4 Steps To Stay Organized and Focused Throughout the School Year        

 One thing that many students struggle with is organization and keeping track of all of their assignments. “Where did I put my math homework? When is the history test? When is my English project due? How am I going to find time to complete all of this by tomorrow?!” There’s no need to fret! With these simple tricks and tips, you will find yourself becoming a much more organized, prepared, and focused student in school!  

 In this post I will go over 4 ways to help you gain study skills, stay organized and on-task throughout the school year.   

 Some people may think that planners are a waste of time or money, but trust me, planners are a great way to keep up with your crazy school schedule! Using an academic planner has helped me to keep track of all of my assignments, extra curricular activities, and even my friend’s upcoming birthdays! I even like to use fun colored pens to make it look colorful and neat! A helpful tip is to use a different colored pen or marker for each subject. For example, write all of your history assignments in blue, and all of your English assignments in pink, etc.! I think that by keeping a planner it helps students to have a less cluttered mind and not worry about forgetting when that next exam is! Planners are overall a great way for students to stay on top of their assignments and events throughout the school year!  

 I think we are all guilty of misplacing a homework assignment or important paper at some point in our lives. Something that can really help with this is to use a different folder or file for each of your subjects! By doing so, you can make sure and place each paper pertaining to a subject in one place! There’s no need for everything to get mixed up together into a big jumbled up mess! Make it easier on yourself and try this simple tip out! I found it extremely helpful to be able to have a folder for each subject. This is also a great way to make sure your backpack doesn’t become a black hole full of loose-leaf papers that are probably important! Try buying different colors pertaining to each subject! This will help you keep track of all of your papers, and keep your brain and backpack clutter-free!   

 How are you supposed to work on that 10 page paper when your desk if full of random junk? I find it so much easier to stay on task and stay motivated when my workspace is clean, and free of clutter. Try cleaning out your desk or desk top every once in a while. It is almost guaranteed that you will feel as if a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders!  It’s difficult to stay focused when there are so many distracting things surrounding you! Throw out those empty gum wrappers, receipts, old sticky notes, and half empty water bottles! Make your workspace neat and inviting! This tip will help you to stay on task and help you to think more clearly!   

“Are you saying that I have 3 papers, 1 speech, and 2 exams all within the next week?!” No one wants this nightmare to approach him or her without being prepared way a head of time! It’s super important, especially throughout high school and college, to stay one step ahead of your studies! Do not procrastinate!! We all know it is extremely easy to put things off until the last minute, but it will always sneak up on you in the end! Things like Netflix, social media, hanging out with friends, or really anything can distract us from studying or working on homework! But in order to steer clear of becoming overwhelmed with an insane amount of work, you must manage your time wisely. *Create a to-do list so that you can clearly look over all of your upcoming due dates * Create a strict schedule/timeline of when you need to work on your studies, and STICK TO IT! Try your hardest not to deviate from your schedule by watching that one more episode of Grey’s Anatomy. *Give yourself breaks! It’s okay to take a study break every once in awhile! But don’t let a 10-minute break turn into a 3 hour Netflix marathon.  

You will thank yourself for being ahead of the game; instead of stressing to complete everything at the last minute.   

 I hope that these 4 tips will help you to become more organized and less stressed when it comes to staying on top of your busy student schedule full of school work and extra curricular activities!