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How to be organized for school?

In reality did you know the feeling that you are always worried you are going to forget about a piece of homework or a test. With that said, the source of stress will wear you down over time, and the way to deal with it is organization. Regardless I will give you some good organization will reduce the actual amount of work you have to do… Here are some ideas on how to get started. Online or in actual school just an FYI!

By Ms. ThomasPublished 3 years ago 8 min read
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How to be organized!

Before I jump into the details, the key to successful schooling is organization, and there are lots of simple things you can do to make sure you don’t get all cluttered up. The aim here is to take all the things you have to “remember”, and ensure you keep a nice overview of all the things that need to be done. It doesn’t stop there, either learning how to get organized, stay focused, and get things done are must-have skills when it comes to managing your schoolwork. Beyond helping you get good grades, these skills help you in just about everything in life. The more you practice, the better you'll get. Note: I’ve told myself that the word “organized.” Should be in the tittle!?

Do you follow me so far? Consider this, life as a student is busy and if you’re not organized and you feel like you’re not on top of things, you’ll be stressed. You'll end up working late and sleeping less, but this isn’t a good idea. What I’m trying to say is: Getting organized for school is all about developing good study habits and systems.

In truth through my experiences, I’ve come up with these 30 simple tips that will help students to become organized, productive, and effective. When you’re supporting others and handling tons of tiny details throughout your day, being organized is key and it’s particularly important for entry-level and more junior roles as those jobs tend to have a heavier support element.

Now, you might be wondering? How do I get started?! In that case here are some ways to start and develop on how to be more organized.

Develop a routine:

* In addition to consistency is the key to student success. So write down your general weekly schedule and create a routine. Include things like when- you’ll do your homework, when you’ll review the things you’ve learned, when you’ll exercise, and so on. It’s not possible to stick to a routine 100% of the time, but at least set up the framework to keep you focused and on track 50% of the time.

Set rules for yourself:

Set some very specific rules for yourself. These could be things like “complete all projects and assignments at least two days before they are due” or “start studying for tests at least one week in advance”.

Write everything down:

No one has a perfect memory, and trying to remember everything is stressful. So make a habit of writing down all your events, meetings, ideas, and things you need to do. Use a 'notebook' or 'planner', or try an app like 'Google Keep or Any.do' that you can use on your phone and computer. When you write everything down, you’ll be less anxious because you won’t be relying on your brain as a storage device.

Create your own deadline that is before the actual deadline:

Create your own deadlines and put them in your planner or calendar. Having your own deadline reduces stress for you as a student. You’ll also be more likely to submit your best work. Don’t treat the actual deadline as the deadline. Set your own deadline one or two days before, and plan accordingly. This will help you because you probably already experience enough stress related to taking tests and exams!

Work on one task at a time; don’t multitask:

Multitasking seems like a good idea because you can pretend that you’re working twice as hard. We all get bored of the tasks we’re working on, so jumping about seems more fun. The problem is that it doesn’t result in the best outcomes.

Use the following websites and apps:

Test out the following websites and apps to make studying fun, keep you organized, and remove distractions. (Habitica) -Habitica is an app that turns your goals into a fun game. It makes it more likely that you’ll stick to your goals and enjoy the process too. MyStudyLife.-This app replaces a planner and helps you organize your schedule, tasks and exam preparation. It also sends you reminders of upcoming events.

Use a planner:

I recommend that you put the planner on your desk once you get to class and leave it there throughout the school day. This makes it more likely that you’ll use it because it’s right in front of you. If you leave your planner in your backpack, you may feel like it’s too troublesome to take it out to use. Put everything in your planner: homework, test and exam dates, family events, social events, etc. This way, you’ll be far more organized. If you’re allowed to use your phone or computer in class, then you can use Google Calendar, Google Keep, or MyStudyLife instead of a hard copy planner.

