Monday, September 21, 2015

How I Organize My Agenda + Tips For Organizing Yours

If you've been around the blog for a while then you probably already know that I am an organization junkie. Because of that one of the most frequently asked questions I get is "how do you organize your agenda?" Well, I am so excited to be showing y'all that today and including a video of it for an even closer look. This is the method I have been using for the past two years of college and it is the best method for me currently. Everyone organizes differently so if my methods don't exactly strike your fancy then don't give up and instead implement some of my tips in a way that works best for you! 

This year I am using a jumbo Lilly Pulitzer agenda and it is perfect. I've used Lilly agendas in the past but the jumbo size is essential for the amount of tasks I have to do on a given day and I definitely won't be retreating back to the large one any time soon. As for pens, I love to color coordinate and the best agenda pens ever are Le Pens. They come in a fun assortment of colors and don't bleed through the pages! Instead of crossing through completed tasks I like to highlight them which is where these highlighters come in handy. 

Let's start with the tips and then I will dive into each with a little more depth and hopefully you'll leave this post feeling inspired to organize! 

  

1. Make a plan and stick to it.

This is the most important thing you can do in order for your agenda to appear organized. By writing things down in the same place or color each day your agenda is bound to appear more organized even if that isn't the case. For me, I write down what color pen I am going to use for each subject and activity on a sticky note and move it from week to week until the colors are associated with my subjects, don't worry it will soon become second nature!


2. Color coordinate by class/activity.

As I hinted at above, I have my assignments written down in a specific color that coordinates with one of my classes or activities (for example, this semester I have pink for Kappa Delta, grey for field work, blue for EDU 330, purple for EDU 225, green for REL 210, and navy for HSC 200). This is a great way for me to avoid writing the subject or activity by an event or assignment each time I have a meeting or something is assigned. I also find this helpful when looking at my monthly calendar since the colors apply both weekly and monthly.


3. Organize in a way that works best for you.

I can not stress this enough. If these tips don't work for you then it is very important for you to instead organize your agenda in a way that does! You won't be as productive or feel as organized if you are organizing in a way that is not convenient for your lifestyle or habits.


4. Write down assignments when they are assigned and when they are due.

This is most important if you struggle to meet deadlines or remember assignments. The first weeks of school when I am handed my syllabus for a specific class I force myself to sit down and write all of it down for the entire semester (I know this probably can't happen in high school but that is ok!) even if something isn't due until December. I have found it super helpful for myself to write down my homework on the night I need to do it as opposed to the day it is due. My reasoning behind this is that if I am just seeing the assignment on the day it is due then it is already to late to complete it. For big assignments however such as tests, projects, or papers, I write them down when they are assigned as well as when they are/due. This is one thing that I know varies from person to person but again, this is what works best for me!


5. Cross assignments off once they are completed.

This is without a doubt the biggest motivation for me to complete assignments and the reason I find to-do lists so productive! I love taking my yellow highlighter and crossing off an assignment once I finish it and I feel so accomplished when all of my tasks for a day or week are highlighted meaning they have been completed. For consistency, I've always crossed off the events on my weekly calendar with a yellow highlighter however, I do not cross things off on the monthly overview calendar.


6. Utilize your monthly calendar.

I never did this before coming to college and I honestly don't know how I survived. While it can be stressful to see all that needs to be completed or attended during the month it is the best way for me to get an idea of how to productively manage my time. It's great to get an idea of how your week looks with all of the miscellaneous events going on in order to better plan ahead!  I'm not going to lie, more frequently than not I get a little overwhelmed when checking the monthly calendar but I am convinced that it helps to motivate me.


7. Use Post-it Notes.

I am an avid user of Post-it notes. Flipping back through some of my weeks I have a post it note on each day as well as a few piled up on my weekend on my weekly agenda view. You may think this is excessive but sometimes it is the only way you can remember that something needs to be printed or that your laundry needs to be done otherwise you won't have any socks left. I personally don't want to write that on my days assignments directly in my agenda so Post-its are my perfect solution!


