The workload at LSE, and university in general, is demanding. Therefore, I’ve put together a list of five tips for working more productively. Read on to find out what they are!

Tip 1: Set out your goals

Goals are important for staying motivated and keeping on track. Research in the Psychology Bulletin found that “the effects of goal setting on performance show that in 90% of the studies, specific and challenging goals led to higher performance than easy goals, ‘do your best’ goals, or no goals”! However, don’t interpret this as needing big goals; small goals can also contribute towards focusing your mind and boosting productivity – small doesn’t mean easy!

Tip 2: Make a plan

Let’s face it, humans are vulnerable to procrastination. Plans are fantastic ways of committing to goals and holding yourself to account. Outline an effective way to use your time, and be sure to stick to it. Some people like to assign schedules to discipline themselves, whereas others prefer lists of things to achieve in a certain time frame – try both and see what works for you!

“Procrastination is the enemy of success” – Anon

Tip 3: Try and build a sleep schedule

Sleep is really important, both in terms of routine and number of hours. Poor sleep can lead to a sluggish mindset and threaten productivity. In the US, research has found that fatigue costs employers 136.4 billion dollars annually. Wow! So do try and wake up at the same time each day, after 7-9 hours of good quality sleep.

Tip 4: Prioritise the important things

In 2012 Barack Obama revealed that he never made decisions about what to eat or wear. Now, don’t worry, I’m not quite suggesting to be that extreme! However, it does raise a good point – humans make a lot of decisions, so it’s important not to fixate too much on trivial things. Prioritising important decisions can improve focus and release some unnecessary stress.

Tip 5: Recharge

From lunch to a holiday, taking breaks is a crucial part of working productively. Breaks allow you to recharge, release stresses and reset your mood. Some great examples are exercising, reading and socialising (in a post-pandemic world). Try and think about some easy things that you could implement into your schedule to recharge and support your mental wellbeing!

If you have any other productivity tips that work well, please share in the comments below!