CREDIT: ISTOCK (PEOPLEIMAGES)
With a few weeks of school already under the belt, it's all too easy to let good habits slip for the rest of the semester. Here are several ideas to help keep you on track for the next few months.

With a few weeks of school already under the belt, it’s all too easy to let good habits slip for the rest of the semester. Here are several ideas to help keep you on track for the next few months:

1. Keep a planner, e-schedule, or bullet journal

This may go without saying, but using a planner or some kind of calendar system on your smart phone is important for staying on top of your course work. Go through your course outlines and write down or input the all due dates and important events for the remainder of the semester (this may take some time but it’s worth it). Use a colour-code system for each course to keep it consistent and organized.

2. Use a corkboard, whiteboard, or calendar

Consider this to be your backup way of knowing what’s due and where you need to be. Sometimes we input things incorrectly in our phones, and sometimes we forget to look in our planners. Having something visible can help to hold you accountable and on-track with your goals. Place a calendar beside your bedroom door and highlight the important dates and deadlines. If you prefer a whiteboard or a corkboard, place it somewhere you can see it daily. Just remember to keep it updated a month in advance.

3. Structure your day

Try to make something about each day consistent. This may be going to bed and waking up at the same time or going to the gym at the same time each day. This may be difficult, especially with classes at different times, but having a bit of a routine will make it easier to plan your time. Because you will have an idea of how your day is structured, you can plan for your unscheduled time.

4. Figure out your most productive time of day

Pay attention to the time of day you feel you can be most productive. If you’re a night owl, schedule your homework time for later in the day. If you’re a morning person, use a few hours of your morning to get work done. Start to get in a routine and make it part of your day. Using this time wisely can reduce that ‘grueling’ feeling of doing work when you really don’t want to.

5. Make to-do lists

At the start of each week, make a two to-do lists of everything that needs to be done during the following seven days. Make one list school-related and the other personal. Prioritize the most important things at the top of the list and work through them in a logical order. Include assignments, readings, and group work meetings on your school list, and any appointments, reminders, and errands on the other list.

Try at least one organization strategy and see how it impacts your time management, your grades, and even your general wellness.