I personally know how stressful it can be to keep up with school. For that reason, I thought I’d share my tips and tricks to get you to continue using that planner you bought when you lose all motivation.
First off, it is probably important to figure out what is the best way for you to receive information. Are you better with abbreviated shortlists, or maybe you prefer generalized notes rather than an actual task list? Do you like to check off your work or simply have an overview of it all?
For myself, I decided to get a cheap “art journal” with 200 pages. This way, I can make the planner however I see fit, and I am not restricted to the pre-printed pages. I decided that the first page will always be a general calendar for the month, with the opposite page being any big tasks (important interviews, dates, or project deadlines). This helps me know my general schedule and have an overview. Then the following sheets will be labeled with “Week of ___.” This allows me to freely put anything from meetings to homework onto this sheet without getting confused. I decided to have the top half of my sheet purely be for my homework assignments, and the other half is split into two. One half is for important dates or meetings, and the other half is for any classes I have that week.
Now comes the tough part. How the heck do I stay motivated to actually keep writing in here? I like to add fun stickers, draw doodles in it, and give myself a reason to keep coming back to this journal. I also like to add notes onto my list “rewarding” myself. For example, after I finish a big presentation, I can go out and get my nails done for a job well done.
Overall, my biggest motivations are being able to use fun stationery (ranging from glitter pens to washi tape) and also rewarding myself. You cannot be too tough on yourself, especially during these weird times, because it will just cause you to stress out even more. Take care of yourself, and the rest will all work out.