How to Stay Organised

When you've got several different jobs, responsibilities and projects on the go at once, it can sometimes prove a little difficult to stay organised. For me at the moment, completing my final year of uni whilst juggling my blog, writing for a newspaper, organising a festival, applying for jobs, completing volunteering work and trying to maintain my social life can sometimes be a bit tricky. Staying organised is absolutely key to make sure I don't forget any meetings, interviews or deadlines. So if like me you've got a lot on your plate, or simply want to up your organisation game, then this one's for you.

1: Get a Diary.

Whether you prefer a paper diary or the one on your phone, keeping track of all your dates and deadlines ensures you won't be feeling left red faced when you forget to meet someone or double book. I use a paper diary and write down everything from essay deadlines to meetings to blog post dates to nights out. Yes, even nights out. I tend to highlight really important dates too so it makes it even less likely I'll forget it. Put some time aside to sit down and write everything you've got planned for as long in advance as possible. Doing this means you won't forget that important meeting, or won't forget you've got tickets to an event. Then whenever a new date pops up, add it in and you'll be good to go. I tend to check my diary at the start of every week so I know what I've got planned.

2: Make Some Lists. 

To-do lists are my absolute favourite. I make them for everything and my desk is usually covered in post-it notes of things to do that day. Whilst I still heavily rely on post-it notes for the more important tasks, I love the 'Wunderlist' app for organising my lists. Yes, organising my to-do lists is a thing. The app allows you to create different titles for your lists, which you can then click on and view the different ones. My lists include 'Groceries', 'Town', 'Uni', 'Blog', 'Festival', 'TV Shows to Watch' and 'General'. Whenever something pops into my head, I then just add it to the corresponding list. the app also has a little check box so once you've completed the task, bought the item you've been lusting after or watched that awesome tv someone recommended, you can tick it off. There's some kind of weird satisfaction to ticking things off so I've found this works really well for me. You can also add  a due date for each item and it will send you a friendly reminder that you need to finish that task. With being constantly attached to my phone, I find this really helpful as I don't miss anything off. And no, this isn't sponsored by Wunderlist, I just really love it. 

3: Tidy Up.

I don't know about you but for me a clean house = a clean mind. If my house is tidy then I work so much better and seem to get so much more done. Having a really good clean at least once, if not twice a week not only declutters the house but my head too. Taking a few hours to put some music on and have a good sing along whilst dusting and hoovering helps me work more effectively afterwards, meaning I can get more ticked off that to-do list and stay organised. I'm all about those lists. 

4: Inspire Yourself.

Whilst this isn't the best tip out there, and definitely one you shouldn't spend ages on, there's nothing wrong with a little bit of procrastination inspiration every now and again. Sometimes when I feel like staying in bed and watching Pretty Little Liars all day, which happens more often than I'd like, logging into Pinterest and looking up motivational pictures and quotes is really useful. Seeing pictures of tidy houses, organised lists, blog post ideas, revision tips and gym photos really makes me want to get up, get dressed and get on with the day. Useful tip for this to to set your alarm ten or so minutes earlier than usual so you can wake up and feel inspired to crack on with your jobs.  

Right, now this post can be ticked off my list, it's time to go cross off that essay I've been avoiding. Let me know your top tips for staying organised in the comments!

Laura xx