Happy Monday, Couturist readers! I have to say, I don't know why Mondays get such a bad rap— to me, there's something so psychologically satisfying about the start of a new week. I always look forward to getting myself situated on Sunday nights (a.k.a. deep cleaning my room and covering my desk in sticky note to do lists) and preparing for a productive week, and that's my theme for today! I've rounded up a few of my favorite productivity-boosting articles (plus a couple of playlists!) for when you need to get things done fast.
ONE
Teamwork Tip: What Google Learned From Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team (NYT Magazine)
A good friend of mine sent me the link to this earlier this week and I was hooked. I think anyone who has ever worked on a collaborative project has groaned, "I hate group projects" (guilty). However, it is somewhat reassuring to read that it isn't necessarily the people, but rather a group dynamic that causes unproductive, difficult group work. This implies a sort of agency, right? If we address a non-egalitarian dynamic from head on, perhaps 'slackers' will contribute more. This makes me reflect on my own experience with group work at Dartmouth— one of my most successful projects (a statistics research presentation) ended up actually being a lot of fun as our group grew closer and were able to express preferences for which part of the assignment they were most passionate about. In fact, I think this social bonding acted as a method of accountability— group members weren't trying to impress each other, but rather to help each other out, as friends. Something to keep in mind as I enter my last quarter (eeep!) of college.
TWO
Study Sounds: Playlists
There are always those people who decide to speak at normal volume in one of the library's 'silent zones.' Ugh. For those moments when you really need to get through an article or crank out a paper distraction free, look no further than Spotify's Deep Focus playlist (here). If you're looking for something with vocals, I like Acoustic Morning (here).
THREE
Inspiration: Routines of 10 Highly Successful Women (My Domaine)
I love reading articles like this because they affirm one of my deeply held mantras (courtesy of Mark Twain)— "eat your frog every morning." Successful women get up and get going, starting their day by fueling their bodies with food and then engaging in physical activity to get blood flowing. Lately, I have been getting up early a few days per week in order to get to the gym before class. On my way back, I pick up a hearty breakfast and give myself plenty of time to shower, drink coffee, check email and do the crossword. By the time class rolls around, I feel like my day is already in order and I am ready to participate! As an early riser, I think that morning time is the best source of me time. Before the hustle and bustle of the work (or school) day begins, it is extra important to center myself.
What are your best productivity tips?
xoxo
Ashley
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