130 Running Low….

Some people may already know but I am a very busy person, I am always doing something, and my friends and family are always moaned that I don’t see them very often. It took me 5 months to arrange a meeting with my friend! Not because we didn’t want to meet but because every time, we arranged it something came up, or one of us didn’t feel up to it. On the other hand, it makes it so much more fun when I do get to see them. In light of my busy life, I thought I would share a few things that have helped me over the past year.

Here are my FIVE tips. I have used and they have really helped.

Write Everything Down

This year my time got used up quickly so I started making a list of everything I had to do and crossing it off as I go. It started with doing a list of about 20 things each day. The list would be things like going to the shops, sorting my college folder out., picking Mum up from work, taking prescriptions to the chemist, making dinner, College assignments, doing a computer backup, replying to emails, sending a specific email to a certain person, look for insurance quotes, take an object back to who you borrowed it from, do washing etc.

But I have ended up just writing a long list of everything I need to do and each day I go through it and do whatever I can. It has recently got very long, and I am working on it but for me having something physically in front of me has really helped to motivate me. Seeing the list be ticked off and decrease in size.

Tell Someone

Telling someone is always a massive help. If I come home from college and I know I have a lot of work to do I tell the people at home. I usually say something along the lines of “I have a lot of work to get done so if you need or want me to do anything or to go anywhere can we go now so I can get my work done”. They will usually respond with “Yes give me five minutes to get ready and well go do whatever it is they want to do” or “don’t worry you get on with your work.” I have found that sometimes they offer to help. “Oh, okay you get on with your work, I will go to the shop is there anything you need that I can get for you?” They can help!! Don’t be afraid to ask.

Prioritise

Important… literally the only way things get done correctly. Just be sensible if you have 5 assignments due but your friends want to meet. Say no, your friends will still be there at the end of the year whereas if you fail you have wasted your time. Many young people struggle with prioritising their work. I have been very lucky and have not had an issue as I am quite motivated. I have wasted time in the past, or lost motivation but I don’t beat myself up for it much. I have always thought of it as if you are putting time and effort into a course don’t waste it by not doing the work. If a new episode of my favourite TV is coming out tomorrow, I will set it to record and once I have finished a bit of work then watch it. Or I will watch it in little breaks I give myself throughout.

Turn Your Phone Off!

Everyone thinks it doesn’t make a difference, but it really does. I will say I don’t really turn my phone off, but I do ignore it. I’m not attached to my phone; I do use it every day but if it was taken away, I would survive. I usually have it in the background and check it randomly but I don’t find it distracting. If my phone goes off then I will check who it is, if I need to reply then I do so, if I don’t I leave it for later to deal with. Next time you are writing a bit piece of work or have a lot of things to do turn your phone off, post a status on Facebook to say you are busy only call if it is urgent.

Take Breaks

Last but not least, take a break, breaks are good. If you do too much at once your brain stops working as well. There is only a certain amount of time that your brain can concentrate. I usually will do a bit and then go get a drink, listen to a bit of music, check my phone, maybe go for a walk, make dinner etc. The biggest one for me is when I have dinner. I will make my dinner, pick something to watch either on TV or on my laptop and watch while I eat. I try to take an hour to have my dinner and relax a little bit.

That is my five, let me know if you use any and if they helped you. Or if you have any tips that really helped let me know as well.