Habits of Highly Organised IndividualsHint: It’s not just about post-its and highlighters.

Being an ‘organised’ personOften, we think that we’re either an organised person or not.

It’s true that some people have a tendency to be more organised than others.

Being organised is a unique experience – everyone organises their life and daily tasks in a different way.

Being organised is more about the habits you create.

So what are some of the main habits of highly organised

people?

They put everything where it belongs.

We all have that urge to ‘clean’ before we begin. Tidying and cleaning before starting a task (like homework) is often seen as the ultimate procrastination tactic.

Often, we feel like we can’t begin until everything is in it’s place. So try working towards keeping things in their place on a regular basis.

Strategies:• Keep your locker/desk at home

tidy• Study in the same place/venue• Colour code folders for subjects• Establish two sets of work tools

(pencil case, etc) – one for home and one for school.

• Establish routines

They prioritise.

It’s really important to acknowledge what needs to be done right away – and WHY.

Be honest when making your priorities.

Strategies:• Suck it up, and at least start on

the hard task.• Make a to do list - on paper,

sticky notes, digital sticky notes, apps

• Give yourself small rewards for finishing hard tasks

They practise maintenance.

This is all about keeping up to date – not necessarily with homework, but with other aspects of your lifestyle, including:• Body• Mind• Technology• Relationships

Strategies:• Set yourself a bed time and stick

to it.• Update your computer and back

up your files regularly.• Set up regular times to exercise,

doing something you enjoy

They use organisational tools.

Lots of people have a system or a tool they use (paper or digital), that allows them to plan their tasks.

Think about how you learn best, because your organisational tool needs to match. Eg if you’re a visual person, a big wall calendar is great.

Tools:• Your school diary (duh)• Wall calendars• Outlook calendar (part of your

email)• Reminders on your phone• There are lots of other digital

apps to use, BUT don’t dismiss the power of physically writing something down

They think about time differently

We often fall into the trap of thinking that we need a precise amount of time, or precise time of day to complete a task.

Organised people look at the time available to them and say, ‘what can be achieved?’

Just because you can finish something, doesn’t mean it’s not worth working on!

Strategies:• Break your task into chunks. Eg. you

may only have twenty minutes, but that’s enough to write the introduction to your essay.

• Don’t assume that after school is the only time for homework. Getting up a little earlier and doing ½-1 hour of study can make a huge difference to your day.

To recap:• Have a place for everything – put things where they belong• Make sure you prioritise• Practice maintenance – make an effort to look after all

aspects of your life• Use organisational tools• Try to think about time differently – ask yourself ‘what can

be achieved?’

Organisation will look different for everyone

• Be open to trying new strategies to organise yourself• What works for someone else may not work for you• Organisational habits need practice• There is almost always an element of sacrifice or compromise in

remaining organised – get used to it.• Think about what’s important