Organizational Tips for Reducing Stress


By Aria Falcone, JIF ‘17

Stress. We all have it. Sometimes, it serves as motivation. Other times, it is overwhelming. When your stress level is too high, here are some helpful tips that can help you accomplish all that you need to get done.

Tip 1: Make a list. Now, this isn’t some ordinary, stress-provoking list of all of the things you have to do. No, this is a list that will help you get organized. First, write out all of the things that you need to do, and organize them by day that you would like to finish them. Then, number each item based on priority. You can make separate lists for each day now, and you have prioritized all of the things that you need to do! This will be your game plan for the week.

Tip 2: Break up big assignments. It’s not you, history paper, it’s me. Sitting down and tackling a large assignment seems very daunting, especially if you don’t have much time to complete it. Instead, make a schedule for yourself. Make a plan for each day, and stick to it. Before you know it, you will be finished! It is helpful to make an Excel/Google Sheets spreadsheet with a place for you to check off each day. That way, you can track your progress, and hold yourself accountable.

Tip 3: Make a visual. It always helps me to be able to see what I have going on. Make a visual schedule of the most important things you have to do, and post it somewhere. Don’t put it somewhere it will induce stress, but somewhere that is helpful. Whether this is a calendar, a collection of sticky notes, or whatever medium you choose, it will be a good way to manage your to-do list.

Tip 4: Organize your surroundings. When my surroundings are cluttered, I feel as if I can’t focus. I get distracted by the mess. How am I supposed to organize my thoughts when I can’t organize my things? When this distraction sets in, spend 10 minutes on every cluttered part of your surroundings, returning objects to their homes. Before you know it, you’ll be a lot better than you started! Now, you can find things that you need, and you won’t feel more stressed out by too much clutter. When you have free time, go through and make a “donate” bag full of things that you don’t need anymore. This will make it less likely for clutter to return.

Tip 5: Maintaining organization. In order to maintain organization, make a commitment to it. Continue to organize your surroundings, make your lists, etc. The time you save will be worth the time put in! Choose a day over the weekend to plan for the upcoming week, so that you have a game plan of all that needs to happen.

Stress. Although we all have it, it doesn’t have to overwhelm us. By increasing organization, we can reduce our stress, feel calmer, and overall be more productive.  

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