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Abstract

. That can be simple. However, keeping everything organized is a completely different skillset.I’ve learned different ways to remain organized. For example, having a planner, starting my week on Monday instead of Sunday, figuring out what my most productive time frame, etc.One simple way that I stay organized was creating time blocks for everything I aimed to accomplish that week. First, I prioritize my tasks — the more important the task, the bigger the time block. It took awhile to figure out the right formula to optimize productivity.For someone who works mainly at home, learning how to mange your time is vital. It’s something I’ve gotten better with since COVID began, and I know it’ll only get better.<h1 id="f7aa">4. Being Optimistic</h1>I know this is cliché. Hear me out. Learning how to be optimistic throughout life is one of the most important skills I’ve learned to do. I can’t stress how important it is to stay optimistic even when all seems lost.I can say from experience that choosing to be optimistic and having hope has saved my life several times. Yes, it’s easy to be negative and focus on what’s going poorly. It’s difficult to believe that life can get better. It’s even more difficult to actually do something about it.Being optimistic can only get you so far. I’ll admit that. However, it can be the push you need to figure out your goals and to execute them.<h1 id="7d5a">5. Your Goals</h1>What are your goals? Are they still dreams? It’s okay if they are. Knowing how to turn your dreams into goals is important.Naturally, I’m a dreamer. But, I’m also very ambitious. Trying to find that balance between dreaming and ambition has been a difficult journey. As a creative, it’s so easy to fall into the “dreamer state”.The “dreamer state” is what I like to call the phase that’s spent creating ideas for projects. Not going to lie, I’m in that phase a lot. The ambitious side of me likes to turn everything into a goal.It took me until this year to figure out what I wanted out of life. It may change in the future, and that’s okay. For now, I categorized my goals, and I figured out how to achieve them. I’m expecting them to change as I experience life. It would be strange if they didn’t. That’s how I figured out my goals for now.<h1 id="e256">6. Your Lifestyle</h1>What lifestyle do you have? Are you happy with your lifestyle? If the answer is no, why not? What lifestyle do you want to have?For months, I was unhappy with my lifestyle. Luckily, COVID didn’t impact my day-to-day activities or job. I

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t wasn’t until early this year that I learned what it was that I didn’t like about my lifestyle. I removed that factor, and began thinking about the lifestyle I wanted.I read a lot of lifestyle articles.Broadening my knowledge of different lifestyles helped me figure out what I want to include in mine. The one question that helped me determine this was: “What’s important to you?”Once that was determined, the next question to ask was: “What else can I add to achieve this?”Now, I am aware that there is a global pandemic going on. Hopefully, you’ll be able to adjust your lifestyle based on what you need during these uncertain times.<h1 id="7875">7. Your Work Ethic</h1>What’s your work ethic like? Is it strong enough to accomplish your goals while still allowing yourself to rest?My work ethic is something I haven’t really mastered. I’m still learning how to be productive. There are days when I accomplish everything on my to-do list plus more. Then, there are the days when I don’t accomplish anything. Learning that balance has helped me become even more productive.The university I attended had a very rigorous program for my major. It was unique because instead of two semesters, they had three 10 week quarters. Each quarter was like a sprint. There were no breaks. There were no holidays to rest. It was up to you to maintain your mental health.It was difficult.Which was why it was important to establish a work ethic that allowed you to succeed in school. While at the same time, it was just as important to remember to rest whenever you could. In the beginning of the program, I was always working. Taking a break was like a foreign language to me. I didn’t know it was possible to do that without being stressed.“If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.” — BanksyThe quote above is one of my favorites about working hard. Just because you need to take a break doesn’t mean you’re quitting. Every pause doesn’t mean the goal has stopped. I learned how important it was to rest periodically. It helped make those days when you did work a lot more productive.Focusing on what you can control, and not on what you can’t control, can help change your point of view on the world. I’ve been in situations before where I was absolutely miserable because I saw everything through a negative lens. It wasn’t until I began reforming these seven items that I began to focus on what I could control. Life gradually got better. In a world of uncertainty, it’s good to focus on the certain parts of life.</article></body>

Focus on What You Can Control

Leave What You Can’t

In an ever-changing world, it’s always comforting when somethings never change. Let me rephrase that. It’s comforting when you know what you can control in an out-of-control world.

When life gets crazy, I like to focus on certain things to keep me going. It helps keep a sense of normalcy. That alone can help people get through unpredictable times. No matter what you’re going through, there will always be something that you can control.

So, what can you control? These are the 7 items that I realized I could control.

1. How You Handle Situations

Handling difficult situations gracefully takes skill and practice — a lot of practice. It’s something I haven’t fully grasped yet. I may never fully grasp it. But, I attempt to do better with each difficult situation.

If I reacted poorly to news, I’ll ask myself why I reacted that way. If the results aren’t something I’d be proud of, then I try to figure out what I can do better for the next time I’m in a similar situation.

