A few months into my first year at business school in Switzerland, I hit a wall.

Between lectures, part-time work, networking events, and trying to grow a small side hustle, I felt like I was always doing something — but never actually getting anything done. My to-do list was endless. My energy was all over the place. I was busy, yes — but not productive.

That’s when I decided to completely rethink how I structured my day.

💡 Step 2: A Personal Reset

One night after missing a project deadline, I decided to track everything I did for a week — a full time audit. The results shocked me: I was losing 2+ hours a day scrolling, multitasking, or doing “busy work.” I made small changes:

• Checking email just twice a day.
• Studying in focused 25-minute sprints.
• Setting theme days (e.g. Mondays for meetings, Thursdays for creative work).

Within 30 days, I was less stressed and actually had more free time.

🛠️ Step 3: Building a Daily Routine (and the Tools That Make It Work)

Back when I was drowning in deadlines and back-to-back classes at business school here in Switzerland, I thought productivity meant working nonstop. I’d wake up stressed, race through tasks, and crash at night feeling like I got nothing meaningful done.

That’s when I realized: it’s not just about managing tasks — it’s about managing time and energy. So, I designed a daily routine that helped me stay focused without burning out.

Here’s the structure I follow now:

🕖 Morning (7:30–10:00)

• Light breakfast + quick journaling
• Review top 3 priorities of the day
• Deep work session (no emails, no distractions)

🕛 Midday (10:00–14:00)

• Classes or freelance work
• 5-minute breaks every hour to reset
• One longer 30-minute break for lunch and screen-free time

🌆 Afternoon-Evening (14:00–20:00)

• Admin tasks or meetings (lower-energy work)
• Second focused work session (shorter: ~45 mins)
• Quick reflection: “What moved the needle today?”

🌙 Night (After 21:00)

• No laptop
• Chill time: reading, short walk, or music
• Light planning for the next day

Tip: I theme my days to avoid decision fatigue. Mondays = planning + meetings. Thursdays = deep work or writing.

Tools That Keep My Routine Running Smoothly

To stick to this routine and reduce mental clutter, I use three tools daily:

• Notion – For planning my week, tracking school tasks, and organizing ideas
  → Helps me visualize the big picture without getting overwhelmed
• Pomofocus – A minimalist Pomodoro timer that keeps me locked in
  → I do 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks; it trains my brain to focus
• Toggl Track – For tracking exactly how I spend my time
  → I uncovered that I was wasting hours on shallow tasks — this changed everything

Since building this system, I’ve actually started finishing my tasks before deadlines, found time to grow a small side hustle, and (maybe most importantly) I don’t feel burnt out anymore.

Routine isn’t boring — it’s freedom when done right.