4 Organization Tips For Students

Some people are naturally inclined to be organized, both mentally and academically. But for many people, organization is something that takes work and effort. When you’re in school, and later on in your career and personal life, learning some key organization tips can help to keep stress at bay as it increases performance. So where do you start? If you’re at school, what are some good organization tips for students that you can follow? If you’re a teacher, you may be wondering “How can I help my students become more organized?”

These are all great questions, and luckily, there are some great organization tips for students out there that can really help. Read on to find out what you need to know about organization to help you make the most of your education and, later, your life.

Organizational Challenges For Students
Why is organization important for students? Well, no two students are alike, and when it comes to organizational challenges, these issues can look different for each student. Sometimes poor academic performance can be traced back to organizational challenges, not a student’s ability to learn the material. That’s why it’s vital to first identify if a student is having organizational challenges so they can be helped.

Some common signs of disorganization that can lead to poor academic performance include:

• Frequently forgetting important items such as paper, pens, or pencils
• Failing to remember when an assignment is due
• No advance planning for assignments that results in not having enough time to complete them
• Problems staying focused on each task
• Grades that are less than stellar

These common mismanagements need intervention as early as possible in order to put students on a successful path that leads to academic success. The good news is that implementing organization skills for students isn’t as difficult as it may seem.

How Do Organizational Skills Help Students?
Aside from academic performance, you may be wondering why organizational skills are so important for even young students. The truth is that learning proper organizational skills has many benefits for students both in and out of the classroom – it’s not all about academics, but about mental and physical health as well.

Some of the benefits of great organizational skills include:

• A better school experience – If a child can be organized in school, it can lead to a much less stressful school experience. Keeping track of assignments, notes, due dates, and studying will also lead to better retention of information and a happier student who feels successful.
• It fosters independence – For younger kids, parents and teachers play a big role in teaching them the skills they need to be successful. Over time, however, the goal is for a child to take the reins and monitor their own progress independently for success. When children get to higher grades and college, proper organizational skills will help them achieve their goals.
• Improved critical thinking – In order to stay organized, you have to think methodically. This isn’t something that comes naturally to some people; it takes work to think about tasks and assignments this way. Solid organizational skills can be practiced and built in such a way that not only helps overall organization, but critical thinking skills as well.
• More confidence – A student who feels as if they have control over their future will be more confident. Disorganized students who forget important deadlines and projects don’t have the same confidence as those with a solid lock on organization.
• Better sleep – Believe it or not, when someone is better organized, they are far more likely to sleep better! Organization allows you to focus on the things that really matter, like getting enough rest at night. A well-organized student isn’t up scrambling to finish a project at the eleventh hour or putting things off until they absolutely have to do it. Sleep, rest, and self-care can become a priority and students can go to bed at night knowing that they have everything under control.
• Improved relationships – It’s hard to focus on the people and relationships in your life that mean the most when everything around you is an unorganized mess. Feeling as if you have things under control will make space for the people around you, mentally and physically.

What Are Organizational Skills For Students?
Now that you understand the importance of organization, it’s time to understand how to help young people learn key organizational skills. Some great organizational tips for kids no matter their age include:

1. Create a routine – If a student wants to be consistent each day and each week, they need to create a routine. Have them write down their weekly schedule and then create blocks of time they will spend on schoolwork. This type of schedule can help a child to focus their time and complete tasks. Routines can change when other obligations arise, but it’s easy to update the plan and pivot accordingly.
2. Create rules – Setting rules is a great way to hop on the organization train. The rules should be centered around what needs to be completed daily so there’s no rush to get things finished. Some rules that can help include things like beginning to study for a test at least a week before, setting a due date two days before projects need to be turned in, or completing essays three days before they’re due.
3. Write it down – Everything such as homework, tests, essays, and projects, should be written down in a list, planner, or schedule. This helps keep details straight when there’s a lot going on.
4. Get some tools – Tools and stationery are a great way to stay organized. A planner and/or calendar, a pencil pouch, a folder, a backpack with several pockets, and a notebook to write things down are great tools to start with!

Organization is a lifelong habit, but it’s not something that comes naturally to everyone. If your child struggles with it, it’s important to take steps to help them become more organized. They’ll thank you for it one day!

Featured image by Jess Bailey on Unsplash