If there could be a shortcut to everything in this life with no adverse results, there may not be many of us still taking the long route to achieve things. Unfortunately, that is not the reality we live in. There are no two ways to do certain things. If, however, one can achieve their goal in a more efficient and productive way, it sure would reduce stress for one. I will be sharing a few things I do to make things easier for myself.
Planning had not always been a part of my life, but as I grow older, I realize more and more how inefficient and stressed I become when I do not take the time to give myself a clear direction for how I would like to proceed. I just jump in and expect to figure things out on the fly, and at the end of the day, even if I achieve what it is I aimed for, I then realize that other aspects may have been lacking all the while.
An example that is relatable would be when I am writing posts. There are certain times that I spend so much time on single articles that I end up feeling too exhausted to get on to other things, which would have disrupted my schedule. I am unlearning bad habits that I employ whenever I need to write.
I write film reviews as often as I can, which would be once or twice every week, owing to the fact that I have to take time to watch (more than once most times). However, it can be a challenge to write them sometimes, especially when I don't plan accordingly. I then devised the most obvious plan to efficiently write without putting too much pressure on myself:
- I created a general template for myself to follow, with each segment focusing on specific areas I would normally pay attention to in the film. This would enable me give elaborate discussions on categories on the storyline, cinematography, and acting.
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Notepad for TV Series Glitch Review
I make sure to take notes when I am watching the film. These could be scribbles of quick thoughts while watching. And then, at the end of the film, I take a few minutes to put down some more notes—some times, voice notes.
I then take the time to research a few things about the film so as to get a wider scope of it.
Then I take a few minutes to organize my notes into their designated areas in the template, and then I begin to make a draft.
I do all these at different times so as not to burn myself out by going all out straight. With these few implementations, rather than just jumping on my keyboard to pour what I may have upstairs, in the end, I would have spent way less time thinking about and writing the post, simply because I followed this plan. It's something I have generally applied to writing on anything.
Working Smart
As an engineering student, there is always a lot to study, and when it comes to preparing for exams, it can be challenging to keep everything nailed down.
It's great to work hard, and it always pays, but I learned to work smart. It is also working hard, but doing so in more efficient and effective ways.
Before the semester begins, I will reach out to those who took it the previous year, collect materials, and ask questions. I would then keep those things in mind, and as the courses progressed during the semester, I would correlate what I had heard with what I saw, figure out the patterns, and keep them noted. These patterns would be the behavior of the lecturer, how they set questions, and the kind of responses they expect to the questions.
As I then study through the semester, rather than just blindly reading everything and exploring the ends of the universe to prepare myself, I would design a system that works for me. I would even develop probable questions.
I still read as much as I can to gain knowledge, but when it came down to preparing for exams, I would spend way less time and get good results in the end. I followed this pattern throughout, and it worked well.
Different things work for different people, of course. There are only a few things that I employ in certain areas of my life. They may seem obvious, but they do the job for me. I do get to feel less tense and put in less effort to achieve what I need to.
Basically, planning systematically gives me a clear direction and keeps me in check with where I would like to land. Working smart for me includes working hard, but in a manner that ensures that I expend less effort to achieve the same aim efficiently and effectively. They do a great deal to help me save time.
This post is inspired by the #WEEKEND-ENGAGEMENT topic, "The time savers". If you would like to know more about it and the community, click here.
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