Tiny moments, big opportunities

Love a to-do list? This one's for you.

You know how you have tiny pockets of your day that you look down at your phone and scroll?

Here are some examples:

• Waiting for your class to start

• Waiting for the bus/ your ride

• Chunk of time between classes, when you usually go home *but often you don’t want to go back to campus*

• 20 mins before bed

  

These little slices of time are opportunities. Take advantage of them.

Tips:

1. Carry blank notecards with you.

2. Make a to-do list for the week- tiny tasks you must do. Order them by what’s going to make the biggest difference! Grades at the top (test studying first, then quiz studying ), things for work next, volunteer things after, then social.

   1. Ex: make notecards for physics test Fri

   2. nail down a study date for group study session O Chem quiz

   3. make cupcakes for pre-vet club

3. Once your list of tiny to-do’s is in order of importance, start knocking them off in your little “slices of time.” Notecards at the bus stop, text the study group while waiting for class to start, etc.

4. Sometimes it’s easy to not return to campus if you go home for lunch, or have 1-2 hours between classes. If you go home, you may not take advantage of your time- you may do laundry, chat with roommates, or sit down to watch an episode. Instead, stay on campus. Treat yourself to lunch that day, but work/study while you eat. No phone, no friends. Go somewhere isolated, like a tiny cafeteria or library where you won’t know many people.

5. Commit to “no phone before bed”. Even if you aren’t getting a ton done for school, most of us waste the time before bed. Use it purposefully. Prep your bag for tomorrow. Tidy your room. Meal prep. Fold clothes. Read a fun novel. Putting your phone/ screens away, even for an hour before bed, can really recenter you. Plus, you are learning habits that will serve you later in life.

6. Block your time on your calendar. Put study blocks as well as breaks/ rewards in there for yourself! If you block off “Study for O-chem” for 1.5 hours at the library, afterwards when you get home, you will feel accomplished and ready to enjoy the evening, no guilt!!
   
   A cappuccino at the coffee shop as a reward for 6 am Pre-Test Review is actually pretty motivating.
   
   So is the swimsuit you’ve been lusting after once you get an A on said test :)

These little tips may not seem like much, but they add up.

And the main points:
1- Recognize these slices of time as opportunities.
2- Have a list of tasks ready to go!

Need one-on-one guidance?

Hit the button to meet with Dr. Katie!