How I Routinely Study With a Full Time Job when I'm TIRED

Summary

The speaker shares their personal journey of balancing work, studies, and personal interests while in college and medical school. They emphasize the importance of focusing on high-intensity tasks during peak focus hours, which for them is in the morning, and gradually shifting to lighter tasks as energy levels decrease throughout the day. To enhance productivity, they suggest setting strict bedtimes to wake up naturally and avoid the stress of alarms, and setting firm deadlines to counteract procrastination. The speaker also highlights the value of eliminating activities that do not bring joy or value to one's life, thus creating more time for meaningful pursuits. These strategies are tailored to the speaker's personal preferences and work habits, suggesting that individuals should adapt these principles to their own brain type and personality for optimal effectiveness.

Takeaways

• 📚 Prioritize focus over time: Schedule your day around your most focused periods for the most demanding tasks.
• 🔋 Manage your mental energy: Recognize that focus is like a battery that depletes throughout the day and plan accordingly.
• ☕ Boost your focus: Use techniques like coffee or cold showers to give your focus a temporary boost.
• 🌞 Early morning productivity: The speaker found that studying in the early morning when their focus was highest was more effective.
• 🛌 Set a strict bedtime: Instead of relying on an alarm, adjust your sleep schedule to wake up naturally earlier.
• 🕒 Strict deadlines: Use deadlines to combat Parkinson's Law and reduce procrastination by creating artificial time pressure.
• 🎓 Break tasks into smaller pieces: Make large assignments more manageable and less daunting by breaking them down.
• 🎉 Reward yourself: Use rewards as motivation for completing tasks and to maintain a balance in life.
• 🚫 Stop doing what you hate: Identify and eliminate activities that don't bring joy or value to your life to create more time for what matters.
• 🧘 Reflect and self-assess: Be honest with yourself about how you spend your time and what activities can be cut to improve focus and happiness.
• 🔄 Adjust your schedule: Be flexible and willing to adjust your routine to fit your natural rhythms and optimize productivity.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial approach to balancing work and studies?

The speaker initially balanced work and studies by working as a barista, tutor, and at a yoga studio while taking full stack classes. They did not drop work to focus on school despite the challenges.

Why did the speaker's grades suffer during college?

The speaker's grades suffered because they were juggling multiple jobs while attending college full-time, and they were also distracted by the anime 'Hunter x Hunter' which aired around that time.

What strategy did the speaker develop to manage their productivity?

The speaker developed a strategy to schedule their life around focus rather than time, realizing that focus is like a phone battery that drains throughout the day.

How did the speaker rearrange their daily routine to maximize focus?

The speaker started doing the most intense studying in the morning when their focus was highest, then did less rigorous studying throughout the day, and reserved lighter studying tasks for the end of the day when their energy levels were lower.

What is the 'Jedi mind trick' the speaker used to make mornings less awful?

The 'Jedi mind trick' involved setting a strict bedtime instead of a wake-up time, allowing the speaker to wake up naturally earlier without the use of an alarm, leading to a more peaceful and productive start to the day.

How did the speaker adapt their time management system to a flexible schedule during medical school?

The speaker set strict deadlines for everything, from studying to running errands, to optimize focus and maintain a work-life balance despite an erratic work schedule.

What is Parkinson's Law and how did the speaker apply it to their time management?

Parkinson's Law states that work expands to fill the time given for its completion. The speaker applied it by setting strict deadlines, which forced them to focus and avoid procrastination.

What are the three main determinants of procrastination identified in the paper from Japan?

The three main determinants are the challenge of the task, the rewards or punishments associated with it, and the perceived distance or time until the task is due.

How did the speaker use rewards and breaking down tasks to combat procrastination?

The speaker gave themselves rewards for finishing tasks, such as going out with friends or having dinner, and broke down big assignments into smaller, more manageable pieces to reduce the perceived challenge.

What is the final principle the speaker suggests for managing a busy schedule?

The final principle is to stop doing things you hate or that bring no joy or value to your life, which helps to create more time for activities that are fulfilling and contribute to a happier, more focused approach to life.

How did the speaker's approach to time management change when they added a YouTube channel and a research project to their responsibilities?

The speaker realized the importance of time pressure on their ability to focus and began to cut out pointless activities and commitments that did not bring value to their life, allowing them to maintain their focus and manage their increased responsibilities.