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Hello! Lately, I have had a hard time organizing myself, I feel that I have no control over what is going on, and I would like to start having some sort of organization method for my personal, social and study life. Every time I try to come up with something it becomes quite difficult for me to follow up with it, and I find all the possible pitfalls to dump it. I actually ask for a magical formula to organize myself, either calendars, apps or paper, or some sort of benchmark I can compare myself too so I know is good or not!
Sosionom svarer
Great question. Its easy to be overwhelmed as a student, you're not alone. Due dates are normally far off, which makes schoolwork easy to deprioritize. The currucilum is big and it can be hard to know where to start. Motivation isnt always there to help us either, as so many things can be more tempting than reading or writing a paper. We are all different, so theres not one magic formula to this, but here are some ideas to help you get started:
1) Get an overview
Research your uni program's plan. When are papers due? Any workshops? Find the dates for all your exams. Anything else happening? A trip planned?
2) Time Blocking or Time Scheduling
Use a calendar (E.G Google calendar or a draw a calendar on a sheet of paper).
Decide one day a week when you sit down and make the coming week's schedule (Sundays maybe?) Break the days into chunks of time dedicated to specific activities (e.g study, social time, relaxation, work out and work).
Important: Deciding when you have time off from school is as important as when you are dedicated to study. This prevent a constant feeling of guilt or stress, that often make us overwhelmed.
Pitfall: Dont over-schedule! Start small by scheduling only the most important things and gradually fill in more. It has to be realistic, something you can achieve.
Keep your focus on the plan. Focusing on one thing at the time helps you concentrate.
3) Commit to yourself
Looking at the plan you made, ask yourself; What can be possible pitfalls that will make me dump these plans? How can I avoid that this week? Some tips:
- Arrange to study with someone who is dedicated
- Make yourself unavaileble to others when studying (turn off phone etc).
- Focus on how you think you will be feeling after you have finished your plan.
5) Understand procrastination
Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks or decisions, often opting to do something more enjoyable or easier instead of the task at hand. It’s usually linked to a lack of motivation, fear of failure, or difficulty in managing time and priorities. Procrastination can lead to increased stress as deadlines approach and can negatively affect productivity and overall performance.
Here is a link to an online videocourse on procrastination
I wish you the very best of luck!
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