Like myself, I’m sure that almost everyone has at some point in their lives has felt so unorganized that they didn’t know what to do or where to start. In this article, I will give some advice from my personal experience on things that I have done to help me feel like my life is in order.
Pro Tip #1: Check your Emails!
As all of my Scotties know, many opportunities are shared with us via email every day. The Irvine is an online newspaper that is sent daily that has the sole purpose of letting Scotties know what events are happening during the week. Sometimes, they let you know what is happening the day of, which makes it imperative to check the your email every morning. By being able to be aware of and take advantage of opportunities, you will feel much more prepared and more organized. One event that I have recently taken advantage of was the Career Safari at Coca Cola Headquarters. Not only did I learn about business and future career opportunities, but I was also able to get a tour of the incredible Coca Cola Headquarter building in Atlanta.
Pro Tip #2: Get a Planner!
Not only is it important to have a planner, but it’s also important to make sure that you actually use it. If you make a habit of writing down all of the events that you intend on attending, assignments that are due, tests, quizzes, etc. and checking your planner once before you go to bed and once in the morning when you wake up, you will feel so much more prepared. Also, it will be a lot easier to keep track of events and assignments. I am personally a huge fan of planners and absolutely love using highlighters, colorful pens, stickers, etc. to keep my planner organized and make it easier to simply glance at my agenda without having to read so carefully. For example, if I highlight all of my tests with a pink highlighter, I know to simply look for pink when I’m trying to find out if I have a test during a certain week. Now, I never miss assignments.
Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash
Pro Tip #3: Take Care of Your Physical Health!
Although your taste buds appreciate the tasty flavors of sweet, salty, fatty junk foods, the rest of your body will thank you if you start to incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your diet. While it’s perfectly fine to eat some junk foods every once in a while, fruits and vegetables will provide you with the vitamins and nutrients you need to help you feel good physically and even mentally. When I decide to eat healthier foods, cut out junk foods, and exercise, I find myself to be less groggy and feel more mentally prepared to fulfil the tasks I need to throughout the day.
Photo by Taylor Kiser on Unsplash
Pro Tip #4: Fix Your Sleep Schedule!
In my opinion, getting a healthy amount of sleep is the most important thing that a person can do for their health. When I don’t get enough sleep, I feel mentally foggy and it is difficult to focus. It is said that the average young adult should aim for about 8 hours of sleep per night. As a night owl, I am always struggling to get proper sleep at decent hours because I find myself to be more productive and energetic during the night. When I returned from my trip to Croatia, I had the best sleep schedule of my life for a week. I found myself falling asleep around 11:00 PM and waking up between 7:00 and 8:00; although this lovely sleep schedule was short-lived and I eventually ruined it, I felt great.
Photo by Lauren Kay on Unsplash
Pro Tip #5: Find A New Hobby/ Interest!
Finding something new to dedicate my time to and learn about is honestly one of my favorite things. I find it to be so refreshing and rewarding. Hobbies and interests help to provide a productive and healthy distraction from all of the craziness in the world when you are feeling overwhelmed. It is so important for people to find things that make you happy outside of school and work. This can help you organize your life by providing you with a balance between your work/school life and developing yourself as a person. Oftentimes, your hobbies help you develop skills you might not be able to perfect elsewhere. Some of my favorite things to do are drawing, writing, listening to music, etc. Some hobbies that might interest you may be rock climbing, photography, art, planting, pottery, ice-skating, fishing, roller skating, playing an instrument, dancing (hip-hop, ballet, tap, etc.), singing, any sport, reading, or surfing.
Pro Tip #6: Clean Your Room/ Desk!
I cannot focus if my room and my desk are messy! If I have a major assignment to do, I have to either deep clean my room or work elsewhere if I don’t have access to a clean workspace available. Even if I don’t have an assignment to do, I hate having a messy room in general. When my room is neat, I feel motivated to spread the organization to other aspects of my life by getting ahead on my homework and various other things. Also, I don’t have to worry about surprise visits from friends, RAs, etc. Although cleaning your room will not solve all of your problems, in my opinion it’s a great place to start!
Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash
Hopefully these simple changes will be enough to help you jumpstart your transition into a more organized life. Although it is likely that you may have more specific needs, these tips can provide you with a foundation to build upon. Students may find my articles “How to Prepare for Finals” or “To type or not to type: The case for typing your notes” useful since both explain ways you can organize your studies in preparation for finals or to just raise your grades overall. For me, these tips have been absolute life changers. I definitely feel more prepared and overall just ready to take on the day when I incorporate them into my life.