In the past, I've started a planner at the beginning of the semester by writing down all due dates for my assignments but after about a month, I put it down and never picked it up again. Last year, I tried to create my own bullet journal planner but it took way too much work to keep up with it so it didn't last very long. This year, I decided to find a nice planner and use stickers as motivation to maintain it.
I actually have seven sticker books solely for my planner, ranging from a student pack to seasonal to quotes. So far, it's been about a month and a half and I try my best to look at it once a day. I add new meetings and reminders as soon as possible but usually have to wait until I'm home where I have my stickers. I've always been an organized person but keeping a planner makes it more fun and these are some of the things that I've found most helpful.
Find a planner that speaks to you.
If you don't have an attachment to your planner, you're less likely to use it. I went to at least three different stores to find the one that I use now. As cheesy as it sounds, when I found it, I knew it was meant to be mine. It's big enough to write in all of my assignments but small enough that I don't feel like I'm lugging a book around. It's perfect.
Pick a day to go over what needs to be done for the week.
It's good to take at least one day a week to input any new assignments or any changes to your schedule. I usually do this on Sundays because I have the most time to do it.
Take it with you to every class.
Even if you don't end up using it in every class, it's good to have it just in case you have something to put in it or to check. It also acts as a reminder for the assignments you have to do.
Look it over at least once a day.
Whether you do this in class or at home, it's important to check for any assignments or meetings you might've forgotten.
Mark down changes right away.
If something changes, try to mark it down in your planner as soon as possible. If you can do it right when you notice it, do it then but if you have to wait, just don't forget what you needed to change.
Buy stickers and use them!
Stickers make everything more fun! As I said above, I have seven sticker books with a variety of stickers that I can use for anything and everything. I started with a planner basic pack and then proceeded to obtain a seasonal pack, a quote pack, a watercolor pack, and a student pack. For my birthday, I received a rainbow pack. I love all of my stickers and I love using them. I put at least one quote in my planner a week in order to provide a little bit of motivation. I keep track of my work schedule, my bills, and any assignments or meetings by using different stickers. Of course, you don't need seven packs but one will make your planner that much more enjoyable.
Have specific pens for the planner.
It's nice to have specific ones for your planner. You can keep them with you at all times so you have them in case you need them. I have a lot of different pens but I keep the pens that I use for my planner separate from all my other pens. My planner actually has a pouch that I can keep my pens in which is nice.
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