Get Organized !
The laid-back days of summer are over — it ’ s time to gear up for another busy school year ! A disorganized space and a lack of routine can make things that much more stressful , but take the time now to get your ducks in a row and you ’ ll be better prepared to take on whatever the new year brings ! Read on for some proven tips on how to start the year at your best .
Clear the Clutter
First things first ! It ’ s time to get rid of unnecessary items that are just crowding your space . Go through closets , drawers , and every nook and cranny . Be ruthless ! If you haven ’ t used it over the last year , it ’ s time to let it go . Get boxes for donations and bags for trash and get busy . We promise it ’ ll be worth it !
A Place for Everything …
And everything in its place ! Designate a “ home ” for every item and make a real effort to always put things back where they belong . What takes a few extra seconds in the moment will save you hours of cleaning ( and searching !) down the road .
Get a Calendar
And use it ! Whether it ’ s a large wall calendar or an app , take a few minutes each day to add all important events and deadlines and review items already there . Put test and dedicated study times in your calendar to avoid eating into sleep time . On Sunday evenings , take a quick look at the week so you don ’ t get surprised . Tip : Try Google Calendar or the Smart Day app .
Make the Most of the Night Before
We know how rough early mornings can be ! Instead of having to deal with what to wear and gathering your things in the midst of morning brain fog , take the time the night before to lay out your clothes and make sure everything is packed up and ready for your day . Your motivation : doing this just might allow for a few more minutes of precious , precious sleep !
Be a List-Maker
A daily to-do list is a great way to stay on track . Keep the list handy , where it is easily accessible and easy to see and refer to it throughout the day . Cross tasks off as you complete them ; there ’ s no better feeling than looking at a list full of check marks !
Establish a Routine
It may sound boring , but having a good routine can actually make your week run more smoothly and give you more free time to do what you want . There ’ s no one way that ’ s right for everybody , but finding a consistent schedule makes your week more efficient . Set aside a regular study time and a consistent bedtime that allows for plenty of sleep , and stick with it !
Study Smart
Creating a study routine and having a dedicated , organized space can help you be more efficient , meaning you accomplish more in less time . That means more free time for you after you ’ ve knocked out all that homework !
Remember that calendar ?
Check it at the beginning of the week and create a study schedule for upcoming tests and quizzes .
Minimize distractions in your study space .
Music can be a distraction or a study aid depending on your studying style , but anything with video should be off-limits during study time .
Prepare before you start .
Lay out everything you might need so that you don ’ t have to keep getting up for notebooks or your laptop charger .
22 | Fall 2017 www . potentialmagazine . com
Get Organized!
The laid-back days of summer are over—it’s time
to gear up for another busy school year! A
disorganized space and a lack of routine can make
things that much more stressful, but take the time
now to get your ducks in a row and you’ll be better
prepared to take on whatever the new year brings!
Read on for some proven tips on how to start the
year at your best.
Clear the Clutter
First things first! It’s time to get rid of unnecessary items that are
just crowding your space. Go through closets, drawers, and every
nook and cranny. Be ruthless! If you haven’t used it over the last
year, it’s time to let it go. Get boxes for donations and bags for
trash and get busy. We promise it’ll be worth it!
A Place for Everything…
And everything in its place! Designate a “home” for every item
and make a real effort to always put things back where they
belong. What takes a few extra seconds in the moment will save
you hours of cleaning (and searching!) down the road.
Get a Calendar
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