Get Organised: Back to School

Most schools in the UK go back this week so it's time to get organised.

I have a double whammy when it comes to 'back to school' organisation, because not only do I have to organise myself in terms of my job working within a school but I am also studying for a degree with the Open University.

This means that I have lots to consider. The only thing I'm missing is having kids of my own to get ready for school!

So I thought I would share a few things that I do or use to get myself organised for the start of the new school year from both the side of the employee and the student, because I am both!

Use a timetable

This is a particularly useful one for me as I work some full days at school and some part-time, plus with my own studies to complete it is easy to have a schedule to see it all together.

I was inspired by this schedule to create my own, but combining my work hours and the slots I have for my studies.

I have two copies of this planner. One stays on my person, tucked inside my diary in my handbag, and the other stays in the front of my main university folder.

Have tidy folders

I have two folders for university this year as I am studying two subjects (Children's Literature and Advanced Creative Writing), so I have a folder for both so that nothing gets muddled up in one big folder.

My text books and paperwork for my courses won't be mailed out until next week as the OU year doesn't officially start until October, so my folders looks pretty empty right now. What I have already included is enough plastic wallets for each topic and assignment to have its own pocket and a lined Oxford pad of A4 paper. I don't like to use dividers because I've never found any that I really like and that work for me. The paper ones just get dirty and rip and the plastic ones can be a bit bulky and can't always be written, hence the extensive use of plastic wallets in my folders.

Have the right supplies

Every year I replenish my stationary, but I always make sure I have the basics that I have used for my GCSE studies, my A level studies, and my four years of OU studying so far (I know, that's a lot of school!)

I make sure I have good pens in blue, black, and red. I tend to do my headers on notes in blue, my actual note in black, and my important points or underlining in red so you can easily pull those bits of information out.

I also have a pencil, a sharpener, and a rubber, a glue stick, a pack of sticky notes in a variety of colours, and some mini bulldog clips.

My highlighters have an erasable tip on the other end of the pen so if you highlight the wrong section or go to far with it you can go back over it and remove the pen. Magic, right?!

My favourite items in my pencil case have to be my colourful fine liners which I use a lot. I mainly use them when I'm planning my assignments as I get some blank A4 paper and a kind of mind map with them, with all different aspects being colour-coded so the information is easy to group. This is a handy tool.

Plan your lunches

I have had this adorable planner for quite a while now and I will continue to use it this year. It makes it so much easier when it comes to putting lunches together. I will often make my lunch the night before so I don't have to make time for it in the morning. You can get this brilliant meal planner from Hello, Cuteness.

There is also a dinner planner here and many more beautiful freebies on her amazing website here.

Have a morning routine

It is very important to use your morning time wisely so you don't have to leave everything half-complete. I have a rather strategic morning schedule which gives me two and a half hours before I have be at work.

My alarm is set for 6.15 AM on my mobile phone, but my phone does NOT go on my bedside time. It goes on my dressing table on the other side of the room. This is so I have to get up to turn off the alarm, therefore I won't lay in bed and turn it off by accident and fall back to sleep or continuously snooze it.

Once I'm up the first thing I do is go into the bathroom to wash my face to wake me up a bit more. I then go downstairs to make a cup of tea and some breakfast. I try to never skip breakfast unless I really don't feel like it. I know some people say they can't eat right away when they wake up. I'll eat my cereal or toast while my tea is brewing, and go around opening the curtains and blinds after that.

While I drink my tea I sit down at my dressing table to do my makeup and hair. It sounds awful but this is probably what I spend the bulk of my morning doing! I try to make sure this is done by 7.30 AM.

I then have little tidying up bits to do, such as washing up my breakfast things, and then I get myself dressed last. I always pull out whatever I'm wearing the next day the night before so I don't stand there saying 'I have nothing to wear'.

I walk to work, which takes 10-15 minutes so I leave just before 8.30 AM to get there for 8.45 AM.

Having a routine that works for you will stick and you will find that you get it all done and may even have time sometimes to get some other bits done too!

I also make sure to get myself up on weekend mornings to get some studying done, that way I can spend the evenings doing something I enjoy if I get it done.

Use a diary

A diary can be your best friend for planning if you use it right. I always make sure to get a diary with quite a lot of space per day so I can fill in work dates, studying or assignment deadlines, and personal commitments.

I keep my diary in my work handbag so I can add anything in when we have meetings, so that way I know I (shouldn't) miss anything.

Technology is your friend - but also your distraction

Use your laptop, or your iPad, or whatever it is you have to get online. I use mine to log into my Open University student account and check up on the tutor group forum and other such things, but make sure you manage your time and uses on it wisely.

So many people are tempted to just check Facebook, or just read the trends on Twitter, or I'll just go on Pinterest quickly. I know what happens because I have done it many times! Keep yourself off of social networking and other non-work related websites until your work is done. I wouldn't even recommend using your break slots as a chance to check things as fifteen minutes whilst having a rest can quickly turn into an hour before you realise, and then you've lost 45 minutes of studying time!

Have a goal list

I keep a running goal list next to me when I'm studying. I do this using sticky notes with one task written on each one in rows of three. When I have completed a whole row I give myself a 10-15 minute break, just to walk around or make a cup of tea.

Try to keep the goal on each sticky note small and simple. Don't write 'check to see if results have been posted' on one and then 'write next assignment' on another. Break it down into easy chunks so that they are all easily managed.

Rest and sleep

Make time to take some time out for yourself and make sure you're getting enough sleep. You need at least seven hours. As I said, on weekdays I wake up at 6.15 AM so I make sure I am in bed by 11.15 PM. That sounds quite late and it isn't that late every night but sometimes I'll be studying until 11 PM. If this is the case I make sure in my latest break, which is probably around 10.15 PM that I go and brush my teeth and get my bedtime things ready. That way when I finish at 11 PM I can go straight up to bed and just relax for 15-20 minutes with a book or listening to some of my bedtime music (I'll do a post at some point about my bedtime routine and music playlist).

So I hope all of those little tips and examples of my routines helped you. Have a fantastic 2015-2016 school year, whether you are a teacher, teaching assistant (like me), a student (also like me), or a parent!