Get Organised: Back to School (Updated Version)

A couple of years ago I wrote a blog post about how to get organised for going back to school. You can see the original post here, but I was still studying with the Open University then and a few things have changed since that first post.

I may not be studying anymore, but I still work in a school and I make time for writing, blogging, reading and BookTube. So, here is an updated version that has some similarities but is more suitable for me now.

Use a timetable

I don't need this so much anymore because, as I said, I'm no longer studying. However, I like to keep up with my blogging, filming videos for my BookTube channel and writing (as I have so many ideas after doing my creative writing modules at university), so this is still a helpful tool.

A couple of years ago, I was inspired by this schedule to create my own, but combining my work hours and the slots I have for my studies. I still have a similar schedule, it has just been altered to fit to my work hours better, and the study slots has been replaced with blogging time, video editing and other similar tasks.

I have always have two copies of this schedule. One stays on my person, tucked inside my diary in my handbag, and the other stays with my notebooks for when I'm working on other stuff at home.

Have notebooks for every occasion

I have a bit of a notebook addiction, as you can see in the video above. I always make sure that I have a notebook on me, whether it's a bigger one for those days when I know I'm going to be writing more, such as training days, or just a tiny one that I keep in my handbag for writing things down quickly when something comes to me (usually this is for story ideas - character names, settings, etc.)

Fill up a pencil case

I also have a bit of a pencil case addiction. I would recommend WHSmith if you want a nice one (I'm not being sponsored to say that, they just have some really cute pencil cases!). My current pencil case (which is WHSmith) is full of spare pens, pencils, a rubber, a pencil sharpener, fine liners, and so on. I don't always carry it around with me, but if I know I'm going to need something like this at some point, it's good to have everything together.

Plan your meals ahead of time

This is something I have always done ever since I moved out two years ago. I have a chalkboard in my kitchen where I write up dinners for the week (although somethings things pop up and dinner plans change). It works well as I finish work at different times each day of the week so it's easy to plan out those quicker dishes (like pasta) for the nights I'm home later, and the ones that take a bit longer (making pizza from scratch) for the days I come home earlier.

Pictured above is the planner I use. I used to have a different one but when I went to download it on my new laptop, the website was on hiatus so I had to find a different one. You can download the one I use from Little Coco-nutty here.

Have a morning routine

I have a morning routine blog post, which you can read here, but there are a few changes that I've made since then. Maybe I'll do an updated morning routine post at some point, to talk about what has changed, but for the most part it's pretty similar.

A morning routine that you can stick to is a big help when you're getting up and going to school/college/university/work, so I try to keep to mine every day as best as I can. 

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. My diary for this year (pictured above) runs from August 2017 to December 2018, which is so useful, because I can fill in work dates, personal commitments, blogging and YouTube schedules and other events plenty of time in advance.

I keep my diary in my work handbag so I can add to it as soon as something comes up, so that way I know I (shouldn't) miss anything.

Have a goal list/to-do list

I love my little to-do planner, pictured above. It was a gift from a colleague and is also shown in my notebook collection video (which you can see further up my post when I talk about my notebooks). This planner is great for getting out on a Sunday afternoon or evening and just pencilling in everything you have planned or have to do in the coming week. It's so easy to list things in the weekly section and then write a to-do list and other notes on the opposite site.

Get enough sleep

Make time to take some time out for yourself and make sure you're getting enough sleep. You need at least seven hours. On weekdays I try to make sure I am in bed by 10.30 PM. Sometimes I'll go straight to sleep but most of the time I'll read a couple of chapters of my current book before turning the lights off.

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So I hope all of those little tips and examples of my routines have helped you out a bit. Have a fantastic 2017-2018 school year, whether you are a teacher, teaching assistant, a student or a parent!