Keep one notebook and one binder for each subject

Take all your notes for one subject in one notebook. When you run out of space, start a new notebook. Label each notebook clearly, e.g. History Notebook 1, History Notebook 2. This will make it easy for you to find the information you need in the future. Doing this will help you to be organized. I discourage you from taking notes on loose sheets of paper. I also discourage you from using only one notebook, in which you take notes across all your different subjects.

Bring an accordion folder to school every day:

This accordion folder is for your daily use. Create one section of the accordion folder for each subject, and label each section clearly. I recommend reserving the front section for incomplete homework, so the homework will be easy to find.

Break down big tasks into smaller tasks:

Breaking down big tasks and projects makes them seem less overwhelming and more manageable. Doing this also makes it clearer what your specific next step is, so you’ll be less likely to procrastinate on your assignments. Here’s an example. Rather than telling yourself that you need to work on your history essay.

Once a week, review the upcoming events in your planner/calendar:

Each week, take a few minutes to see what important events and deadlines are coming up over the next month. This will help to ensure that you don’t overlook any important projects, tests, or assignments. Reviewing your schedule helps you to stay on top of things. It also keeps you calm and in control, and allows you to adjust your daily and weekly priorities.

Clear your desk at the end of each day:

This only takes a minute to do and prevents clutter from building up. I recommend doing this when you’re done with your homework or studying for the day. It will make it easier for you to find what you need when you next sit down to work. In addition, when you have a neat desk, you’ll concentrate better and feel more motivated to study.

Develop a specific plan for every upcoming test and exam:

Don’t just tell yourself that you’ll study hard for the test or exam. That’s too vague, and you may feel as if you’re never prepared enough. Instead, develop a plan. Write down what resources you’re going to use, how many practice questions or exam papers you intend to do, how many times you plan to read the notes, what study tips you’ll put into practice, etc.

Before you start work, eliminate all distractions:

Take a moment and think about the distractions you typically face when you’re trying to study. Common ones include text messages, notifications on your phone, social media, YouTube, books, and magazines. Remove these distractions before you get to work. Put your phone in another room, turn off Internet access on your computer, and put the books and magazines at the other end of the room.

Wake up a little bit earlier each morning so you don’t have to rush:

Double-check that you’ve completed all the homework that’s due the next day:

Set a recurring reminder so that you’ll do this every school day in the mid-afternoon. This will prevent you from scrambling at the last minute or pulling an all-nighter just to get the assignment done.

Every day, review all the new information you learned in school earlier that day:

Doing this helps to ensure understanding, so you stay on top of the material. If you really can’t do this review on the same day, do it the following day while the information is still fresh in your mind.

Every school night, pack your backpack for the following day:

This way, you won’t have to scramble in the morning to pack. Set a reminder on your phone or put a Post-It note on your desk to ensure that you do this every school night. Create a checklist for the things you need to remember to bring to school, and put the checklist somewhere accessible.

Use a stopwatch or timer:

When you want to be productive, use a timer to help you focus. Using a timer adds a sense of urgency. Try working in blocks of 30 to 40 minutes, followed by a short break. If you’re up for it, set a timer for your breaks too, so that you don’t take a 45-minute break when you only intended to take a 10-minute break.

Keep an ongoing list of the questions you have about the class material:

As you read your notes and the textbook, keep a list of the things you don’t understand and the questions you have. As soon as you’re able to, ask your teachers about the items on your list. If you do this consistently, you won’t need to spend so much time studying for tests and exams, because you already understand the information.

Wake up a little bit earlier each morning so you don’t have to rush:

For most students, waking up 5 to 10 minutes earlier is enough to avoid the unnecessary stress of rushing in the morning. When you rush, you often forget things – which means that your day doesn’t start well. So go to bed early, get at least eight hours of sleep every night, and set your alarm so you wake up a bit earlier.

Hope this helps you with your school life, and if your a parent hope you can help your child with their work for school and so on!

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About the Creator

Ms. Thomas

Always wanted to be a writer since I was 10 years old and now that I am 22 now, I can able to write still and make my dream come true.

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