I didn’t realize how much harder it was to be productive in college. Distractions are everywhere. (Actually, though.) It’s definitely been hard to stay focused, but I luckily was able to find some sort of balance last semester. Here are a few things I did that helped me stay on top of my work.

Know what your day looks like

Whether it’s Wednesday or Saturday night, knowing what your day will consist of is great for planning out when to do homework and when to take a break and have fun. Having a mental note of when all your deadlines are helps you prioritize what needs to get done and by when. And, sticking to goals of finishing your work makes celebrating the completion of this work more worthwhile.

Figure out where you best focus

For me, this is in a completely silent room where there aren’t people walking around everywhere (read: not the Motley- but I love going there for drinks!) I usually study in the browsing room or my room because I know that I won’t be that distracted when my friends are around. I don’t typically work well with noise in the background because it prohibits me from thinking clearly. Some people work best in environments completely different from the one I just described. Knowing your own preferred style will help you be most productive.

Make the best use of your time

I run into this issue all the time. When I’m doing homework and simultaneously talking to friends, I’m thinking: If I continue to do this, this 30 minute reading will turn into 2 hours  because I’m really not concentrating. (This also applies to social media sites. Leaving your computer and cell phone in another room works wonders.) Therefore, I won’t be able to finish my work before I go out with friends. BUT, that can be done if I spend the next 30 minutes of my life without talking to a single person. I think most people have a vague understanding of this, but the hard part is in actually doing this. I often fail at this, but when it’s worked, I’ve had a ton of fun.

If you continue to stay on top of your work, catching up will never be something that stresses you out. And, if you reward yourself with being productive, the incentive to work equally as hard in the future is undoubtedly more appealing.