Organization Hacks

1. Get Into a Routine 

Creating a routine can help you stay consistent day-to-day and week-to-week.Write down your weekly schedule on a whiteboard or calendar, then establish time blocks that you will spend doing your homework. This schedule can you focus your time and stay on task. 

2. Set Rules for Yourself

Setting rules for yourself can help you understand what you need to complete each day and not feel rushed to complete an assignment. Some rules you could make to keep yourself on track might be:

·      Complete assignments before the due date

·      Start studying for tests in advance

·      Finish an essay three days before it's due

3. Write Everything Down

Write down everything — homework assignments, test dates, essay topics and even little details like how to turn in your paper. That way, you don't have to remember it, and you can use your writing as a way to double-check what you need to complete.

4. Set Your Own Deadline

Create a new deadline at least two days ahead of the actual class deadline. Plan ahead and complete the assignments according to your early due dates rather than the ones your teacher assigns.

Deciding on an early due date will reduce your stress as you will not be working on the assignment last minute. It also allows for extra time in case the task takes longer than expected or you have an unforeseen issue.

5. Don't Multitask

Focus on one assignment at a time, and only turn your attention to the next task when you've completed the first.

6. Use Tools to Stay Organized

You can find a vast array of school supplies dedicated to keeping your materials organized. They can keep everything you need for your classes and assignments together so that nothing gets lost or misplaced.

Consider using these tools in particular:

·      Planner: Write down schedule and assignments as you're given them.

·      Desktop Folder: Keep all papers for a class in one central location. Use a different folder for each course to find items more easily.

·      Notebook: Get a notebook for each class to keep all relevant information together.

7. Use a Planner

A planner can be one of the most useful tools for organizing your school work because you can visually see everything on your schedule.

Planners come in various formats so find one that works best for you. 

8. Take Organized Notes

Notes will only be useful if you record them with a method you can understand later. These might include:

·      Cornell method: Record only key points and questions rather than all the instructor's examples. Then, summarize the main ideas at the bottom of each page.

·      Mind map method: Draw bubbles and lines and label them with key points to connect similar ideas.

9. Color-Code and Label Everything

Color-coding your materials is a visual cue that allows you to easily see what belongs together. For example, buy a blue folder and notebook for math, a red folder and notebook for science and so on.

Placing labels on these items can help your organization by giving everything a designated place. In a folder, you could use the left pocket for previous assignments and the right for new ones, for instance.

10. Break Down Big Tasks Into Smaller Ones

Looking at everything you need to do for a big task, like writing an essay, can seem overwhelming and discouraging. By breaking it down into easily manageable parts, you can work on parts of the assignment each day and not feel rushed.

A breakdown for writing an essay could look like this:

·      Pick your essay topic

·      Read three articles on the topic

·      Write your thesis statement

·      Write your first main point

·      Write your second main point

·      Write your third main point

·      Proofread the essay

·      Finish formatting

·      Turn it in