Tag Archives: Productivity

Working and Studying from Home

With both city and state governments announcing new guidelines and restrictions to stay healthy and safe, a lot of people are expected to not just stay home, but also work or attend classes from home. There could be a silver lining. No more commuting (at least for the time being), and more opportunities to eat an actual well-balanced meal instead of whatever you can heat up in the office microwave or find in the campus cafeteria. However, in a setting where you’re completely in charge of how you manage your time, you can be your own worst enemy.  Here are some tips to maximize your productivity while working or learning from home.

Respect Your Space

It may be tempting to work from the comfort of a big comfy couch or a cozy bed. Respect your work and the space you work in. Find a designated spot to work at. If …

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Achieving Work-Life Balance

At 19, I didn’t think I would have to understand what this whole “work-life balance” thing really is. But I’ve learned not every day is a piece of cake. It’s better to know that now, instead of thinking everything is going to be exactly how you want it to be. Some days are easier than others, but that’s just how life goes. Balancing 18 credit hours, an on-campus job, and an internship hasn’t been the smoothest thing, but I’ve slowly established a routine. I know I’m not the only student going through something similar and wanted to share some lessons I learned throughout this process.

Accept the Bad Days

Sometimes life just gets in the way and nothing is how you planned. That’s okay! There are two things I like to remember on bad days. First, you’ve survived 100 percent of your previous bad days. Second, you never have to …

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Sleep and Productivity: They Go Hand in Hand

Now that we’re entering midterm season (I know, sorry for bringing it up), plenty of students sleep less as the amount of schoolwork increases. If you’re not in school and working, it’s easy to feel like you’re not getting enough rest in today’s hectic world. Regardless of your situation, sometimes you just don’t get enough sleep.

How does sleep really impact your work?

One study found that lack of sleep is directly related to poor levels of function at work, but many likely find that an obvious conclusion. However, it gets worse. Another study found that while sleep deprivation doesn’t necessarily impact rule-based cognition (think mostly mindless tasks, like standardized tests), it negatively affects your innovative thinking, strategic planning, and risk analysis.

If you’re in school, you definitely need your planning skills to manage your schedule, and innovative thinking is often needed when working on assignments. If you’re working, whether …

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Five Minutes of Pinterest a Day

Every day, I settle into my cubicle space: my keyboard and mouse at a comfortable distance, my cup of water within reach, and a bag of almonds to satisfy the occasional craving. Within these quasi-walls, I find myself hungry for an external infusion of creativity to lift my thoughts to the extraordinary. This is where Pinterest comes into play.

“…I find myself hungry for an external infusion of creativity to lift my thoughts to the extraordinary.”

If you are unfamiliar with Pinterest, this social media site offers a virtual cork board of sorts where you can browse, pin, and later review items of interest. This act of pinning usually ends up making me hungry, wanting to exercise, and working on a craft project. None of the ideas turn out as good as they look on Pinterest. The recipes I attempt to replicate do not look as pretty. The fitness …

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