Carving A Path To Success: Achieving Your Goals During The Pandemic

I confidently begin an assignment—let us take finishing a project as an example—but have absolutely no idea what I am supposed to be doing (and so this level of confidence takes a bit of a dip). Short after, boredom takes over, and I pause to look at my phone and then finally flop onto my bed, grab a bowl of chips, and begin reading a book totally not related to the project. Yes, not exactly the path to success. This was a sneak peek of my past techniques of achieving something while being stuck at home, and let me warn you, oftentimes, this did not work out too well.

During this time of quarantine, not being in school but having to go through online learning has been driving us all insane (and if it wasn't for you, dear reader—good for you!). And I'm guessing this is not just the student body, but the teachers are also going through the same issues: we're stuck in a loop of trying to meet some sort of a goal but returning entirely unsuccessful. And so, I sat down and prepared a series of steps , and these steps not only helped me achieve my aims, but I'm hoping they could also help others striving to accomplish what seems like an impossible feat. They helped me a ton, and I hope you find these 4 tips helpful as well!

1. Set a goal you want to achieve within your goal

Before you start anything, plan it all out—break your goal down into smaller, more accomplishable tasks. List all that you want to accomplish, set a goal for each, figure out how you're going to start, what you need to complete, etc. When you have that, it’ll become much easier to follow now that you have simplified your goal. It’s quite normal to get caught up worrying about the daunting tasks we have ahead of us, but trust me, the day goes much better when you understand and have it clear in your head about what needs to get done. For a few moments, just clear your head and list down what you need to complete, so the next day, you have a list written down that spells out clearly what you must accomplish throughout the day. Remember, there are always step-by-step methods to achieving anything, and journeys always begin with small steps.

2. Prioritize your work

Tasks considered "urgent"—ones hanging too close to the deadlines—finish these right away! The activities that aren't as important or aren't “essential,” leave them for later. Prioritizing the way you will tackle each task will be worth the time you spent on planning. And if you are doing assignments for school, turn in any late assignments first, and then move on to the work for the day. If you have a shorter assignment, finish it up! Then work on the assignment that requires more time and effort.

3. Manage Your Time

It's easier said than done because this is something I still struggle with. After all, our usual habits have been altered, and getting accustomed can be challenging. But remember that by managing your time wisely, you can spend your time efficiently where it is necessary, thus reaching your goals. Time yourself. Restricting yourself in a time-frame actually helps complete the task quicker.

If studying and doing homework is what’s getting to you, then organize how you are going to do it. Again, prioritize! Study, in whatever way that suits you. If you want some more explicit study tips that hone into more detail, you can try this great article Julia Braatz wrote: "Studying While Trapped at Home." It has some excellent tips, that's for sure!

4. Focus! Take away distractions!

Alright, we all know our phones are constantly blowing up, imploring us to look at them, to go on Tik Tok or Instagram to see the next nonsensical trend or the newest dance move. Oh, and that newest Netflix show? I think that can wait. Seriously, believe me, procrastinating will really hurt later.

Back when I was at school, I barely checked my phone; but now, my phone is usually next to me, and my fingers are always inching towards it, itching to look at it. Eliminate distractions! Before you start working, try leaving your phone in another room, or at least silencing it by turning off your notifications until you accomplish your task. I have heard many people say that music could help you concentrate, but personally, I find music distracting because I have the urge to start singing instead of finishing up my work. Do it at your convenience: if music helps you concentrate and stay away from distractions, then that’s what you should try and see if it works!