It’s easy to have good intentions at school, university, and in your job, but with so many things to keep up with, it’s often more difficult than it seems to stay organised. Therefore, it is important to make sure you understand some simple tips to redirect your chaotic lifestyle and become more efficient during the day. Before you let yourself fall behind, make sure you are doing everything you can to stay organised at uni. Keep reading for some tips to help you!
How to stay organised at uni with work & academics:
To-do lists are something that work really well for me. They may not be for everyone but
they are a clear visualization of the tasks that need to get done during the day. It’s such a
great feeling once you’ve crossed everything off of your to-do list!
I use a particular method, which follows the “bullet journal” style. It means that I can move unfinished tasks onto the next day and highlight the most important tasks to finish.
If you’re someone who is prone to procrastinating (me), then it may be useful to set
deadlines for when you personally want things to be completed by so that you can ensure
you are staying afloat of all university assignments.
Sometimes, however, you will realize
that your time deadlines aren’t necessarily very realistic- so you will have to be flexible. It is common that people overestimate how much they are able to get done in a short period of time.
If there is something on your to-do list that can be done in under 2 minutes,
just do it straight away, there is no reason to let that linger on the list.
I read this tip a while ago, and it really helped me crack through my to-do list. If something on your to-do list can be done in under 2 minutes, such as replying to an email or organising your desk (as long as it isn’t too messy), then do it straight away. Your to-do list will be never-ending if you include little tasks like those and a long to-do list can be
incredibly daunting.
This ties into the previous piece of advice. As soon as you receive a piece of work that has
a deadline far off into the future, you should at least begin some preliminary research.
The longer you spend on the assignment, the better the result will be and if a professor gives you a few weeks to keep refining and polishing it, then use them. They’re never going to give you a deadline a month in advance if it doesn’t mean you should spend a lot of time and effort on that piece of work.
Sometimes life can be a little overwhelming and having to remember dates of events in
your head can just add to the confusion and clutter. Do yourself a favour and invest in a
calendar or keep events written into your phone/laptop calendar.
If you do it electronically, then you can personalize the alerts you give yourself on your phone. You’re welcome in advance for when you almost forget your flatmate’s birthday that’s in two days!
Keep a bag on the back of your door for dirty laundry and keep up with it! Set a date and
time every week where you know that you have no other clubs or prior commitments and
just get it done.
I say it again: you’re welcome in advance.
A few months ago, I was given another small piece of advice that has kept me on track for
staying productive. If you make your bed as soon as you wake up, then you’re setting
yourself up for a day that lacks procrastination! It’s like a small pat on the back to spur you
on in the morning.
Try not to leave your dorms without a small notepad and a spare pen. You never know
when you’ll be struck by creativity or when you’ll need to add something to your to-do list.
The greatest ideas always come at the weirdest of times and therefore carrying a
notebook and pen will mean you’ll never forget your brilliant ideas again!
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