Study Prof

I’ve written elsewhere about using a daily to-do list in conjunction with a calendar to make your schedule bow down before the awesomeness that is you, but does your to-do list get to “done”? Here are five simple ways to put some serious smack-down on daily tasks by pimping your to-do list.

1. Make sure you can do ‘em. Having a hulking, obnoxious, hairy task sitting on your to-do list glaring at you is a recipe for procrastination. Chop that beast down to size. No single task on your list should take more than an hour. If it takes longer than that, you need to break it down into (more…)

Take a look at this spiffy Back to School primer. Click on the arrow at the bottom to start. Keep clicking to step through the presentation. BETTER: Click on “More” and go full screen.

School approacheth, and that right soon! Time to get organized and aggressive. Don’t make the mistake sooo many students make and wait until three weeks into the semester to get started. Here are some things every student should do (this means YOU)…

1. Get cracking. Mom ain’t looking over your shoulder (for most of us at least). Take responsibility for your studies. Be proactive. Make a todo list. Get a calendar. GET IT DONE before crunch time.
2. Get organized. Have a file for every class. That file should have space to take notes and pockets for collecting handouts. As soon as (more…)

Organization skills cover a multitude of academic sins.  Check out www.rememberthemilk.com which is oh so much more than a to-do list.  You can track your daily to-do’s, categorize them, set them to repeat, and much more.

BONUS: it integrates seamlessly with gcal and gmail!

Really thorough article on organizational skills and using daily planners. It’s specifically for those with ADHD, but the principals will work well for anyone…
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/adhd-organizational-skills.shtml

Using a day planner is one of the most essential coping skills that a student with attentional issues or disorganization struggles can develop; however, it is also a skill that they must practice and develop over time.

Actually, using a day planner is not a single skill, but involves a set of skills that can be worked on one-by-one. —By Michelle Fattig – 2007-07-20

Pet owners know that pets quickly learn routines. Your dog starts bouncing off the walls when you put on your walking shoes; he’s anticipating checking his p-mail at the local park. You fire up the electric can opener and your cat leaves claw marks in the linoleum as she races across the kitchen to belly up to her bowl. Even my beta fish figured out that when I moved my hands close to his bowl, he was about to get fed.

Our bodies are pets too, in a way. Establish a routine with your studies (and make sure it ends with a reward), stick to it for a few days, and pretty soon your body will learn the pattern and come a-runnin’.

Here’s an example to get you started. As I step out the door of my Chem class I keep my pen and notebook in (more…)