Are you tired of being a hot mess and never being able to find that thing you were looking for?…I swear it was right there…
Well with this simple guide on how you can become the best organised version of yourself you can say goodbye to the chaos and say hello to a blissful life.
And if that’s not convincing enough as to why being organised is beneficial, research does show that being organised can benefit many facets of your life, from your productivity and motivation to your mental wellbeing and the way you interact with people in your life.
So what can you do to get started on becoming more organised?
Goal setting
To begin your organisation journey, you can start by setting the goals you want to achieve. These can be long-term or short-term goals.
Short-term goals will help guide you in your next steps, they are a great way of keeping you motivated by accomplishing those small achievements you can tick off your to do list. Whereas the long term goals will be the guide for direction of your future self, the clarity on what the bigger picture is.
Here’s some examples of goals related to becoming more organised:
| Examples of short-term goals | Examples of long-term goals |
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A handy technique to use in goal setting is SMART goals. This word guides you in making sure that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. But what do we really mean when we say these things?
- Specific: you want to be clear, straight to the point and really define what it is that you’re setting out to do, for example – “I will organise my notes into folders after my lectures”
- Measurable: this is about quantifying how you will achieve your goal – “I will spend 10-20 minutes after my lecture organising my notes”
- Achievable: focus on setting something which is realistic – “I will organise a section of files on my laptop”
- Relevant: choose smaller goals that are in line with helping you achieve the bigger goals, so if you want to graduate with a first – “ I will average 70% in all my assignments”
- Time-bound: this is where you give yourself a deadline – “all my files will be organised into the right folder by the end of the week”
Now that you are equipped with the right knowledge, ready…set…GOAL!
Creating a study schedule
It’s important to create a realistic and personalised study schedule that fits your needs. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, find what works for you and when you feel the most inspired and productive to study.
How to effectively create a study schedule:
- Set studying goals
- List out your current schedule
- Identify free time for study slots
- Fill this into a weekly planner
- Prioritise tasks based on difficulty
- Use short interval study blocks (eg., pomodoro technique)
- Incorporate leisure activities and breaks
Remember, quality over quantity when it comes to studying, find the balance between productive studying and daily activities.
Regular short study blocks are deemed to be more productive than long extensive ones, consider using the pomodoro technique or as people like to call it the tomato technique (pomodoro is Italian for tomato). Don’t worry this doesn’t involve eating any tomatoes for all you tomato haters out there.
This technique works by creating 4 blocks of 25 minutes,each followed by a 5 minute break in between. After you have completed a set of 4 pomodoros you’ve earned yourself a nice longer break, anywhere between 15-30 minutes.
This helps you escape procrastination and get right to productivity. By breaking a big complicated task into simple smaller components you allow yourself greater productivity and a procrastination free workflow. It really is that simple.
Organising your study space
The truth is that humans like aesthetically pleasing things. They make us feel…well… just great!
Clutter is the opposite of this, it makes your brain feel all muddled and confused. So it’s really important to declutter your space so you can feel focused and motivated.
According to psychology clutter can impact your mental health and cause you to be more stressed so why not rid yourself of this burden and store it away?
If you’re like me and get over excited at buying stationary and end up with 10 different notebooks then you will probably benefit from an extra storage space. No matter how much student accommodation claims to provide “lots of storage room”, at most you’re looking at a wardrobe, a small drawer and probably a few bits under the bed.
Student storage companies like Spaceways will allow you to store away those random bits you have lying around your room that don’t really fit anywhere and just keep getting in the way (I’m looking at you, weird costume from freshers), for less than you spend on coffee per month.
Here’s a table about the benefits and downsides of storing in your room vs getting that additional space:
Storage in your room | Student storage space |
Pros:
Cons:
| Pros:
Cons:
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I know what you’re thinking: “I’m a student, I can’t afford extra expenses!” Well believe it or not storing for students comes at very budget friendly prices. At Spaceways a box costs as little as £8 per month, and they also pick up and redeliver your items back whenever you want them to, so you can forget about that limited access and travel expenses. Spaceways wants to make your life easier as a student, because it’s already hard as it is.
Organisational tools
These are your helping hand in staying organised, from creating a daily to do list, keeping track of when your assignments are due, to taking your lecture notes.
Here’s a table of the types of organisational tools you can use and their function:
|
Type of application |
Function |
Examples |
|---|---|---|
|
Note-taking |
Writing down information quickly and efficiently |
OneNote, Evernote, Markdown |
|
Calendars and planners |
Setting tasks, appointments and reminders |
Todoist, Google calendar, iStudiez Pro |
|
Time management |
Time blocking for tasks and other activities |
Toggl, Structured, Focus keeper |
|
File management |
Organise, store and share files |
Google drive, Onedrive, Dropbox |
|
Mind mapping |
Revision, brainstorming, linking concepts |
MindMeister, Coggle, Simplemind |
You don’t have to use every single one of these to be organised, you can pick and choose which ones work best for you and suit your needs.
Staying on track and looking after yourself
Now that we have equipped you with all the knowledge about what you can do to be more organised, it’s important to note that consistency is key.
By staying consistent you will reap the benefits of being organised, not just that one random spark of motivation at 3am that makes you want to clear your whole wardrobe out and get your life together, but rather implementing small consistent efforts daily to see great long term change and results.
It is important to have balance in your life, don’t become so hyper focused on doing everything right, achieving the best grades and staying organised 24/7 that you forget to eat, shower and go for a walk and socialise.
Student life can be very stressful and it’s important to take time and include downtime to recharge, you’ll find this is what will make you more productive rather than nonstop work.
Reward yourself for your hard work with a nice pat on the back, or with some extra space to store away those messy bits!
You've reached the end...
Thank you for reading! I hope these tips on organisation help you feel on top of your game, and remember you don’t have to do it all yourself! Spaceways will provide you with an affordable solution to help you stay organised. Our easy solution gives you that little extra room to grow, so you can focus on your degree with one less thing to worry about!
Feeling boxed in?
Student storage can help you think outside the box. Book a student box at Spaceways today!
