Tag: organisation

Amelia’s Weekly Study Tip 3: Daily Planning (Part 2 + Bonus Tip)

DSC_0142Hey guys, today I’m going to share with you two important tips for staying organised and feeling on top of things. I know that when I’m not organised or feeling in control, I lose motivation, but these things really help prevent that snowball effect.

  1. First of all, I want to talk about to-do lists. They come in all sorts of forms to suit your preferences. A Typo store just opened up where I live (heaven for you stationery lovers out there) and I have to say it is worth a visit. From my lovely Instagram photo below you will see A5 sized lists which I use on a daily basis, and A4 ones which I use as a general list to put all those extra things I can think of (e.g. pick up the dry cleaning, submit that form you’ve been meaning to, emails you need to send, etc.). You can also get large weekly planners in notepad form or as whiteboards. It’s amazing the kind of things you can get these days to help with daily planning. I’m obsessed with pretty stationery. I find that an aesthetically pleasing to-do list with tick boxes on it makes me so much more enthusiastic about life (don’t judge me). I also like to write out my to-do list the night before. It makes me feel so much more organised for the day.

Continue reading Amelia’s Weekly Study Tip 3: Daily Planning (Part 2 + Bonus Tip)

Amelia’s Weekly Study Tip 1: Making Progress

DSC_0142Hello! Welcome back to uni! I don’t know about you, but every semester I begin filled with motivation to keep organized and on top of my work. I always plan on keeping on top of my readings and weekly tutorial work, as well as starting my assignments early and pacing myself so that they’re not left until the last minute. But what often happens is, a couple of weeks into semester, all of that good intention goes down the drain and I end up getting overwhelmed with everything I need to do. The result is me giving up and spending my weekends napping and eating chocolate, and then pulling all-nighters and cursing myself for my lack of organization.

Over my years at uni, however, I have discovered many tips and hints that have helped me manage my studies and extra-curricular commitments. So what I’m going to do is, rather than write one massive blog post containing all my tips, I’m going to break my tips down into separate, weekly blog posts.

Today, I’m going to start with sharing with you the ultimate truth that underpins all of my learned tips and hints. It is the mother-load. The red pill. The Philosopher’s Stone.

Making Progress

The truth is, I need to feel like I am making progress. And for me, motivation, organization, and time management are three interlinking skills that allow me to make progress when it comes to managing my studies and extra-curricular activities.

No matter how motivated I might be at the beginning, this will fall apart if I am not organized or am not making progress in doing the tasks I need to do. Consequently, not being organized and able to manage my time really damages my motivation. If I’m not organized, I end up feeling overwhelmed with everything I need to do, which results in everything coming undone. Conversely, no amount of organizing or time management techniques will help if I’m not motivated. I just won’t follow through with them, and I’ll end up back at square one.

So when looking to find ways to manage your study better, consider these things: organization, time management, motivation, and making progress. If you want to read more about motivation and the notion of making progress, check out The Game Changer by Dr. Jason Fox. It is a very good read that was recommended by a business executive at a conference I attended last year.

Stay tuned for my next tip!

– Amelia