Here are my 5 tips to being a productive human, which have truly helped me to get things done and feel amazing about my daily accomplishments. Of course there are probably a million other things that could help keep you focused but for me, these are my top 5 helpers!

Wake up early and complete one task. For a long time I was waking up right before class, rushing out, and never officially starting my day. Now I make a point to allow myself time to check my planners, complete my morning routine, eat a small breakfast, and complete at least one task, no matter how small.

Making my bed and putting away dishes from the night before help me feel like I’ve done a couple chores for the day, and when I come home I can focus on other tasks like school work.

Establish a routine and follow it. This is key guys. If I don’t have at least an outline of a routine my life falls to pieces. I’ve typed out a list of weekly and monthly routines to keep me aware of what needs to be done and how often. This is based around my school and work schedule, so every single week should be able to follow the outline I’ve created.

It includes cleaning schedule, beauty regiment, planner tasks (like filling in habits), budgeting, and keeping electronic files updated and organized (mainly for school).

Made in a standard Word Doc with the “tables” feature.

Create a productivity chart. This is something I randomly thought of, sat down at my computer, and typed out and is now a necessary element in my planner. My down-time productivity chart holds all of the things that I should be doing if I find myself bored, or binging Netflix series during my “working hours”. Categories include personal, social media, household, academic, career, and other areas of life that need constant work and attention.

Keep a tidy workspace. This might be the most important part of my productivity. I can’t focus on anything if my room is messy. I clean my room once or twice a week, and by clean I mean put away anything that is out of place, wipe down surfaces, and clean my floors. Since my bedroom is also my vanity, my office, my dressing room, and my relaxation spot, it gets really messy really fast. Before anything can get done I need a clear desk, clean floors, and zero clutter to distract me.

Decompress and relax. Balance is extremely important. For as hard as you work all day long, you need to be able to decompress and relax just as hard. For me, I know I am officially in relaxation mode when the make up comes off, firefly string lights are on, and Netflix is playing in the background.

During my relaxation, I can still play in my planner or look at school work, but it doesn’t feel as daunting. It’s a clear transition from day to night; productivity to relaxation.