A piece of advice that someone gave to me once was “Is this a hill you want to die on?”.

Once I heard that quote, it stuck with me. It changed how I approached situations where I would typically get frustrated. It takes time to learn how to handle situations gracefully. Will I ever get there? Who knows. But, I can say that I’ve improved tremendously.

2. Being Kind

It doesn’t take much effort to be kind.

This is one of the reasons I enjoyed being a barista for a little over a year. I knew how much it meant for someone to be kind, or to get a perfectly made drink when you were having a rough day. I’ve been on the other side. That’s why I made it one of my goals to be kind to everyone even if they were rude. I stood up for myself when necessary (which happened too many times). But, I made so many connections with people that those rough patches were worth it.

As a barista, you interact with hundreds of people per day. It’s inevitable that you’ll have some rough interactions. But, it doesn’t you mean have to choose to be negative.

3. Being Organized

Being able to organize everything is one thing. That can be simple. However, keeping everything organized is a completely different skillset.

I’ve learned different ways to remain organized. For example, having a planner, starting my week on Monday instead of Sunday, figuring out what my most productive time frame, etc.

One simple way that I stay organized was creating time blocks for everything I aimed to accomplish that week. First, I prioritize my tasks — the more important the task, the bigger the time block. It took awhile to figure out the right formula to optimize productivity.

For someone who works mainly at home, learning how to mange your time is vital. It’s something I’ve gotten better with since COVID began, and I know it’ll only get better.

4. Being Optimistic

I know this is cliché. Hear me out. Learning how to be optimistic throughout life is one of the most important skills I’ve learned to do. I can’t stress how important it is to stay optimistic even when all seems lost.

I can say from experience that choosing to be optimistic and having hope has saved my life several times. Yes, it’s easy to be negative and focus on what’s going poorly. It’s difficult to believe that life can get better. It’s even more difficult to actually do something about it.

Being optimistic can only get you so far. I’ll admit that. However, it can be the push you need to figure out your goals and to execute them.

5. Your Goals

What are your goals? Are they still dreams? It’s okay if they are. Knowing how to turn your dreams into goals is important.

Naturally, I’m a dreamer. But, I’m also very ambitious. Trying to find that balance between dreaming and ambition has been a difficult journey. As a creative, it’s so easy to fall into the “dreamer state”.

The “dreamer state” is what I like to call the phase that’s spent creating ideas for projects. Not going to lie, I’m in that phase a lot. The ambitious side of me likes to turn everything into a goal.

It took me until this year to figure out what I wanted out of life. It may change in the future, and that’s okay. For now, I categorized my goals, and I figured out how to achieve them. I’m expecting them to change as I experience life. It would be strange if they didn’t. That’s how I figured out my goals for now.

6. Your Lifestyle

What lifestyle do you have? Are you happy with your lifestyle? If the answer is no, why not? What lifestyle do you want to have?

For months, I was unhappy with my lifestyle. Luckily, COVID didn’t impact my day-to-day activities or job. It wasn’t until early this year that I learned what it was that I didn’t like about my lifestyle. I removed that factor, and began thinking about the lifestyle I wanted.

I read a lot of lifestyle articles.

Broadening my knowledge of different lifestyles helped me figure out what I want to include in mine. The one question that helped me determine this was: “What’s important to you?”

Once that was determined, the next question to ask was: “What else can I add to achieve this?”

Now, I am aware that there is a global pandemic going on. Hopefully, you’ll be able to adjust your lifestyle based on what you need during these uncertain times.

7. Your Work Ethic

What’s your work ethic like? Is it strong enough to accomplish your goals while still allowing yourself to rest?

My work ethic is something I haven’t really mastered. I’m still learning how to be productive. There are days when I accomplish everything on my to-do list plus more. Then, there are the days when I don’t accomplish anything. Learning that balance has helped me become even more productive.

The university I attended had a very rigorous program for my major. It was unique because instead of two semesters, they had three 10 week quarters. Each quarter was like a sprint. There were no breaks. There were no holidays to rest. It was up to you to maintain your mental health.

It was difficult.

Which was why it was important to establish a work ethic that allowed you to succeed in school. While at the same time, it was just as important to remember to rest whenever you could. In the beginning of the program, I was always working. Taking a break was like a foreign language to me. I didn’t know it was possible to do that without being stressed.

“If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.” — Banksy

The quote above is one of my favorites about working hard. Just because you need to take a break doesn’t mean you’re quitting. Every pause doesn’t mean the goal has stopped. I learned how important it was to rest periodically. It helped make those days when you did work a lot more productive.

Focusing on what you can control, and not on what you can’t control, can help change your point of view on the world. I’ve been in situations before where I was absolutely miserable because I saw everything through a negative lens. It wasn’t until I began reforming these seven items that I began to focus on what I could control. Life gradually got better. In a world of uncertainty, it’s good to focus on the certain parts of life.