The 4 simple (but not so) easy steps of productivity

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With the school year fast approaching, I wanted to make sure that you had tons of resources to get you organized to rock this school year. With that in mind, I asked my friend Lawrentina if she would walk us through some easy steps of productivity.

Lawrentina is an accomplished student at the University of Waterloo, the MIT of the North as it’s been nicknamed. As a current student, peer mentor and organizational enthusiast, I thought she would be the perfect person to give us some insight into what’s necessary to do well in college.

One thing that I appreciate about Lawrentina is that she likes to keep it simple.

In her article, she breaks down the 4 easy steps of productivity into what it means, how to do it, tips and tools to use. Seriously, she’s so helpful.

This post will be the long form of the steps so that you can get an in-depth understanding of each.

We’ll also be offering a PDF chart that will be AMAZING for reference throughout your year. You can download the PDF for free at the bottom of this post.

Also if you’re headed to school in the Fall make sure to sign up for our free back to school course for college students!

Here’s what she has to say:

The 4 simple (but not so) easy steps of productivity

Hello Everyone!

I thought I’d quickly introduce myself, what I do, and how I came up with the following outline of what I believe to be the 4 biggest steps of better planning & productivity.

I’m a 4^th year Biotechnology & Economics student at the University of Waterloo that’s worked hard to develop a system that’s allowed me to work and study full time – balancing anywhere between 1 to 6 jobs per term on top of my classes.

I’ve also run a series of workshops on effective studying, time management, organization basics, and mental health; specializing in project management and process streamlining in our day to day lives.

Step 1: Organization

Organization really means making a plan.

Try outlining the requirements, goals, and milestones for whatever you want to accomplish – even if it’s a quick mental note. This helps frame and slim down tasks to what really needs to get done.

Students: List out all deadlines and grade weights from your course syllabus at the start of your term so you don’t miss a thing.

Tips

If you’re making lists, review them often and break them down by “today”, “this week”, “this month”, or “this term” to better focus & not overwhelm yourself

Drop whatever’s on the list that you’ve been putting off indefinitely or can do without.

Note from Rachael: We all have those things that stay on our to-do list for ages and never seems to get done. So if you’ve been putting something off, decide if it’s actually worth your time or resign to take it off your list.

Tools

Asana & Google calendar/tasks both organize tasks by date with reminders.

Learning to use one of these tools will help you manage your time with ease. Having reminders and a task list that’s easy to access can make all the difference when you’re knee-deep in course work.

• Related: Learn to use a Google Calendar and your Bujo together
• Related: Task Batching: Increase your Productivity Instantly

Step 2: Sorting

When you’re talking about productivity you need to take into account obligations and obstacles that could come up.

The most important part of sorting your time is finding a balance that works with the time and the energy that you have.

Work: 9 to 5; Try to keep work things at work. 5 to 9; Create a plan to tackle the next day.

School: Survive; Meet deadlines on time. Thrive; Enjoy what you learn & take the time to review core concepts weekly.

Social: Family & Friends; Surround yourself with people who energize you.

You: Basics; Do what you must to stay sane. Hobbies; Carve out time for self-improvement.

Tips

Find what you need to unwind and recuperate.

Note from Rachael: Having a few things that you know always make you feel better will go a long way in helping you relax and reduce stress. Making time for these activities is a must in order to stay on top of things consistently.

Know that you’ll need to make sacrifices to prioritize correctly. There will be distractions but maintain your discipline! If focusing becomes difficult, recap your goals and why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Related: Prioritize: How to know what to do when

Tools

Journals help reflect on your day and find patterns in what priorities or problems occur most frequently.

Bullet journal anyone???

Step 3: Time Management

Execute your plan!

Understand your (time) management style – when & how you work best.

The typical 9 to 5 day might not be for you and maybe your learning style is different.

If late-night voice memos or mind mapping works for you, give it a go and integrate your unique time management style into your daily activities.

Note from Rachael: We all have a unique style and things that work best for us. Having a plan, working it and making small adjustments as needed is what’s going to make you your most productive. Check out post on figuring our your style here

Tips

Chunk your work into smaller tasks. This works best while you’re still in the rhythm (or flow) and have the motivation and energy to get things done.

You can either do a series of small tasks or one big task but make sure you’re not putting off the inevitable.

Tools

Whiteboards are handy since they’re easily visible and can be adjusted to earlier or later dates.

Note from Rachael: I have a few whiteboards in my house and I used to have them on every wall of my office. They are awesome tools to keep you on track and they are so easy to adjust when you need to. Investing in one that you can use consistently is a great idea!

Step 4: Avoiding Procrastination

Stick to your plan.

As the adage goes, plan your work then work your plan!

If you tend to procrastinate, try:

• Setting your calendar deadline a day earlier in case you wait till the “last minute”
• Setting tiny milestones every day or week leading up to the due date
• Holding yourself accountable with friends or family who are aware of your goals and deadlines
• Uninstalling apps or removing distractions while you work

Tips

Accounting for procrastination dissipates unrealistic expectations for how we work or when we can get things done. It also allows for leeway on burnout or rest periods when working towards your goals.

Note from Rachael: Like it or not we all procrastinate sometimes. So having realistic expectations about how you work will keep you from feeling like a failure and preserve your motivation.

Tools

Set timers when doing work (e.g.: 20min work + 10min break for a few hours)

Mindset and Pacing

All of the above can be applied into 3 distinct mindsets & paces. If you find that things are…

Going too slow or too little is happening

Acknowledge this. You can either accept this level of productivity or fix it. In between’s are rather messy and cause a lot of “I should be doing this instead”.

Just right

Great job! Pat yourself on the back and make note of the things in your system that worked so you can replicate or improve on this in the future.

Going too fast or too much is happening

Slow down & breathe.

Set boundaries with those who dictate your deliverables and self prioritize. It’s better to rest and tackle something well at 100% than to do something at 50% capacity while feeling awful.

Get Lawrentina’s Printable below:

About the Author

Lawrentina is a brilliant 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo.

In addition to studying Biotechnology and Economics, she’s been a campus Don helping new students get a feel for college life and adapt to their new setting.

When she’s not mentoring or studying Lawrentina can be found baking, painting or recording her own music.