Find your groove
Gearing up for the fall semester, I decided to invest in some tactile planning tools. The online calendar just isn’t an all-in-one solution for me. I really need to see the ink on the paper so that the due dates and appointments stick in my brain. After years of having multiple calendars on my smartphone, I now find myself reverting to the time-honored tradition of a weekly planner and a to-do list. My planner is essentially a notepad with pre-printed weekly pages. Each week, I get the satisfaction of tearing off a page and viewing the next. And boy, howdy! I love the sound of the page tearing from the pad, knowing that I have survived another week. But what works best for me, may not be what works best for you. Find what works for you.
Hone your digital skills
Do you have a lot of online meetings with Zoom links? Do you need to share your calendar with multiple people? Maybe a digital calendar fits your needs better. Do you use Google Calendar? Google offers online training for Google Calendar as part of its Google Cloud Skills Boost Workspace End User Learning Path. And if you are an Apple Calendar aficionado, don’t forget that there is an online user guide accessible here.
Start with a template
A lot of students and professionals use Notion as their digital planner and project management suite. Notion offers hundreds of templates to get started. A visit to the school templates here allows you to download free templates such as the College Life Planner by Minty Planners. This template comes with a weekly schedule, a course gallery, and a to-do list in addition to a nifty calendar for adding tasks, tracking due dates, and viewing your progress. Plus, the template has a place for you to add your favorite Spotify playlist to your planner.
Jump in and conquer
Whatever your calendar of choice, take control of your planned events. Note those due dates. Block out spaces for self-care. Be realistic with time estimates. Do you have an upcoming project deadline? Or a big exam on the horizon? Make sure you have blocked off time to prepare. Maybe you need to supplement your calendar with a to-do list to keep track of things that need to be done but don’t necessarily have a designated due date. Don’t be afraid to make a plan and then revise it. Own your decisions and own your time.
Carpe Diem
Besides my computer, I have a cutesy drink coaster whose printed message reminds me to “Live in the Moment” with each sip. Keep reminding yourself that today is your day. Every moment is your moment. Embrace your challenges and celebrate your accomplishments. Go out there into the world and make HerStory!