The daily chaos of back-to-back lectures, tutorials, and the promise of evening plans creates small slips of time. From twenty minutes to an hour and a half, these moments can prompt you to endlessly scroll on your phone, or mindlessly stare at your laptop, clueless what to do. However these halfway moments can become points of productivity if utilised well.
Whether lacking time due to work commitments, or struggling to juggle social and intellectual vitality through focussing on meeting friends, small bursts of productivity reinforce structure and can reduce stress. Being productive doesn’t just get university work done, but fuels mental motivation.
Here, are a few ways to productively use these pockets of time:
Small Study Sessions:
You can take a moment to review lecture notes, produce flashcards based on prior notes, or complete a reading or two for your course. Even thirty minutes of consistent study and focus promotes mental prosperity, which adds up over time.
Breaks of Creative Freedom:
If you’re more creatively inclined, having a sketch or journal could engage the equally productive and fun-seeking part of your brain. Even a brainstorm of ideas for future essays or plans for the rest of the university year.
Practicing Mindfulness:
Taking a short walk, and stretching your legs, for as long as ten minutes can refuel mental focus, while providing the body with a small exercise and release of healthy chemicals. Even a nice sit down and a small breathing exercise can refresh yourself.
Completing Some Admin/Errands:
Alongside the business of the university calendar, clearing some mental clutter can provide extremely useful. From answering and sorting through emails, planning for the next few weeks in your calendar, and even clearing out your social media can reset oneself, and build productivity for the foreseeable future.
Social Recharge:
Even in these moments, catching up with a friend over coffee, or calling to reconnect with someone can foster supportive connection, which also prompts long-lasting productivity. Having productivity starts and ends with how we feel, and our confidence on the daily.
Creating productivity doesn’t just entail working constantly, but is about using your time intentionally and intellectually with spaces between your university schedule. Working with them rather than against them can promote mental and physical prosperity, and build an effective rhythm of life.
Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash