: Be Specific With Your Plan and Don't Overload
As discussed in my post about How To Set Up a Daily Study Plan, you should be very specific with your goal. If you just plan on studying for the LSAT for 2 hours, you are much more likely to lose focus. This is because there are hundreds of concepts to learn and you will not know where to start or finish. As a result, your studying will be scattered and inefficient.
Instead, set specific goals for yourself. Have a specific concept in mind. For example, maybe you want to focus on Strengthen questions. Or maybe you want to learn more about Grouping games. Whatever it may be, make sure to have specific priorities that you knock out first.
I find that usually focusing too much on how many hours you study can be unproductive. This is because it is hard to tell how long you have really been studying. Many people don't feel urgency until time is almost up. This is why a lot of people end up cramming the night before the test date in undergrad. As a result, they have 0% productivity in the beginning and then 100% productivity the few hours before the exam. In the same way, when you set a time limit you may end up only really focusing the last few minutes before time is up. When you give yourself a target concept instead, you already have more of a sense of urgency. The faster you can learn the concept, the faster you can go out and enjoy the rest of your day!
Tip #3: Physically Write Out Your Plan. Don't just think it.
This tip is so simple yet it makes a world of a difference. When you just think of a plan you are likely to forget tasks or forget the order. Also, you don't have a specific time horizon for each task. Not to mention that when you write (or type) tasks out you have a physical reference and can check things off as you complete them, which gives you a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment after each task. This in turn helps you build momentum throughout your day.
I personally really enjoy using the Microsoft To Do app, but the main thing I recommend is looking for an app that allows you to easily adjust the order of your tasks (pretty much all productivity apps should allow you to do this). I prefer using apps over writing things out in a journal because I can easily change the order of the things I planned out. However, if you prefer writing in a planner there is nothing wrong with that!
When setting up your plan, make sure to also include the specific start and end time for each task. I know I mentioned you should not be too focused on time, but that does not mean you should not focus on it at all. Think of these as target time limits, but you can of course go longer or complete the task earlier than expected. Sometimes, we have a bunch of things planned but when we put pen to paper we start to realize that there is not enough time to get through everything. When you set time horizons, it helps you set realistic expectations of what you will be able to accomplish. Make sure to also set periodic break times between tasks to account for any unforeseen events that can take up some of your precious time.
Tip #4: Sort Tasks By Ease and By Priority
Have you ever heard successful people say that you should make your bed first thing in the morning? This is not just to make themselves feel superior to those who don't. It is because it helps you build momentum throughout the day.
If you had to choose between fixing your bed in the morning or climbing Mount Everest as soon as you woke up, which do you think you would be more likely to accomplish? When you set up the hardest tasks first, you are more likely to have an inefficient day. This is because you have set yourself up for failure first thing in the morning. On the other hand, if you have an easy task you are more likely to complete it, which makes you feel accomplished and as a result you build momentum and excitement throughout the day. Don't set up a mountain for you to climb first thing in the morning. Work your way up to the complex tasks.
Start with a few easy tasks that take no longer than 30 minutes. It can be something as simple as making the bed. Write down that task, as checking it off now makes it more than just a daily thing you do begrudgingly. It is now a task that you planned and followed through with. After the easy tasks, add the remaining tasks in order of priority. At this stage, you have built up momentum and are ready to tackle the important tasks. Knock out the important things first so that even if something unexpected happens, you would have at least completed those.
Some of these tips will require some trial and error to see what works best for you. If you were not able to get through everything you planned, reduce your tasks the next day and adjust accordingly. But if you stay consistent and continue implementing these strategies, you will be one step closer to becoming a more efficient and productive you!
Stay Motivated!
Sincerely,
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