Next month, I start my final year at university and one of my resolutions is to stay organised. Like the previous years, I will be attempting to juggle deadlines, work placement and a job. So, it's essential that I keep up to date with my work! Well... It's easy to say that, but actually turning promises into solid actions is much harder than it seems. So, I want to share my tips on how I stay organised!

Plan Ahead
It's not rocket science, we know that we should be planning ahead. But, what I have learnt at university is that we should be planning months ahead! You think I'm joking?

Right. You will need a cheap calendar or a wall planner (HERE) and your academic timetable. This is particularly important if you're taking a course which requires days in university and placement, as you can get confused about where you should be! You will need to go through your academic calendar and record your annual leave, your days in university and placement and all of your assignment deadlines.

As well as yearly calendars, I love weekly planners and I purchased this one (pictured below) from Sainsburys for £2.00. They're great for planning your week ahead, and I like them as they tend to not have dates recorded on them so you can use them all year round!


Keep Two Diaries

This is kind of a life hack but kind of creates more work for you... But, building on the point raised above, I find it really helpful to keep two diaries. I'm not greedy; they just serve different purposes for me.

I like to keep an A5 diary in my university bag as this bag contains more room for a bigger diary. For this year, I bought a copper leather-like organiser from Sainsburys (in the sale!) for £1.50. It is spill-proof and contains card slots, too. I will be using this diary in university as it has a wider daily section. This means that you can write in more detail, which is perfect if you have a few lectures or meetings in one day!

I also have a smaller A6 diary, which is perfect for placement as I have less room in my placement bag. I also purchased this from Sainsburys for £1.50! I bought this one, as it has smaller daily sections and it is ideal for recording my shift times. Just a side note... this may not work for everyone as you need to keep both diaries up to date. But, these suit my situation perfectly!


Colour Code

Who says adults don't like colouring in? In my first year, I wrote my lecture notes with black pen and did not add a single drop of colour. Consequently, I have no idea where I put those notes. So, I decided to put more effort into my notes by adding coloured diagrams and highlighting important information. Because of this, I've kept those notes (SHOCK HORROR!) in files and I actually do look at them every few weeks!

This can be applied to your every day life. I like to highlight important events in my planner, such as assignment deadlines. Doing this, helps me to prioritise the tasks which I should be completing before a certain time. I mean, if I have a deadline date written in red marker on my calendar, I tend to get a little stressed about it. This stress may either cause me to rip the calendar off of the wall or it will encourage me to get started on the task! Let's hope it's the latter!


Just Say "No"
I understand that it can be difficult to turn down work or say no to a friend. But, particularly if you're a student, it's important to prioritise your course... AND your mental health! At the start of my second year, I was in placement Monday to Friday and I worked weekends. On top of that, I was just starting my academic year so I was working towards assignment deadlines. Basically, I did not have any days for myself and I paid for it. I was mentally burnt out and it reflected badly in my university work, as I was so tired.

This year, I'm super lucky and I work a flexible job where I can chose my shifts. I know that not everyone has that luxury, so if you're a student make sure that your employer is aware of your other obligations. As for saying no to other people, don't feel guilty for turning down social events. Instead, try to negotiate with your friends or family and set aside at least one day every week (or fortnight) to catch up!


Take Time For Yourself
Through everything, it's important to take time out for yourself. This is a whole blog post in it's self but, you know the drill. Eat five a day, drink plenty of water and get eight hours sleep a night... Blah blah blah!

Seriously... It's so important to wind down and relax, so taking time out of a hectic day is essential. It's also key in avoiding physical and mental burn out! It's as easy as setting aside thirty minutes a day to exercise or watch your favourite YouTuber. It can be something easy or a something wacky, it does not matter. As long as you find something that eases your mind and makes you happy, there's no problem.

(Picture of the Lush 'Thundersnow' bath bomb swirling away!)
Thank you for reading my post. I hope it was helpful! In the comments, ;et me know what your tips for staying organised are!

XO Zoe