How to Stay Organized This Semester

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Constant assignments, meetings and deadlines — oh my! As a college student, with priorities piled on top of you, staying organized is a difficult feat. How is it possible to manage it all?

More sleep, time and energy are a few of the many benefits of staying organized. Along with increased productivity and reduced stress levels, organization is essential for better well-being.

According to Dana Gionta, Ph.D., of Psychology Today, staying organized optimizes time management, making more effective use of your time. Gionta wrote in an article that “the more control that you perceive you have in your work, the more job satisfaction and less stress you are likely to experience.”

Implementing any of these five tips for a more organized semester can help you live a happier and more chaos-free life:

1. Get a planner! Personalized, pink or paperback – the options are endless. A planner will help you keep track of your assignments and organize your schedule.

2. Write it down! Focus on what you need to accomplish first. It’s easy to get caught up in all of your work, but you should prioritize what matters most. List your tasks in order of greatest to least importance. If you don’t accomplish everything on your list that day, it’s perfectly fine. There is no better feeling than crossing off that seemingly impossible task.

3. Adopt the KonMari Method! Ever heard of Marie Kondo? She’s a tidying expert and star of the Netflix hit show, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo.” Kondo’s six basic rules of tidying can help you declutter your life. The KonMari Method is about keeping the things that matter most to you. If it doesn’t spark joy, then it must go!

4. Get ahead! As Mark Twain once said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” In college, procrastination often seems inevitable. But the more you put off your work, the less you will want to do it. Dedicate 45 minutes without your phone or any distractions toward accomplishing a single task. Trust me, it works!

5. Treat time like it’s money! In the chaos of college, time is invaluable. If time is money, then invest in what matters most. Ask yourself, “Is this really worth my time?” Make sure you’re spending your time on tasks that are valuable.

Find a rhythm and routine that fits your needs. As Gionta points out, “In the end, it's about freeing up time, and conserving your mental and physical energy, to experience the other wonders of your life that give it meaning and joy.”