#VicCommuterHacks: Top 8 Time-Saving Tips
As students, it’s easy to feel like we don’t have enough time to do everything that we need or want to do. Below, we’ve compiled some of our top time-saving strategies!
1. Zotero
Victoria: “Do you want to create perfectly-formatted citations and bibliographies in seconds? I’ve been using Zotero since first year, and it’s been an absolute lifesaver.
From the website: “Zotero is a free, open-source research tool [with] the ability to store author, title, and publication fields and to export that information as formatted references.”
Download Zotero
2. Study Smart, Not Hard
Saambavi: “My biggest mistake in first and second year was attempting to do all my readings and then, when I fell behind, to not do them at all. Especially with extracurriculars, part-time jobs, and a life outside of school to worry about, it is often not realistic to expect to finish all your course readings.
Instead, try and prioritize your readings in a way that works for you. The readings for your introductory lecture, for example, are likely not going to appear on a final exam. Similarly, for classes without tests or a final exam (i.e. classes marked on assignments alone), you can likely give yourself more leeway with readings. Instead of doing them all, focus on the ones you’d want to write about. This will save you both time and unnecessary stress.”
3. Todoist
Jane: “Jotting down all your daily and weekly to-dos can be a massive timesaver because you’re able to remember exactly what you need to do and when. I love using Todoist to set goals for myself because I can sync it across my devices and bring it with me anywhere. I also really like making use of the ‘Next 7 Days’ and projects functions in order to get my school work completed on time. I usually start the day by writing down at least 3 things I want to get done, be they study tasks, work projects, or errands. I even input small tasks into Todoist because it feels so satisfying to check off my list! I think time-management tools are also some of the best time-saving tools.”
Download Todoist
4. Pack Your Things the Night Before
James: “This is a simple tip that makes a difference between whether you leave the house confidently or not. This spares you the trouble of rushing to remember what you need for your long day at school. ‘This is easier said than done,’ you say? Just think about how taking ten minutes to think about this the night before can save you at least ten minutes in the morning… that’s ten more minutes of sleep!”
5. Pack Your Things the Night Before. Really.
Liam: “A lot of time is saved when you prepare everything the night before! Have your clothes for tomorrow folded or hanging for when you get up. Prepare your lunch and put in the fridge so its already packed up. Have all supplies ready to go to put in your bag. It seems like common sense, but it saves a ton of time and not many people do it.”
6. Smoothies for Breakfast
Samantha: “Most days, I feel like I don’t have time to cook a big breakfast to fuel me for the day! After skipping breakfast many times and feeling hangry, I’ve found that smoothies are perfectly quick and nutritious, and save you a lot of time. You can take the smoothie to-go and drink it throughout the morning or during your commute. Taking half an hour over the weekend to freeze ready-made packages for each smoothie — greens, fruit, nuts and seeds — and tossing it in the blender in the morning takes less than two minutes. Now you can chug your filling breakfast as you walk to the bus stop!”
7. Take Advantage of Long Commutes
Karen: “If you have a significantly long commute time, use it to complete your lighter tasks or readings — things for which you wouldn’t need much concentration. Finishing one easy article on subway rides to and from campus frees up longer hours in the rest of your day to dedicate to the harder tasks. Or, if you don’t enjoy doing work during your commutes, you can also take the time to reflect and relax. These small self-care moments go a long way in helping you stay energized and motivated throughout the day, and thus, improve productivity and efficiency in your work. Whatever you decide, make sure to get the most out of what could otherwise be a monotonous and unproductive commute!”
8. Make Use of a Calendar App/Agenda
Sam: “As you go on with your university career, more and more commitments start to be thrown at you: whether it’s that part-time job, a club you’ve been meaning to join forever, or even remembering a friend from high school’s birthday party. To stay balanced and optimize your time, use a calendar app to jot down all of these events so you know what you need to do for the day without forgetting anything. This will save you from double-booking yourself and you can stay organized regarding your commitments, and you’ll also know when exactly you’ll have some free time to chill. So not only will this save you some time, but you’ll save yourself some stress as well!”
Hey Vic Commuters, want to win a February Metropass? All you need to do is complete our survey before January 30th to be entered into our draw!
SURVEY: http://ca.studentvoice.com/uot/commuterdon
Upcoming Vic Commuter Don events:
Jan. 24: Smoothies + 1000 Words Exhibition w/UMatter
Jan 25: Cupcake & Donut Decorating Social
Jan. 25: Soup Thursday — free soup 12–2pm weekly in the Goldring Atrium
Jan. 29: CommuniTea — Mondays from 4–6pm weekly in the Goldring Atrium
Jan. 31-Feb. 1: Escape the Rocket: A Vic Commuter Don Escape Room
Feb. 1: Women in Tech
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