Organizational skills are essential in all walks of life. From the moment you start going to school or begin a new career, you need to have comprehensive organization skills. When you’re organized, you can get a lot more done in a day. Your productivity increases, which also means you have more time for yourself. In order to help you develop your organizational skills, we share tips in this article.
Why do I struggle to stay organized?
Many people struggle to stay organized which can be caused by different factors. From perfectionism to overwhelming yourself with too many jobs, when you struggle to keep on top of things, your life can quickly feel as though it is spiraling out of control.
Below are some of the most common reasons why people struggle to stay organized:
- They are perfectionists
- They give themselves too much to do
- They have an ineffective time management strategy
- They procrastinate
- They lack focus
- They are indecisive
- They struggle with prioritizing
9 tips to get organized at school
In order to make sure your school life is as organized as possible, we have put together school organization ideas to help you reach your full academic potential. Following these simple tips and tricks will help you develop your organizational skills.
1. Use a student planner
The best way to improve your organizational skills at school is to invest in a student planner. Planners allow you to visualize your weekly schedule, so you know exactly what you have to do and when you have to do it. They help you develop organizational skills because they encourage you to get into a routine of writing down what you have to do so that you don’t forget it. You therefore always have a point of reference for your to-do list.
Gone are the days of having to carry around a traditional paper planner, as modern students use digital planners. Using a digital planner with a built-in digital calendar makes organizing easier than ever, as all the information regarding your weekly tasks are automatically added into the planner thanks to Google Classroom extensions. Digital planners are the ultimate organizational tool for students as they are easy to use, can be accessed via mobile devices, and keep all your tasks in one place.
Learn more about Studyo's digital planner
2. Get into a routine
Maintaining a routine is a great way to develop discipline and organizational skills simultaneously. The consistency that a routine provides ensures that you know exactly what you should be doing and provides guidance on how you should spend the hours in your day, hence limiting the time you spend procrastinating.
A simple daily routine could consist of waking up and having breakfast at the same time each day and then heading to school. Once you come back from school, you should dedicate a few hours to study time, then have dinner at the same time every day, followed by downtime after school, and finally a set bedtime every night. A routine as simple as this forces you to develop time management skills.
3. Set your own deadlines
The main reason students need to be organized is to make sure that they meet all of their deadlines at school. Too many students make the mistake of waiting to complete their homework assignments at the last minute, which creates additional pressure and stress. Instead, students should set their own homework deadlines before the official deadline to avoid getting overwhelmed. This will help you get things done earlier, which will allow you to relax and spend more time on activities outside of school.
How to encourage students to do their homework
4. Get some pretty stationery
Taking the time to go out and buy school supplies that you like will get you excited to use them, which, in turn, will encourage you to get organized and get your work done. Having a brand new set of sticky notes and colorful biros to write down all of the tasks that you need to complete each day will make you more inclined to create your to-do lists.
5. Avoid multitasking
It is tempting to try to do multiple things at once so that you can get them out of the way sooner, but doing this can cause a multitude of problems. Not only will you not complete these tasks to the best of your ability, but doing multiple things at once is a guaranteed way to overwhelm yourself. Putting all your attention on one task at a time will actually save you time as your concentration will allow you to complete that one task far quicker than you would have been able to complete two tasks.
6. Keep a clean workspace
A cluttered workspace leads to a cluttered mind which can cause you to lose track of assignments, important pieces of paper, textbooks, etc. That is why you need to put a little bit of time and effort into maintaining your workspace clean. First and foremost, your workspace should not be your bed. Too many students work from their beds, which stunts their ability to focus. Instead, you should work at a desk that has enough space for your laptop, your textbooks, your pens, etc.
7. Prepare the night before
Parents always tell their kids to prepare for school the night before, and few students actually listen to this advice. Preparing for school the night before is a great way to stay organized. All you need to do is pack your backpack for the next day, make your lunch and pick the clothes you’re gonna wear. Not only will this help you save time in the morning, but it will also help you develop a routine.
8. Prioritize
A key element of being an organized student is learning to prioritize. The ability to be able to rank your tasks from most to least important will provide you with a methodology that allows you to approach tasks in a logical manner.
9. Take time for yourself
It is becoming more and more common for students to feel stressed and anxious due to the amount of work they have to complete. The pressures of school, extracurricular activities, and social life cause them to feel overwhelmed. In order to prevent this, it is essential that students take some time for themselves.
You should always give yourself a couple of hours in the evening to dedicate to some downtime. You can spend this time doing whatever you like (watching your favorite TV show, playing video games, reading a book, etc.). This will help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed so that you can be a more effective learner.