Self-organization is the name of the game for all students. If you can’t organize yourself, you’ll be having tons of trouble performing well academically. In this article, we’ve collected top organization tips for you to employ in your student life.
1. Set Goals
This is a very common practice among organized individuals. Without a specific purpose, you don’t embark on a journey or commit to a project.
Making a plan doesn’t necessarily guarantee that everything will go perfectly, but it helps channel your thoughts and energy in the right direction. It also doesn’t hurt to have a backup ‘plan b’, so you don’t get discouraged if things don’t go your way.
- Write your goals (it doesn’t matter what field they are, but you must take into account whether your purposes are long, medium, or short term. From that point, create an action plan)
- Prioritize
- Set delivery dates (that way, there will always be a day when you have to finish your goal and thus be able to move on to the next)
- Help yourself through others
- Do not procrastinate
2. A Positive Attitude Is of Utter Importance
By setting goals to organize ourselves, we always encounter difficulties. It can be exhausting if you’re used to improvising and now you’re trying to get on the right track. A study from the Department of Psychology at Concordia University revealed a positive correlation between optimism and the ability to regulate tension. I understand that on many occasions, it is difficult for us to be positive, but we must try to change our attitude and put a smile on life.
- “Each step takes me where I want to go”
- “I love challenges and everything I learn when I overcome them”
- “I know that with time and effort, I can achieve what I set out to do”
3. Don’t be Such a Perfectionist
People often confuse organization with perfectionism. In reality, being a perfectionist requires spinning the wheel endlessly, which can mean countless hours wasted on unproductive tasks.
I am not suggesting that from now on you be a real disaster and leave everything halfway and badly. No, there must be balance. But you shouldn’t get so consumed with making everything perfect that you forget your priorities.
According to a study by members of the Association for Psychological Science, perfectionism can also be detrimental to your health. Some of the effects are body dissatisfaction, social phobia, and unnecessary stress.
4. Use a Calendar
Calendars can help you a lot so that your days, months, or years are productive and you can do what you set out to do. Disorganized people, who don’t use calendars, end up saying yes to every attractive invitation, without realizing that they are leaving less time to execute their objectives.
Schedule the most important tasks at the beginning of the day to increase the chances of getting your work done before you encounter distractions. To improve focus and productivity, dedicate blocks of time to specific tasks. Leave empty slots in your daily schedule for recreation, catch-up work, or any other unforeseen obligation.
5. Organize and Clean Your Surroundings
Once you have organized your thoughts, it is time to organize and clean your space. There are several conflicting studies on the impact of clutter on productivity, but all of them argue that decluttering is of the utmost importance. They provide a breath of fresh air
6. Differentiate ‘Needs from Wants’
Knowing the difference between the two is a basic principle and certainly helps to minimize clutter. For example, you might just want a new smartphone but you must understand that you most likely can easily live without it, as it will not impact your life greatly.
However, turning to a professional service with “Write my essay!” when you don’t have the time and/or motivation to do it is most likely a necessity, which will save your academic performance and give you more time to study important topics.
7. A Bit of Relaxation
We often believe we are superheroes and try to do everything, only to realize that we have reached the top and should throw in the towel. To make matters worse, a study from Stanford University suggests that multitasking is not only counterproductive but also hinders efficiency and performance, since our brains are not prepared to concentrate on several things at once.
There are times when you have to stop, realize that what you are carrying is too much, take a step back and regroup. Are you going to fall behind in your projects? Maybe yes, but when you are overwhelmed, you need to pause and assess the situation to determine what changes were necessary.
8. Stop being a Delegate Control Freak.
Because only people who work as a team know what a job well done is.
Help yourself to someone who has experienced the matter and who has all the right credentials for the job, because it will minimize the risk of major problems and you can spend your time on the things that are important to you.
Also, the more time you spend doing the things you hate or overwhelm you, the less time you have available for the things you really care about or love. Realize that time is your most precious asset, and you should not waste it on tasks that lead to unnecessary stress.
