How to Maximize Your Winter Break

Winter break has arrived! After a rather busy year, it’s important to take the time to relax, spend time with your family and friends, and reflect on the year to come.

However, it’s also important to realize that the break is one of the best times to get ahead of the game, meaning that you can finally get to all the items on your to-do list! Continue reading to find out how you can maximize your productivity over the holidays (and relax a little, too):

1. Write down EVERYTHING on a master list of to-do’s

This is the first step - brain dump! Write down anything you want to do, in any order, of any sort - university applications, vacuuming the carpet, organizing the messy desk drawer, etc. Getting it all down on paper (or online) lets you get everything off your mind, and is the best way to start planning out how you’ll accomplish each of these tasks. Be as specific as possible!

2. Make sense of the list (the one you just made)

Color-code or sort out the items in some sort of logical order or categorization, ie. group the to-do’s together. Some categories may include:

School

Volunteering

Work

University

Home

Miscellaneous

Etc.

3. Pull out the calendar! (paper or online - you can even use a spreadsheet!)

Now it’s time to assign tasks to days! Category by category, arrange each of the tasks over a series of days. Keep in mind that you’ll have different categories that may overlap on the same day, so spread it out. In addition, keep in mind how long it takes to finish each task, they may not all take the same amount of time! Generate a schedule that works for YOU - and make sure you schedule in some time to relax and hang out with your friends & family. Block off any days you know you won't work or want to reserve for holiday festivities.

Once you finish mapping out each of your daily tasks, it’s time to stick to your schedule as best as you can! Cross off anything that’s done, and move incomplete tasks over to the next day. Don’t overwhelm yourself, be realistic (you won’t be able to finish everything in one day), and make sure you relax.

Happy holidays from Study Station!