The To-Do List, Organization and Now Scheduling

We have had other posts on the importance of organization and the ‘to-do‘ list but time and time again we find how really important these are to our success. To help keep us on track we thought we’d share this blog from our head office that has some good advice about scheduling. Questions for you: “Can you be too Organized?” “Is there such a thing as to many To-Do Lists?”.

So, without further ado, here is your reading to-do…

Get Organized With a Schedule That Works For You

We’ve all done it. It’s the night before your exam/test/assignment/presentation and you are bent over your desk, palms sweaty, trying to fit three weeks worth of work into a single evening. If only you had started earlier! You swear that if you get through this, you will never leave anything to the last minute again. If you are serious about that promise, then you need to get organized.

Being an effective student means applying yourself throughout the year, rather than cramming all your studying in just before the exams. Working effectively during the year will mean that your class marks are high and that you have a good grasp of the material before you begin studying. Learning to manage your time and workload is an essential life skill that will make you a happier, more organized person.

Get a diary: Use a phone app, get a book, make a schedule for your wall or create a diary file on your computer. Whatever will get your attention and is easiest for you to use.

One for one: Set aside one hour of study time for every hour of class time. During this time, you should do homework, study for tests and prepare your projects and assignments for each class. Put this study time into your diary and stick to it.

Worst first: Schedule the study time for your hardest subjects first. This will mean that your brain is fresh and you will be more likely to complete your work than if you left the worst until last.

Balance your time: Alternate one or two-hour study sessions with other activities. This can mean spending time with friends and family or playing sport. Don’t set aside unrealistic times for study and don’t take on too many after-school activities that may jeopardize your study time. Be disciplined about spending time with friends. Remember that friend time is more fun when you don’t have that guilty feeling that you should be studying.

To Do: Make a daily and weekly “To Do” list that reminds you of upcoming events, tests, exams and project due dates so that you don’t get caught off guard.

Reward yourself: Plan fun events, trips or relaxing “you” time for when you have completed your studies. This will give you a guilt-free break and help you to recharge for your next study session.

Manic Monday To-Do List

There’s nothing that I love more than a well organized to-do list. Actually, that isn’t entirely true. There’s nothing I love more than crossing off an item on a well organized to-do list. Whether you prefer to keep your to-do list electronic or scrawled out on post-it notes, to-do lists can be a great way to keep your priorities in order. Here are a few tips I’ve found work best for me, and hopefully they’ll help you avoid some frantic manic Mondays.

Nothing makes my Monday morning like a good to-do list! (Image Credit:http://lifehacker.com/399985/five-best-to+do-list-managers)

Visibility is Key

A to-do list should be very, very visible. If you like to keep it on your computer, make sure the file stays open somewhere on your desktop for reference. If you prefer a physical copy, try post-it notes. You can stick to-do lists anywhere, and carry them around with you if you change location. One of my personal favorite ways to have a portable to-do list is to write it on a post-it note, then attach it to the outside cover of my planner. That way, when I’m doing work, I can keep both my planner and my to-do list within arm’s reach.

Cross it Off

Crossing out items on my to-do list is my anti-drug! (Image Credit:http://personal-authenticity-project.com/list-tyranny)

What would a to-do list be without crossing off accomplishments? Rather than erasing an item off the to-do list, why not try marking it in a different way? Looking at a totally crossed off to-do list can be really satisfying, and also motivate you to keep going!

Arranging Isn’t Just for Flowers

A to-do list should be carefully arranged for best use, but you need to figure out what works best for you. I like to put easy, quick tasks near the top and weightier ones near the bottom. Some people may prefer mixing tasks up based on difficulty level. No matter what you do, make sure to have your to-do list arranged in a way that works for you.

Throw Yourself a Bone

If you only weigh down your to-do list with long tasks, you may lack some motivation. If you need a boost, add in some smaller tasks that have to get done that are what I like to call easy checkers. Sure, that twenty-five page research paper is due tomorrow, but you also have to send an e-mail to your advisor by 3:30, so add that to your to-do list! Small accomplishments always motivate me to move on to bigger ones.

What are some tips that you use to help your to-do list become all that it can be?