As the school year finally winds down, everything starts to seem a little… chaotic. Figuring out housing for next year, deciding upon next fall’s schedule, and so on are minor crises to tackle, but seem even worse when you’re also trying to pack and ship away your entire dorm and ace your final exams – all in just a few days. With all the confusion, it’s easy to find yourself neglecting important tasks, forgetting where you put things, and basically finding yourself lost in all the pandemonium.

However, hope is not lost! While organizing your room and your academic work are important, true organization must begin and end in one place: your mind. Here are some tips on how to better organize your mind and improve your work habits to help keep you sane:

Table of Contents

1. Write it down.

I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m hyper organized about everything in my life. I can’t function unless there is some semblance of order set in place. Consequently, my life is a dizzying flurry of to-do lists, color coded charts and tables, and sticky notes. I’m often asked why I bother since my exceptional memory makes it appear as though such organizational attempts are redundant.

What people often do not realize is that sharp memories don’t necessarily become that way on their own. Unless you have an eidetic memory, an ability to remember small details and due dates is one that is partially acquired. For example, I have always found that physically writing down due dates helps me to remember deadlines better than anything else. Having everything written down in one place is not only convenient, but it can also help you remember this information better in the long run.