#concentrating

hi! when it comes to managing my time at uni, I've been experimenting a lot to find what feels best. no worries, it is a process. this is how I manage my time, feeling better about both study time and breaks!

you know when teachers plan a field trip? they most often plan it pretty precisely, so that the kids know exactly what to do at what time. the kids also know that if they follow the plan, they'll get free time. 

that's how I think about planning my weeks. I tell myself exactly what to do in advance. that way, I don't stress about what needs to be done while doing something else. it allows me to be more present and to enjoy what I do a little more. I know that if I respect my pretty flexible schedule, I'll have nothing to worry about. being conscious (not only in my head, but seeing it in front of me) really is what helps me. 

I use google calendar, but you can use whatever calendar you like — just keep in mind that a screen allows more flexibility than paper in this situation ;) the idea is to be able to visualise your week and to be conscious of what is coming up. there are 3 main steps:

step 1 | what doesn't change during the week when planning a semester, I start with setting my classes (mine are red colour blocks). after that, I set commuting time (it took me some time to figure out which transportation functioned the best for me, but once I found it, I quickly got used to it). any other events can be set too (extra-curriculars, work...). I also plan a time at which it would be healthy for me to eat + go to bed. this is what doesn't change during my week and that I can't miss.

step 2 | what can vary during the week now, I can visualise how much time is left. I can realistically choose when to revise, work, take breaks, work out, see friends and family, play my instrument and work on my personal projects. I'm lucky to have an at-home job, letting me choose when to work, as long as i respect deadlines.

step 3 | planning study sessions sitting down to study and looking at a super long to-do list feels so overwhelming. that is why (knowing how much time each task takes to accomplish) I plan exactly what I will be doing during each study session, depending on the time tasks take. that way, when I come to the library for example, I can just look at what this study session's program is and follow it (thinking that if my teacher has planned this, it must be a good and sensible step forward in my schedule — only here the teacher is past me, planning my week, thinking about the healthiest way of organising it).

it is so reassuring to know what's coming up

say it's monday and that when you get home, you're already tired. if you've planned to work at a specifically focused time on tuesday, you don't need to worry and can enjoy relaxing and resting instead. this isn't procrastination, as things are planned. if you take a break, on tuesday you'll feel better to work / more energised and might enjoy that as well, or maybe just not hate it.

knowing at what times you concentrate the easiest is good here. for me, it is either early in the morning or in the evening. anytime I don't have class or anything else planned, I can plan a little study session at one of the times I mentioned above.

warnings / reminders

As long as I can remember, I’ve always hated working through the summer months, be it school, college, or university. The tantalising (and rare to the UK) heat and sunshine peering into the window of my classroom/library/office always made/makes daydreaming easy and concentrating hard. Somehow, the summer months are also the most important with respect to exams and deadlines. Go figure. However, this time of year also tends to be quieter with regards to the hustle and bustle of work, and therefore allows for prolonged moments of peaceful focus. ☀

Nevertheless, the current UK heatwave is posing the above and some new challenges for me with working from home, especially as I manage my own time. Self-discipline is hard at the best of times, let alone when all you want is to be outside in nature! Not having a commute to work or a team environment also means that I lack the transition between home and work and the motivational boost I get from my peers. I am therefore just trying to do the best I can each day, not allowing minor setbacks affect me too much mentally. 🌿

Originally, I was meant to be working on two chapters at once this month, but have instead decided to devote my attention to one at a time. I am constantly trying out different working styles to figure out what works best for me, adjusting my approach where appropriate. Working on one chapter at a time feels less overwhelming right now, which is exactly what I need. At the end of the day, slow progress is still progress. 🐢

Putting work aside, it has been an awesome week, which started with going out for a long awaited dinner with one of my supervisors, then catching up with some old friends over a BBQ, and concluding with a truly wonderful weekend away in Snowdonia, where we hiked Snowdon as part of our 4 peaks challenge to raise money for Cats Protection! So, I really can’t complain! 🐾

I hope y’all have a brilliant week!! 💛

Photo: Taking in the views near the summit of Snowdon. Source: Phone camera.