Top 3 Ways to Stay Organized

Top 3 Ways to Stay Organized It's the first exam day of your fall school course and you are panicking--where did your review sheet go? Wasn't it just in your backpack last night? You pull out a stack of papers and a folder that's ripped at the seam from your bag, stuck to it is an old piece of gum, when was the last time you even looked at this stuff? Your panic increases as you realize there are only minutes before the review is due and it is nowhere to be found, panicking even more as your stress level jumps through the roof. You stare at the Everest-sized pile of papers and folder that looks like it's been to a war zone and realize--it may be time for you to get organized, once and for all. How do you approach what seems to be such a colossal task? In this post I will provide you with my top 3 ways to stay organized and stress-free this semester, it's easier than you think: #1: Create a Routine: The hardest part of organization is keeping up with a daily routine. Start by reminding yourself to do simple tasks such as recycling old assignments from the week, keeping your pens and pencils in the same pocket of your backpack or making sure current assignments are going into the notebook or folder you have labeled for them. This will allow you to train yourself to begin doing these things automatically, or without thinking about them, and will greatly reduce the massive amount of time that would be spent on one giant clean every few months. #2: Use an Online Planner or Calendar Let's face it; it is difficult in this day and age to keep up with using a paper planner or calendar when our lives are centered around technology. Using an online planner or calendar allows you to stay on top of upcoming assignments, projects and exams while also utilizing the technology you are already familiar with. It can be as simple as using the calendar feature on your mobile phone, using Google Calendar, downloading an app onto your tablet, or even finding a blank calendar template online to fill in as you go. This can be incorporated into your daily routine so you can be ready when your teacher mentions an assignment, and input it as soon as possible into whichever planning tool you decide to use. This will ensure you never miss a deadline again! (Note: If pen and paper is more your style, make sure to get a planner that is large enough to fit all subjects and assignments, as it is easy to run out of space). #3: Clean as you Go Nothing is more daunting than staring at a mountain-sized mound of papers that need to be sorted through. As we all know, some assignments are meant to be kept while others can be recycled after they have been used--this adds up quickly, often times too quickly, and can lead to a stressful situation for you when it comes time to clean. This last tip is simple: just clean as you go! Have assignments that are no longer needed? Recycle them. Noticing that your folders/binders are starting to gain some weight in your bag? Sift through them and discard the ones that aren't necessary to keep. This will allow you to completely rid yourself of the stress that accompanies sorting through assignment after assignment after months of them piling up. Add this to your daily routine, simply because it is much easier to take a minute to glance at a folder rather than take an hour to clean that one folder out. So, you now possess the simple skills for staying organized on a daily basis, it is up to you to use them! Have a fantastic summer and keep an eye out for upcoming blog posts!