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Crunch time!  As I get ready to round the last several weeks of the semester I am working on maintaining my sanity as I continue to burn the midnight oil.  As I have further begun to work on my time management skills, I have found three things to be essential in coping with these last weeks.  So here are some things that I have found to help me with avoiding an end of semester burnout.

Making lists!

Making lists is essential to strengthening not only my time management skills but also my efficiency in getting tasks completed.  This gives me a visual idea of what I need to get accomplished as well as keeps me from feeling overwhelmed.  Typically I try to start each Monday off by making a chronological list of things I will need to accomplish before the week’s end.  Then, each time I have finished a task, I cross it out.

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Don’t wait till the last minute!

Being the procrastinator that I am, I have learned from experience that putting off a task or assignment till the last moment can make your work that much more stressful.  However, when I plan ahead and begin a task early (rather than the day before it is due) I have found that I am able to think much clearer.  It also feels as though I finish the assignment sooner.

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Remember to take a break!

It can get extremely stuffy sitting in my apartment looking at the same word document for hours!  That is why I find it helpful to get out and take advantage of the many wifi cafes in and around the city. This gives me a chance to get out of my apartment and refocus.  It doesn’t matter if it’s stopping at Potbelly to get a milkshake, or taking a walk around the block to get a cup of coffee, breaks are essential!  Somehow, I find that whenever I take that extra fifteen to twenty minutes to recharge, I always experience a spike in productivity when I come back to my work.