As I settle into my final year at Lancaster University, the endless deadlines, readings and work are stretching out in front of me, but I have found myself feeling oddly calm. During my long 4-month summer break I was constantly thinking about was how I was going to perfect my time-management to get me to the end of my degree and complete my dissertation, without caving under the pressure final year.
I’ve always tried to be organised and have constantly been told by my friends and family how good I am with my time management. However, it wasn’t until this year I finally found the best ways of keeping productive and motivated- especially through those long, boring readings and lectures. So, I thought I’d share my tips with you.
1. Keep a diary
Image from Pinterest
Keeping a diary is one of the best tips I can recommend while at university. I’ve spent my fair share of money on planners, organisers and diaries over the years in an attempt to keep myself organised, but I haven’t found any of them much help. That was, until I discovered bullet journaling last year. It is an effective way to keep you prepared and they can be written and organised exactly how you like. I’ve always found that diaries are never structured exactly to fit your needs, but bullet journaling allows you to do this by creating pages for anything you need to keep track of. I tend to use mine for daily tasks and recording my deadlines and grades. Not only has this greatly improved my mental health, but it allows me to keep on top of everything during busy periods.
2. Adopt a simple filing system
Image from Big DIY
One of the most difficult things I have found whilst being at university is keeping on top of all the loose bits of paper and lecture notes you are given. I have often found when it comes to revision I don’t know ‘where that reading went’ or where my notes are for particular lectures, which are vital for exams. The best system I have found is keeping all of your notes in notebooks and anything else important should go in a file. That way I know where everything is when it comes to exam season. I’d also highly recommend making notes revision-ready by colour coding- your organisation will help to make exams that little bit easier.
3. Take care of yourself
Image from Kathy Brodie
The final point I would make about keeping yourself organised at university, which I think is the most crucial, is taking care of yourself physically and mentally. The saying goes ‘a tidy room equals a tidy mind’ and I fully agree with this. I realised last year that when I was at my most stressed, my things would be everywhere and would represent how I was feeling. So, each day take a little bit of time for yourself and do whatever makes you happy- your favourite hobby or spending time with friends. I always find that giving myself this little break enables me to feel motivated and ready to tackle whatever university may throw at me.