If you’re like me, who can be very forgetful and unproductive at times, you’re in the right place because I’m sharing some hacks and apps that have allowed me to stay on top of my tasks and not miss any important deadlines.
1. Get a planner notebook
Planner notebooks are undoubtedly the best thing for someone like me to have because I never know what day it is or can never remember when deadlines are. Before owning a planner notebook, I would write a to-do list on post-it notes and stick it to my laptop or the cover of a random book in my backpack. However, I would end up either losing the list or find it crumbled in the bottom of my backpack. I decided to get my very first planner notebook during junior year of high school, and I have been getting a new planner notebook every school year since then. I cannot begin to express how a single planner notebook has made my life so much easier. As someone who prefers the pages in my planner notebook to be simple and clean, I always go for the Muji A5 Kraft Weekly Planner. There are also tons of cute and budget-friendly planner notebooks out there, so definitely look for a planner notebook that you like and would want to look at every day!
2. Get Notion on your laptop/phone
When it comes to recommending Notion, I must give credit to Tik Tok. After watching videos of college students recommending apps that helped them stay on task, I decided it was time to give Notion a try. I only started using Notion this semester, but I can already tell how much I love it. Notion keeps all of my deadlines from different classes in one place, allowing me to keep track of my tasks. I also love how I get to check off the box once I finish doing a task, making me feel like I am actually staying on top of my game! What’s most exciting about the app is that there are plenty of templates for Notion on the web. A lot of them are also included in description boxes of Youtube videos. Here are some links to these videos and templates that are free for everyone to download: Alexandra’s template, Revisign’s template, @Rijhaa’s template
3. Make use of study breaks
I’m sure most people know how exhausting studying can be sometimes, especially when you stayed up late the night before. I find study breaks to be very helpful and they actually prevent me from falling asleep when I return to studying. The length of study breaks can range from a quick 5-minute break to a long one-hour break. For shorter breaks, I stand up, stretch a bit, go use the bathroom, or get some water and snacks. For longer breaks, I get a workout done, grab a meal with my friends, call my family/friends from home, or go take a shower. I think it’s important not only for your body but also your brain to step away from whatever you’re studying after sitting in front of your desk for hours. It’s also nice to get a few minutes to relax a bit before going back to studying.
Hopefully these tips and apps will help you stay on top of your tasks and prevent you from missing any deadlines. Here’s to a healthy and productive spring semester!