USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity How to Keep a Planner Natalie Luna Academic Coach USC Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity

Why Keep a Planner? There is only so much you can accomplish in one day Planners are tools that impose a degree of order on things so you know what to do and when to do it.

Prioritize Tasks First, think about what tasks are genuinely urgent. If the deadline is important, write that in. How long will the task take? Number tasks in order of importance to guide you. Write discussion post for Psych Read Ch. 3 for History Laundry For more information about prioritizing tasks, check out our video workshop on Covey’s Quadrants http://kortschakcenter.usc.edu/life-hacks-prioritizing-for- personal-productivity/

Chunking Tasks Accomplishing smaller “chunks” of the task every day will make steady progress, and allow time to work on other things. More effective than multi-tasking Focuses your attention on a specific task Example: 5 page research paper Monday- Brainstorm & Outline Tuesday- Show ideas to TA, Refine outline Wednesday- Write out 2 pages of body paragraphs Thursday- Write out body paragraphs for next 2 pages Friday- Write intro and conclusion Make yourself more efficient and more productive by chunking. Set aside chunks of time for specific tasks. Sometimes large assignments can feel intimidating to start. The anticipation of the large amount of work can incline us to procrastinate. By chunking assignments into smaller tasks, we reduce the time spent in preparation and more time getting things done. Don't allow interruptions. When you have a large amount of time to work on something, there are likely to be interruptions of distractions. Setting aside a small amount of time to work on a specific task makes you more likely to complete it without distractions.

Tip: Use Color coding Create your own color-coding system Use a different color to categorize types of tasks! EX. Color code according to subject Homework in Orange Clubs/meetings in Green Work in Red Fun/Personal activities in Blue Using colors to categorize tasks can make planning and scheduling more fun! In addition, the system can help you figure out what needs to be done, with a quick glance at your planner. The colors stand out and can help differentiate between important tasks in a crowded planner. One way is to color-code according to type of activity. Another is to color-code according to urgency of the task. Use whatever method makes sense to you. The important thing is to be consistent with your method.

Make it a habit! Have a special spot for your planner Add tasks as they come up Check your planner daily, in morning and before bed Cross-off or check ✓ accomplished items In order for a planner to be an effective time management and organization tool, you’ll need to use it consistently. Don’t feel like you have to fill up everything at once. Try writing in tasks for the week and continue scheduling things as they come up. Check your planner daily, in the morning and before going to bed. Take 5-10 min to write down what’s on your mind to do later. Always keep your planner in the same spot so you’ll know where to find it. Lastly, mark when you’ve completed a task, rejoice in the feeling of accomplishment!

references Reh, F.J. (2014). Don’t multi-task when you can use chunking. Retrieved at http://management.about.com/od/yourself/a/chunking1106.htm Toscano, S. (2014). How to use a planner (Without getting totally overwhelmed). Huffington Post. Retrieved at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/how-to-use-a-planner_n_5952664.html Wilson, T. (2016). Time management success. Retrieved at http://www.time-management-success.com/daily-planners.html