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Tips On Prioritizing and Staying Focused

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Prioritizing and keeping myself on track and focused is not my strong point. I tend to get distracted easily by social media, television, and blogs. It's something that I really want to work on this upcoming school year; I want to stay on top of deadlines, keep track of important dates, and never feel as if everything is coming at me at once. I want to feel as if I have my life together. 

Obviously, in order for all of this to happen, I need to make some changes in my life and daily schedule. I have started to implement some activities and ways in my life that help me stay organized. What are some of the best ways that you keep your life in order? (Seriously - all tips are welcome! I kind of need 'em. ;) 

= Use A Calender =
I do not use a physical calender because they are so easy for me to neglect.  I use a calender (Sunrise) that I can integrate my Google, Apple, and other accounts into one, so that all of my events, deadlines, and reminders sync up. The particular calender that I use also allows me to sync across my Windows 8 Laptop, iPad, and LG Optimus phone. (*That's my way of saying that no matter what device you have, you can use Sunrise.) It's extremely convenient.  And in the calender, I plan blog posts, important information (for example, flight schedules), and simple, enjoyable things (such as Christmas Break). I like to have a full calender as it makes me feel as if I am organized and know what's happening in my life.

If you are more interested in a desktop calender, then you should download **Rainlendar. It is perfect! I actually used this religiously before I downloaded Sunrise. I still do use it, but not as frequently because it's purely desktop and I prefer one that syncs across all of my electronics. It allows for customization of your calender as well as color coding, icons, and to-do lists! 

* This content is not sponsored. 
** This content is not sponsored.

= Use a To-Do List =
This is a recent addition to my organization schedule. I categorize things into Home, School, and Blog. That helps keep me even more organized as everything is under their respective categories. On those to-do lists, I add quite a bit at once (with their due dates scheduled and any additional notes), so once I see the scratch of completion, I feel so much more accomplished. (Yes! I wasn't such a lazy bum today!) 

= Schedule Posts =
If you are a blogger, then you most likely understand how much time and effort it takes to write a blog post. Not multiple blog posts, but just one. Yeah - it's outrageous. But since I love blogging a lot, that is just one thing I have to deal with. However, that does not mean that I cannot try to be efficient and use my time wisely. So, in order to be efficient, I use my spare time (usually sometime during the weekend I have hours to kill) and knock out some posts. That's called being efficient, otherwise known as making good use out of your resources. By scheduling posts for the upcoming week (and sometimes two), I feel more organized and like I have my life on a smooth road to success. A happy blog is a happy me, right? Right? *nudges with an awkward grin*

= Do The Smaller Tasks First =
This goes hand-and-hand with my to-do list. I like to add tinier (therefore easier) tasks to do first.  One, I can quickly get them out of the way. Two, once I an finished with them, the scratch of completion motivates me to continue on. If I can get some of the minuscule tasks over and done with, then when it comes time to complete the larger tasks, my list will not make me feel as if I got absolutely nothing done that day. It'll seem like the biggest task is the last one, and I can feel extremely accomplished once I can scratch that off. Perfectamundo!

= Take Mini-Breaks =
Although taking breaks every ten minutes will hardly allow you to get things done, a fifteen minute break every hour and a half is decent.  It allows you time to let yourself relax and to not over-think or stress out. I know that once I get into a task or project or assignment, I do not want to quit until I am finished. Sometimes that is fine! Other times, it stresses me out so badly that I end up quitting for the rest of the day. What's the use of that? It does not allow progress to get done, which means I'll be stuck doing it again the next day. No bueno. So, what I do is give myself tiny breaks to grab a snack, send a few text messages, etc. It'll make you a bit more productive - trust me.
 
= Get Rid of Distractions =
Distractions are the vice of pretty much everyone. They can keep you from doing what is really important. My distractions are social media, my favorite tunes, and television. To keep from being distracted by these things, I (1) tell myself that I can check social media during a break or it'll be my reward when I am finished with whatever task that I am working on at the moment, (2) put on music that does not have any lyrics to it, and (3) keep the friggin' television off! Whatever your distractions are, try to minimize them whenever you are doing tasks! Trust me - it'll help! 

Tune: Kiara by Bonobo
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