Summer has come to an end, which means back to school, back to college, back to work. 

It’s easy to vow to be more organized, productive, or time-efficient every year, but how do we actually create these habits? And, more importantly, how do we make them stick?

I just graduated college, and while I no longer have to take classes and do homework, I have a full-time job and internships, work out daily, write scripts, edit films, and try my hardest to have free time. This is the first time my life has not been structured around school. These are all the things I’ve been doing to help maintain balance and structure in my life.

1. Write Things Down.

Making goals and planning to be productive in your head is easy. You can plan everything and work out the kinks, but if those goals don’t leave your head, they won’t happen. If you write in a journal every day, have a calendar on your wall, or even set reminders on your phone, putting these long-term and short-term goals down somewhere you’ll see them every day is the easiest way to turn them into reality. Creating clear and concise plans and duties helps you complete your tasks and ensures you don’t take on more than you can handle.

2. Work Elsewhere.

Stop working in your bed. Your bed is for sleeping, so when you start tasks for school or work in your bed, you will become sleepy or tired. You are more likely to put the task down and distract yourself. Conversely, you may struggle to fall asleep when you get in bed. Don’t confuse your mind with what daily tasks get done in what area. Work at a desk or, better yet, outside your home. Work in a library or cafe around other people who are also getting work done. This will especially make you more aware of how much you’re working and will push you to be more productive. Find some local cafes and libraries in your area and finish your work there instead.

3. Use Portable Tasks. 

There is always a period during your day when you are just waiting for the next thing you must do. You might be waiting on the bus to get to school, the train or bus to work, or driving to pick up groceries. All that time you spend trying to get from point A to point B is time you could use to get something done -- Reading a book or article for class, listening to a book if you’re driving, sending emails, placing orders for work, or errands. You can even use this time to sit and relax, listen to music, read a book, or talk on the phone. You'll be more productive once you start using the empty time in your days to check something off that to-do list.

4. Eliminate Time Wasters.

The easiest way to do this is to check your screen time. Most of our time is spent on our phones, scrolling through social media, watching videos, online shopping, etc. Check your daily and weekly average screen time and note the apps you spend most of your time on. Once you identify the apps causing you to waste time, you can delete or limit your time by setting screen timers for certain apps. You could cut between 4 and 8 hours weekly, depending on how long you spend on your screens each week.

5. Time Blocking

If you are prone to procrastination, only allow yourself a portion of the day to complete a task. When you give yourself this much time to complete a task, you are more likely to procrastinate on that task. When you block out a portion of your time to complete a task, it forces you to sit down and complete it. This habit is based on Parkansin’s Law, the idea that your work will expand to fill the time allotted for completion. If you have a deadline to meet and your work has pilled up, block out an appropriate amount of time to get that work done and work during that time. Try to fill the rest of your day to help you stay on task by scheduling a workout class, lunch, or a hobby. 

Consistency with your work is the easiest way to turn goals into habits. Go into Fall with the right mindset and tools to be your most successful self!