College Hacks: Simple Changes that will make you More Successful
Some changes to make while you're in college to help you get the most out of your time there, and that set you up to be a successful person!
#1: Train yourself to be a morning person. Stats say that nearly all of the most successful people are early risers. That is not to say that all of early risers are naturally morning people. There are things you can do to train your body to become a morning person.
-Set a “Smart Alarm”. There are apps that make you solve a math problem before the alarm will turn off. This is great for us morning sleepers who have become pros at hitting the snooze button. By the time you solve a math problem, your brain has woken up and you will more likely get up on your intended wake-up time.
-Set your coffee maker to automatically brew at your wake up time. Not only will the smell waft into your room, it’ll make it easier to wake up by sending signals to your brain that it is time to get up. Coffee makes everything better.
-Don’t eat carbs in the morning. Carbs are a necessary part of a healthy diet, however they make your body work harder to break down the food. Carbs make you more tired, and if you’re already a zombie in the mornings, swap the pancakes for something that will help wake you up – like fruits and yogurt.
-Morning workouts. An overwhelming amount of research states that a simple morning workout gets your circulation going and sets you up to be much more productive throughout the day! Even a little bit of relaxing yoga or a 30 minute jog makes you feel ready to take on the day.
#2: Cut down on drinking. Now I’m not trying to sound like a party pooper; I love to go out as much as the next 23 year old. However, when you go out drinking, whether you feel like you’re experiencing a massive hangover or not your brain function will be slower and you basically waste half a day of productivity. Save the drinking for the weekend, or limit yourself to one or two days a week. It’s not asking too much of yourself!
#3: Live healthy and eat right.
-Choose a healthy lifestyle. Eating less junk food has more benefits than just a difference in pants size. If you eat healthy, you have more energy, your brain will function more quickly and efficiently, and you’re less likely to take midday naps. Get more out of your day – live it up!
-Try to get a good workout in at least 3-5 times a week. A body in motion, will be staying in motion! Not only does exercise immediately boost your energy, but if you exercise regularly energy levels will go up on a daily basis in general. Exercise releases endorphins that just make you feel great and can be so motivating. Exercise also contributes to a strong brain! Stay motivated to get things done and keep yourself going up and up.
#4: Write a to-do list every day. You may think that having a mental checklist gets the job done, but actually writing your goals for the day down are very helpful in getting you to reach all of them. After you write everything down, the goals are much more present in the forefront of your mind. Besides, it feels great to be able to check things off; and when you don’t you’re more motivated to get that task done the next day.
#5: Budgeting and creating a savings account. Create a savings account and promise to put a certain amount in it every month. Even if you don’t necessarily have anything to save for at the moment, you will one day. More pointedly, learning to budget yourself is an important skill that you’ll carry through the rest of your life.
Making these changes during your college years will help you make the most of your college career. College can be some of the most fun years of your life, however, do not lose sight of why you’re really there. This is a list of little changes that you want to make habits, habits that will set you up for great success.
Ruza Radich
Author