In a time of at-home remote work, whether it is school work or job-related tasks, it is important that students are able to stay organized and on track with their assignments. There are many ways in which one can stay organized at home including online resources, mobile apps and hands-on tools.
The classic strategy for staying organized is to keep some version of a planner, work journal, to-do list or agenda. Some students find it beneficial to see what they have to do and check tasks off as they go. The action of writing down the tasks helps as a reminder, as well as looking forward to getting it checked off.
Kean Ocean senior psychology major Gabrielle Cooley said, "Personally, I keep a white board with dry-erase markers in my room where I always write out my assignments and major due dates. It helps me see what I have to do, and, because it's a large board, I have to look at it every day. After I finish each assignment and due dates pass, I like to be able to erase the assignment and move forward with each class."
Kean senior journalism major Zoe Strozewski said, "I think it can be hard to visualize your days when you don’t have to actually go anywhere. I’ve had a couple close calls with missing class just because I confused my Tuesday schedule with my Wednesday schedule or something similar. I’ve found that completely mapping out my days on planners has helped, so I know exactly when I have to be online and when I have to submit assignments."
A more modern take on the physical planner is utilizing organizational apps on a smart phone. This could include apps like Notes, reminders, calendars and more. Most smartphones have versions of apps that can help students make lists and create their planners that can even set reminders for due dates.
"I set repeating alarms for each day of the week, so I can get up and be ready for class every day with time to spare," Strozewski continued.
Sometimes the best way to stay organized is to establish an organized space. For remote learning, it is advised that students create a work space at home. This is simply to avoid doing assignments and attending remote classes from their beds or wherever they rest. Students should try to train themselves to associate spaces in their homes for work.
Another way to stay organized is the use of apps for text books like iBooks, Kindle and Goodreads. These are apps where students can purchase online textbooks. These apps are useful because they show how far along the reader is in the text. When reading full novels and historical texts, it is comforting to see a percentage of how far you've made it along.
There are a variety of ways to maintain a student's level of organization. It is best for students, especially now, to find their own personal practices and run with those techniques. Students should be mindful of how they learn and what makes them successful.
