Being organized is one of the number one skills needed for pretty much everything in life. It can help your day go so smoothly, personally I love organizing. My favorite part of the school year would be school shopping so I can get my agenda and journals and colored pens and sticky notes and anything that would help me organize myself for that year.
Here are some tips I thought would be helpful!
Calendars
I use multiple calendars for different purposes. The first is my white board calendar. I got this at Target a few years ago and it is great for writing down big assignments, tests, or events. I can be reminded of these things with one glance.
Next I have the calendar in my agenda, here I write down more every day things such as homework and quizzes. I like to color code my agenda according to classes for extra organization.
Next I use the calendar on my phone, this is my most daily calendar. I have all my classes, meetings, and study sessions here. I can see exactly how much time I have, and can add things to my schedule as the day goes by. This helps me to keep track of my time. Here's what my upcoming week looks like.
Reminders
Even after writing everything in my three calendars, I sometimes need extra reminders. I like to use the app on my phone because it is the easiest way.
TIP: Set an alarm on your reminder, perfect if you need to turn something in before bed or don't want to forget something before running off to class
To Do Lists
I find that the best way to make the most out of my time is a good old fashion To Do Lists. I write down all the homework and assignments I need to get done in order of importance. I also write down self-care items such as washing my hair or doing a face mask. The day feels so much more productive when you can mark things off your list.
TIP: Make your lists realistic for one day if you stare at a long lists of task it could have the opposite effect and de-motivate you.
Journals
It's important to stay organized with what is going on in our life, but its also important to organize the future. I do this by keeping journals. Here I write down my goals and plan ahead. I have a plan for my pre-med journey where I track my accomplishments and future tasks to get me to my goal...med school.
TIP: Four year plans are so helpful, if you haven't made one I really recommend.
Keep Your Laptop Organized
If your documents are unorganized, it's the same as having big stacks of paper all over your working area. I like to keep a clean desktop (my preference) and to organize all my documents by class and by semester. When its time to study and pull up notes I can find them fast and easily.
Use notebooks, binders, and folders
There's nothing worse than being ready to study and being unable to find your materials. I like to keep my handouts and packets in a binder, because it is the best place for them not to get lost. Folders are good too but can often get bulky and unorganized very quickly.
Last but not least....
Find what works for you!!
While I love sharing my tips and tricks, I know that everyone works in different ways. I hope that you found some of my tips helpful, if not share what works for you! We can all learn from each other.
What more tips? Check out my blog on How to Stay Motivated by clicking here.
xoxo,
Kye