8. Make it Fun.

Stickers and fun paper clips are all it takes for me! I use super cute Kate Spade paperclips to mark where in my agenda I am clipping one side on my weekly view and the other on my monthly view. As for stickers, I adore using Lilly Pulitzer's academic and greek sticker sets and use them on both my weekly view as well as my monthly one. It makes the fact that you have an exam or chapter meeting coming up look that much more fun and colorful.


Here is a video I made for y'all summarizing all of these tips and showing you exactly what I do when it comes to organizing my agenda. 


Leave me any tips you may have below!

24 comments :

  1. I love your handwriting, and the way you wrote the things in the margins on the weekly pages!! What pens do you use? I've been trying to get into a groove with my planner and these tips will definitely help, thank you!

    Kendal // Life With Kendal

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow your planner is so organised. impressive!

    Sophia/ Sophia's Serenade

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love how you organize your agenda! I color code my monthly calendar but just write down my homework for each class on the daily pages!

    xoxo,
    Katie
    chicincarolina.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great planner tips! I live by my agenda and if I don't write it down, I swear I'll just completely forget to do it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. do you utilize both monthly calendars or just one? if you just use one which one do you use...the one in the front or the ones in front of each month?

    ReplyDelete
  6. omg, you are so organized! I try and color code my planner as well- it helps so much!! x,kenz
    http://sincerelykenz.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. These tips are really help full for me and you have just solved my problem. Now, I can easily make my presentation by using these awesome tips. Now its time to get lock repairing services from Locksmith Leeds click for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your blog is knowledgeable. Thank you for sharing with us. Keep sharing and updating us in future. Now it's time to avail Siding Services In Alachua County FL for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  9. In this article best organizing and agenda tips are discussed. It is very helpful article. All the points and instructions are very useful. Thank you for sharing with us. Now its time to avail Limo service West Palm Beach for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for sharing this fantastic article on organizing agendas. Your tips and insights are incredibly helpful for us making good decision in organization. Now read more about https://vataccount.com/ for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for Nice and Informative Post. This article is really contains lot more information about. Now read more about northwich taxis for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your organizing tips and information is appreciated. This is one of the informative blogs. Keep it up. Now it's time to avail Jupiter Florida Airport for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for giving a valuable information. Your organizing is very important in our daily life. Now it's time to avail Best 10 seat minibus hire in Dartford for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  14. absolutely love this blog post,i got the useful information in your blog Statement of Net Worth New York Divorce

    ReplyDelete
  15. I absolutely loved reading your latest blog post! Your writing is not only informative but also engaging, making it a pleasure to follow your blog. The insights you shared were truly valuable, and I can't wait to see what you'll write about next. Keep up the fantastic work! division of assets divorce new york

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thanks for taking a time and sharing post on this topic. Your tips are very helpful for me. Keep sharing more post with us in future. Now it's time to avail Property Management Virtual Assistant for more information.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Very informative post more wants this type of tips that's really helpful in future now a days work 24/7 impossible but now if you have 24/7 live chat support you can do it very easily..

    ReplyDelete
  18. La conducción imprudente en Carroll County, VA, puede conllevar sanciones significativas. Para proteger sus derechos y minimizar las consecuencias legales, contar con un abogado especializado en conducción imprudente en Carroll County es crucial. Estos profesionales ofrecen asesoramiento legal experto y defensa sólida para ayudarlo a enfrentar los cargos de manera efectiva. Carroll Condado Conducción imprudente

    ReplyDelete
  19. "Organizing Your Agenda + Tips for Organizing Yours" offers personalized planning tips, catering to diverse preferences. The tutorial's clear explanations and real-life examples make it relatable and easy to implement. The emphasis on customization allows viewers to adapt methods to their unique needs, fostering a more productive lifestyle. Requisitos de Divorcio de Nueva York

    ReplyDelete
  20. Gratitude for taking a period and sharing post on this subject. Your tips are extremely useful for me. Continue to impart more post to us in future. Presently it is the right time to benefit for more data.
    divorce in new jersey laws||divorce lawyer in fairfax||divorce in virginia

    ReplyDelete

Blog Design by Get Polished