The spring semester has started, and you're probably already unorganized. Two weeks in and you have papers flying left and right, have already missed an assignment, and are probably insanely behind on sleep.
Have no fear; the Queen of Organization is here.
These are the 10 things that keep me sane throughout the semester, and could help you, too.
1. Get a planner...
Write everything down. From your school work, to appointments, to coffee dates. Keep everything in one place. It is so much easier to open up a book and see what your schedule is for the day and the week ahead. No more guessing when you're available to have coffee with your old roommate!
2. ...and write down everything for the whole semester.
As soon as you get your syllabus, copy down every single date they give you! Write down the days you have off, birthdays, Spring Break, EVERYTHING. I can't stress enough how important it is to write in as much as you can. It makes planning ahead so much easier and you will rarely ever overbook yourself.
3. Make to-do lists. Or just lists in general.
I have a list for everything; and I mean everything. Physically seeing what needs to be done helps give you a better sense of how long your list will take you. Also, physically crossing off what you done will show you everything you accomplished. I keep all of my lists in a small notebook that I can stuff into my purse when I am on the go. You can get one at Target for $7.
4. Color code your planner and to-do List.
Everything I write in my planner or on a list is color coded. It looks nice and lets me see where I am busiest in a quick glance. School is blue, work is red, and anything personal is black.
5. Stop hoarding.
If you don’t need it, pitch it. Get everything together from last semester and really ask yourself if you need it in the future. Those papers from last semester that are still in your backpack? Get rid of them! If you need them, file them away in a cabinet elsewhere, but get them out of your bag!
6. Give yourself extra time to work.
Don’t underestimate the time it will take to do an assignment. Add on time to budget for the ‘what ifs’ of school work. It saves you from rushing and doing less that perfect work. Plus, if you finish early, you have more time for another project.
7. Use reminders
I still have problems remembering things even with all the planning and lists that I make. Make reminders through Siri so she can remind you when you arrive at a place, or even at a certain time.
8. Multitasking is a no-no.
I used to be the biggest multitasker this earth has ever seen. But that is long gone. It’s great to get stuff done, but it’s also great to do everything the wrong way. Multi-tasking divides your focus instead of keeping in on one area. Do one thing, and then move on!
9. Finish everything you start.
Stop putting everything off. When you start a task, finish it. Sometimes midterm papers take a few days, and that’s fine. But when it comes to tasks on your to-do list, or that article you have to read for class that you’re putting off, just do it.
10. Set goals.
I set a weekly goal, a monthly goal, and a semester goal. These can be anything from doing everything on time to waking up early every day for that week. It is such a great motivator to know that you can accomplish even the smallest goals.
P.S. Write these down in your planner too!
