Easy and Practical Productivity Tips I Use in University

I'm sure you're already aware of the same old time management and productivity tips - goal setting, daily scheduling, and more. In this blog post, I hope to give you some more unique, practical, and specific tips to try out!

Use Microsoft To Do/Apple Reminders for Deadlines

I used to put deadlines in my calendar but recently discovered that I much prefer using a To Do list application for this purpose because:

• I can see every upcoming deadline at a glance
• Easier to create and group deadlines quickly
• Bonus serotonin when checking off a reminder with a "ding" sound

My favourite feature of these To Do list apps is when they automatically extract the date of the task you write out (even for recurring tasks).

I only have to type this out once to get a weekly reminder

Another unexpected bonus is that the iOS reminders app actually syncs with Microsoft To Do if you have your Microsoft account added to your iPhone.

I also like to use To Do for:

• Packing lists
• Tasks without hard deadlines such as emailing someone
• Soft weekly tasks like practicing math or journaling

Submit Assignments As Soon as You’re Done

For most courses, you're allowed to resubmit assignments as many times as you want until the deadline and only your latest submission will be graded. Even if you think you may make changes, submit the assignment immediately when you've finished.

Unfortunately, I have made the mistake of waiting to submit and then forgetting to do so until after the deadline, so now I always submit preliminarily and resubmit later if needed.

Use Your Bookmarks Bar

I honestly think that the bookmarks bar is often overlooked nowadays despite its simple usefulness. Bookmark your course's WeBWorK so you don't have to go to D2L every time you want to open it up. Bookmark your favourite citation website. Bookmark an important course outline. Bookmark 'em all!

Use OneNote Search

OneNote is my notetaking app of choice because it scans all your handwriting and uploaded pictures to make them searchable by text. I can do a combination of uploading slides, handwriting notes, pasting code, and then find information for any keyword by pressing Ctrl+E to search through all my notebooks quickly.

Earlier Isn't Always Better

We've all had these types of assignments: open-ended, confusing, or even incorrect. If a deadline for this type of assignment is far off enough in the distance, work on something else for a few days and let other people ask the important questions. When you come back to it, check the discussion board or Discord for the answers to questions you would've spent a lot of time thinking of and asking.

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy (and More)

Don't worry about the fact that other people are finished with an assignment that you've hardly started. Circumstances, abilities, and quality of work all vary from person to person - just do what's best for your situation :).

I hope you learned something new from these tips, and please drop your own in the comments so that I can learn too!

Until next time,

Ana