Get Organized: Life by a Little Black Book

With the start of a new semester, I find myself reflecting on how I managed to arrive at this point in my academic career. For a school that is as achievement-oriented like U of T, it can be hard to balance your studies, extracurriculars, and all the other things going on in your life. Everyone says time management is the key to surviving university but I never paid too much attention to it. Now in my second year, I realize just how important it is to manage your time well to ensure that none of the facets of your life are neglected. 

 
For the longest time, I’ve had a career-oriented mentality—know the right people, study hard in school, land a great job after graduation. However, this mindset made me feel like I was missing something: the fun I’m supposed to have while I’m still young. So in the past couple of months, I’ve met new people and experienced new things that have taught me that you only live once; your life right now is worth fighting for as much as the future. It’s not an easy balancing act though; I rely on my planner to keep track of everything that’s happening to reduce the stress that may seem overbearing at times. I used to be the type of person that relies on my memory to keep track of what I need to do, but I realized that by doing so increases stress and wastes space in my mind that could be used to retain more important information. By laying out my different schedules, I notice what I spent too much time on, what I spent too little time on, and what my priorities are. The next time you’re feeling like life is ticking away or that it’s getting out of control, find the best way to keep track of what you’re doing. You might just learn something surprising about yourself.
 
How do you get organized? Do you plan ahead? Do you just go with the flow? Leave it in the comments!