4-day Weekends

What did I find to be the hardest thing about starting grad school? All the free time

As an undergrad I had class 5 days a week. And as a music major, most of my classes were classified as "labs"--meaning that I could have up to 3 hours of class time for 1 credit. I believe my lightest semester of undergrad required me to only be in a classroom for 32 hours a week....just shy of a full-time job. So spending 6 hours in a classroom for 6 credits was a HUGE shift.

I will admit that I have really enjoyed my schedule this semester. I only have class on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. However, it sometimes brings along a motivational challenge--not taking all 4 days off from school work. With my school and work responsibilities there are some weeks when I am absolutely beat, but I have been learning to push myself to do something everyday. I do give myself some lighter days, but there are always journal articles to read...

What have I found that helps?
Lists: I'm a list maker, so I always have to-do lists floating around. Most of them are so long that it would be impossible to finish all the tasks in one day, so I use a "line method." I draw a think black line on my list. All of the items above the line must be completed that day. Anything below the line is a bonus.
Planning: Google calendar saves my life. Class, Work, Seminar, Meetings, Appointments. As soon as anything is added to my schedule I immediately put it in google calendar. I can sync it to my iPod touch too, so I have gotten rid of all the post-its that used to control my life (and continually disappeared). At the beginning of each week I print out the week's calendar so I can see the non-negotiables on it. Then I plan what else needs a dedicated space--exercise, some extra intensive studying, commuting time and if I plan to bike to class/work. Each morning I plan the day's schedule with more detail. My one downfall is not planning enough time to finish something, or forgetting to plan transitions times, etc...but I'm learning.
Environment: Knowing when to change up my environment. There are some days when I can get work done at home. These days can be dependent on the type of work I need to get done, my mood and energy levels, and the state of my dog.*

(*This is Zephyr, my Australian Shepherd. I love him to death, but he has endless energy. No lie....I can take him out and run 5-6 miles and instead of wearing him out it essentially energizes him for the day. So clearly, this is a large factor in deciding where to do homework)

Some things get done best in the library at a desk, others are fine in my favorite chairs on the 8th floor of the hospital, sometimes I just need to put in some time and I can put on a movie/tv show that I have seen before and the background stimulates me enough without distracting me that I can work for a lot longer. It's really a matter of finding out what works best for me in different situations.

And if none of that works? It probably is time to take a break. I go for a run, read something for fun, throw Zephyr some tennis balls, or just enjoy the outdoors (it's been a stunning fall here).