"Getting Yourself Organized"

This information is from "365 Ways to Save Time," by Lucy Hedrick. Although this book focuses on time management, it lists some great ideas for helping to organize your life. Hedrick says that before you can organize your life, there are four tools that you absolutely, positively, MUST have:

1. A Pocket Calendar:

A calendar whose design you choose -- perhaps a-week-at-a-glance or one day per page -- which goes everywhere with you. I know almost every student has one of these. Matter of fact, students would probably put these vendors out of business if they stop buying them.

2. A Pocket Notebook:

A small, preferably loose-leaf notebook where you keep various checklists and that you take everywhere with you. Hedrick suggests that the pages of your notebook should typically be titled "Phone Calls," "Errands," "Things to Do," and "Things to Write." For college purposes, I would also suggest that you add "Chapters to Read," and "People/Professors to Meet." I'm sure you may even think of other categories that may apply to your life and individual lifestyle.

3. Get a Tickler File:

A tickler file is a group of file folders labeled 1 through 31, one for every day of the month, and twelve additional folders labeled for each month of the year. I can't begin to tell you how powerful a tickler file can be.

Your tickler file is where you put papers, notes, projects that you want to have reappear on a specific date. I call a tickler file a "motivated procrastinator's filing system." Here's how it works. A professor gives you an assignment on February 2nd (along with all the details). You don't have time to work on it right now, so you drop the assignment sheet in your tickler file for February 16th (a date you will have time to start it); then forget about it. You don't have to worry about forgetting the date, because you should be taking action on your files each day. When the 16th day rolls around, there's the assignment sheet to remind you to start it. Just be careful not to keep postponing it (click here on help with procrastination).

4. Permanent Files:

A group of file folders for the papers you're saving for future reference (i.e., credit card receipts, transcripts, loan payments, bank statements, warranties, etc.). These files should be stored alphabetically.

These four organizing tools, if used properly and consistently, will save you a lot of time and frustration. The first step in organizing your life is to make sure there's a place for everything, and everything is in it's place. Use what works best for you. Obviously, there's a lot more information on this topic, and RealWorld University will make it available to you. Keep stopping by to read the latest strategies, tips and ideas from the best sources. Remember, the key to wisdom is knowing "where" to look for the answers.