how to be productive

If there's one thing I'm proud of it's my ability to stay productive Monday-Sunday. It isn't always easy but following a few simple guidelines can make a worlds' difference. Here are 5 tips to stay productive!

1. Laundry

Since I’ve moved in with Garrett and I’m now in charge of doing all the laundry for our household, folding clothes seems to be the hardest to handle.

We do try to reuse our towels but since we both workout pretty regularly laundry is still an every few days kind of chore. Every two days I start a load even if it’s not full. I’ll set the washer to low/medium soil and a low/medium water level so that I’m not wasting. It makes the folding process seem more manageable! As soon as the laundry is dry I’ll spend 10 minutes (usually at night right before bed) and fold as much as I can + I make sure I take out anything that easily wrinkles. The next day before leaving for school or (work) I’ll spend another 10 minutes or less finishing what I didn’t get to. Usually everything is folded within those 20 minutes.

I feel like a lot of people let laundry get out of control because they hate staring at a mountain of clothes that need to either be folded or hung up. Trust me I’ve been there. I’ve spent a solid 45 minutes sorting through that mountain of cotton t-shirts. It’s no fun. But when you do it every few days and break up the folding part (if needed) it becomes way less tedious.

2. Daily Tasks

We all have things we can afford to put off but certain things need to be completed day of. Like... I cannot go to bed until BLANK is done. I write these must tackle tasks on a post-it note and stick it to my steering wheel. Just so that I don’t forget to swing by “Walgreens” on my way home. I know I’m out of mascara and buying it today will make my tomorrow life so much easier! Most of us use a daily planner but having that extra copy on my steering wheel really seems to make a difference. It’s like a nonexistent person holding me accountable.

3. Social Media

I set rules for myself. For example, I can’t scroll the feed until this entire column of muscles are memorized. Setting specific times during the day doesn’t work for me. Just because some days are different from others.

4. Weekends

Take advantage of your weekends. Think of Saturday’s as a chance to earn bonus points. I’ve been spending my Saturday’s on school campus because lab host practice anatomy tests every Saturday. Trust me, I don't love being there but spending a few extra hours on Saturday helps lighten my weekday load. I also enjoy working out with Garrett or going for a weekend run. It helps to keep us motivated as a couple! Try to find something productive to do on the weekends, something that can become a routine.

5. Stick to Your Schedule

Learn to say NO! I'll have to admit that this one was a tough one for me to learn. I've gotten really good at saying NO, especially if it's not part of the plan. For example, if Becca asks me to do lunch tomorrow, I have to say no. Veering off my schedule will only make the rest of my week that more time consuming. Getting together with friends and loved ones should be a priority. Make a schedule and then follow through.

All selections and opinions in this post are my own.