It can be super tough to stay organized, whether it’s in school, work, or your personal life. As students, it can be even harder; with all of our different classes, jobs, internships, and activities, it’s a bit of a headache (more like a migraine, tbh). The beginning of the semester is a great time to get organized and start off on the right foot.
Here are some tips to help you stay on track and give you some peace of mind! Â
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1. Use a planner or a master syllabus
To be honest, I live by my planner and I find it so helpful as a student. Whether you use a standard paper planner (Target has some great ones) or an electronic planner like Google Calendar, whatever works for you is guaranteed to keep you on track as long as you keep it updated. Entering in events, meetings, appointments, and classes helps you see what your week looks like overall, and helps keep you on track moving onto the next week.
I also swear by and highly recommend making a master syllabus, which is a comprehensive calendar or list of every assignment for every class. It may seem overwhelming, but using a master syllabus makes it impossible to forget assignments. I have mine stuck on my wall so I’m sure to look at it, but putting it on the back of a door or in a notebook is an easy way to keep it close by (without ruining your dorm decor).
My biggest tip for both planners and master syllabi is to COLOR CODE. Color code literally everything. It will make your life so much easier.
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2. Don’t push things off
If a task can be done in less than 2 minutes, do it now. Staying organized and on top of things is all about taking little steps to make tomorrow easier for your future self. What can you do right now to make your future self happier? This applies to every aspect of life, not just organization or work. Using a to-do list to organize tasks by deadline makes it easy to see what steps you have to take to make your future self more organized and less stressed. Even if it’s just on a post-it note stuck to your notebook, having your tasks laid out visually also helps you feel finished and accomplished when you’ve finally crossed one off.
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3. Schedule time for yourself
This is the #1 Most Important Thing you can do to stay organized (and sane). Having time for yourself to participate in any hobbies, activities, or even just to decompress is an absolute must, since it allows you to prioritize your own wellbeing and cultivate your own interests. Constantly feeling like you need to be on top of everything is draining and can lead to burnout faster than you’d think. So pencil in some time for yourself in your planner, and stick to it.
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Source: https://www.brit.co/tidying-up-with-marie-kondo-organization-tips/
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4. Keep your space clear, and don’t be afraid to get rid of things
It gets crowded and messy faster than you’d think in a dorm, and keeping your space clear and organized is a life saver when you’re running around trying to get things done. If that means you need to declutter, do it. I find that watching the new Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” or “clean with me” videos on YouTube always puts me in the mood to get stuff done. If you’re still not feeling it, start with one small area of your room, like a desk drawer or the top shelf of your closet, and move on from there. Even just making your bed in the morning helps!
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5. Have realistic expectations
No one can be on top of things and put together all the time. There’s lots of pressure to have yourself and your life together, especially as young adults. It can feel like the pressure is building up, but it’s important to realize that there’s a learning process involved, and it’s ok not to be perfect or keep it up constantly. It’s okay to take some time to breathe, adjust, and relax – you deserve it.
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