With the new year comes a new semester, and hopefully a new and improved you! If one of your new year’s resolutions is to work on your time management or organization, give these tips and tricks some consideration!
1. Buy an agenda- and use it
It’s easy to just buy an agenda, feel like you’ve organized your life and never touch it again. This year, make it a part of your week to fill one out! Start at the beginning of your semester and put all of the assignments from the syllabus into it. As you go through the semester, check it every week and fill it out with major events, assignments and important dates to remember. It will help you see your week at a glance and know how to best spend your time.
2. Use Apple or Google calendars to budget your time
Using an online calendar can also help you see your week at a glance. You can add and delete events as you hear about them, set repeating events like classes and work, and set aside specific time to do your homework or other work. I personally use Apple calendar but Google calendars are also popular or group calendars like Cozi.
3. Do your homework in advance
Your syllabus exists for a reason! They allow you to see your whole semester at a glance, and you also have the opportunity to work on big projects ahead of time. I recommend mapping out your week in your planner and on your calendar and doing as much as you can as early as possible. It’s beneficial to start big projects or papers early, but it’s also easy to cross small assignments off your list early- do what works for you and your schedule!
4. Make to-do lists
Lists are the easiest way to get organized! You can make as many as you need- one for groceries, another for upcoming assignments and another for side projects. You could even put everything on one list if that works for you. Make your lists on post-its, lined paper or even online! My favorite way to make lists is an app called Wunderlist. The app lets you create multiple lists, share them with friends and cross off finished tasks. It also lets you set deadlines on your items and reminds you when they’re due.
5. Make sure you make time for friends and self care!
Keep all of this in mind, because a new semester is a great time to start working on time management and organization, but make sure you make time for family, friends, partners and self care too! It’s important to find a good balance between these things, and to know that taking care of yourself and your health is most important.