5 organizational tips saving my life.

I try to be as organized as I can be, especially during school. With the pandemic, having school online makes the due dates appear closer together and they can actually blend in sometimes, contributing to my stress or anxiety. Therefore, today I'm sharing five amazing tips on organizing your school work so you don't end up drowned in a pile of essays and worksheets the night before they're due. Thank me later.

1. Color-code your classes.

I never used to do this. I thought it had no purpose, but this semester I am taking a bit heavier of a load, since most of my classes require readings to do before the actual class and assignments every week or so. Even in my weekly spreads, I color code everything I have to do for each class at the beginning of each day. It looks all the more aesthetic and gets your head a bit more willing to put in the effort.

2. Plan and DO ahead of time.

One of my goals this semester will be not to work on anything school related during the weekends, but that requires a lot of planning and doing. I usually write a task to do the day it is given to me, and try to do it that very same day, even if it's due a couple of days after. There's no real reason to procrastinate like this, you have more time in case something unexpected comes, keeps your productivity in check, and gives you a day or two a week where you can chill and do the bare minimum. Don't leave anything for the night before. Your future self will thank you.

3. Plan your leisure time, too!

Even if you have enough planning by the end of the week, planning what you want to do with your free time makes it so you're more predisposed to actually do it, and for you not to slack off. For example, I write how many pages that day I want to read of my favorite book, what song I want to play on the guitar, or how much time I want to spend on YouTube. Obviously, you could not do any of these things and just take a day off, but if you like to feel accomplished, this is the tip for you.

4. Keep your desk and room clean.

I cannot work in a dirty space. Every morning I sweep the rooms quickly, open my curtains and make my bed so I don't get itchy trying to clean something or going back to my bed instead of focusing on my math homework. This helps not only for motivation, but for peace of mind, especially if you're a perfectionist like me.

5. Give your body a bit of attention.

This week I got into the habit of doing a light pilates session before my classes. It gets my blood flowing, my muscles uncoiled, and sets me in a much lighter tone for the day ahead. Especially if you work from home, stretching your muscles is necessary not to get itchy or annoyed at how much time you're spending in front of the computer. Twenty minutes every morning does wonders for my mood, and you're also helping your body out. Try it!

So there you have it. Five things I am trying to incorporate into my routine this semester to keep everything flowing smoothly. Fingers crossed we go back to in-person soon though. I love walking around campus lol.

Let me know if you have any other recommendations or tips.

Thank you so much for reading!

-goldenmel