On the Grind, All the Time

"Where did the day go?" I used to ask myself this question all the time. I would wake up each day knowing I had a lot to get done, but I alwas found myself ending the day without accomplishing anything...

Whenever I heard the term "time-management" I used to think it was something for adults. I thought adults were the only ones ever complaining about not having enough time to do stuff, so "time-management" never meant much to me. Well, I was wrong. Whether I wanted to believe it or not, "time-management" was something I had to master in high school. Between AP classes, holding leadershipo positions, braiding hair, cheerleading and still trying to apply to college, all while having fun, made it virtually impossible to get anything done. On top of that, there was a lot of pressure on me to do well and go somewhere in life, which didn't make it any easier. I was always on the grind...

During these busy high school years, "time-management" was the most valuable tool I held on to. Learning to be more organized with my time enabled me to increase my productivity, decrease my stress levels, and still have personal time. Whether it was a bunch of busy homework from my teachers, class projects or whatever, this is what I did.

Prioritize

When something came my way that I knew I had to spend time on, I would first determine how important the task at hand was. For example, if I knew I wasn't prepared for the physics or history test coming up, I would make studing a higer prioirity. In turn, I would have to put things like shopping or doing hair temporarily on the back burner.

Organize

After prioritizing, I knew exactly what the day's work would entail. I would then organize my time so that I could feasibly get it all done. I went out and bought a really cute organizer and blocked out chunks of time for all my tasks. I would be sure to work on only what I told myself what I would work on so that I could actually finish 1 thing instead of starting 3 or 4 different things. Organizing my time in this way allowed me to shop, talk on the phone, and still get my work done.

Focus

Another thing that I had to force myself to do was focus. Knowing myself, I'm the type of person who needs a quiet environment in order to get stuff done. So I would leave my cell phone in another room and turn the TV off...and WALLAH! I got my work done.

No matter how busy you are, always remember to make time for yourself...even if you have to schedule it in like I do...lol. Sounds pathetic, but it's real. Go to the spa, get your nails and hair done, and go to parties with your homegirls...be on your grind! Just know youself, and kno how to get it done without making yourself go crazy.

--Kyle Holland

Brownstone Team