How I stay organised: an easy guide to being productive

After trying tons of apps, planners, and other organising techniques, I’ve finally managed to create an organisation system that really works for me. Whether you’re searching for a way that you can stay organised or you’re just looking for ways to improve your current sytem, you’ve come to the right place. I do want to mention that basically my entire system is digital, so if you prefer pen and paper, I’m very, very sorry but I can’t help you!

Monthly events

For long-term events like test dates, holidays, and competitions, I use Google Calendar. To be honest, I’d rather use the calendar on Notion since that would mean that all my digital planning is all in one place, but I’ve found it rather lacking. Google Calendar lets me switch between monthly, weekly, and daily views, which is incredibly helpful. If Notion decides to improve their calendar function then I probably will switch, but I have to admit that it’ll be difficult to beat Google calendar.

Weekly outlook

I know we’ve all had tasks that we like to put off, which is why I have a weekly to-do list that is broken down by each day. This helps me plan ahead and delegate tasks to the Future Me when I know I can’t (or don’t want to) do them. I also add in events I have on different days of the week to help me calculate how much work I can get done that day. I use Notion to do this since it’s my main organisational app and it’s so incredibly versatile.

Daily tasks

This really doesn’t differ from my weekly outlook apart from the fact that I have a ‘top 3’ category. This helps me prioritise my tasks and reminds me that even if I didn’t get everything done that I needed to, I’ve still done the most important things. I’ve also got my homework and revision trackers to help me work out what else I need to get done that day.

Daily schedule

One method I’ve found to be really helpful in helping me stay productive is by having a schedule for each task. That way, not only have I given myself clearly defined times when to work and when I have free time, but it also helps me start tasks, since I know that I only have to work for a given amount of time until I have a break. If you want to know more about this system, I mention it in my post about making study schedules. Once again, this is on Google Calendar so I can have my time-managing system all in one place.

My mini-notebook

Finally, I have a really small notebook where I jot down tasks or other thoughts that I need to remember when I don’t have access to a computer. I’ll then transfer these tasks onto my Notion or wherever they need to be as soon as I can get a device.