People ask me all the time, "How do you get it all done?" And while sometimes I don't know how to answer myself, I will admit I use multiple processes and tricks that help me survive what some would say is an "overbooked" life.
Tools to Survive an Insanely Busy College Life
1. RefWorks- www.refworks.com is your BEST FRIEND! No longer do you have to try to remember what source you got what from. Refworks is my go-to for citation. It allows you to open folders for each paper you are working on and put each source you use into folders by the particular assignment. Not only that, but if you are getting sources from a database (such as the ones the University of Tampa subscribes to), there is an automatic "Export" button which does the entire citation for you. The best part is that when you are done acquiring all your sources, there is a button that allows you to turn all of the sources in that folder into a bibliography (in the exact format your professor requires). Did I mention it is in alphabetical order too?
2. Trello- www.trello.com - Trello is for To-Do List Lovers! This website allows you to create running to-do lists and mark each projects urgency and share with others. Those you share with, can select certain items on that to-do list that they will work on. Perfect for group projects and assigning certain parts to efficiently get things done (and hold people accountable, as Trello shows you the name of who elected to handle the to-do list item).
3. Google Drive- It actually scares me how many college students DON'T know about Google Drive. It is the best way to work on group projects. In Google Drive, you can create spreadsheets, documents, and presenations all with the ability to collaborate and share with others. Google Drive is through the interenet, so you can access your drive documents through any computer. Forgot to print something on your way to class that was due today? Simply run to the computer lab, log onto your Google Drive, and pull up the document. Google Drive also saves your work automatically, so no need to panic when your computer crashes.
4. Keep your Email Inbox to 20 messages OR LESS- I can not stress enough the importance of email etiquette. Nothing is worse than not answering an email, whether you genuinely forgot or are unable to manage the 2,000 you get a day. I encourage you to read every email immediately as it comes in. If it is an easy answer, JUST ANSWER IT. You don't have to write a story. Sufficiently answer what the person is asking and move on.
If the email requires a little more time, reply to the person that you understand their request and leave it in your inbox with the red flag marked.
ALL OTHER EMAILS SHOULD BE FILED INTO A SPECIFIC FOLDER OR DELETED. Don't let your inbox pile up with a mix of important and unimportant emails. It will only lead to you loosing the important ones and never responding. Which is super, super, super frowned upon.
5. Use your email inbox rules- Each email platform has the ability for you to automatically file incoming emails based on keywords, who they are from, and subject. This will also help you deplete any confusion in your inbox and make it easy for you to find emails from certain people, about certain classes, or projects.
6. Carry a Small Notebook- Go to Wal-Mart and buy yourself a little notebook and TAKE IT EVERYWHERE. You wouldn't believe all the things you forget because you think, "Oh, I will remember". But face it, we forget a lot. So whenever you are at a coffee meeting or when you have a great idea pop into your head, write it down in this notebook. It will become your "Bible of Your Life" so to speak. I have been able to harness so much more of my creative ideas because I can actually remember them now, instead of saying, "Darn, what was that amazing idea I had in mind".
7. Read you Planner Before Bed- Every night before climbing in bed, I get out my planner and see what is happening the next day. This allows me to get organized and orient myself around any assignments that I need to have completed, coffee dates I have lined up, etc. So many times students write things in planners and then never read them.
8. SAY "NO!"- This I am still working on, but I have gotten so much better since my freshman year of college. I always thought that the perfect business girl had to always take on every project and finish it with a bow on top. Not only is this NOT POSSIBLE but it's not sustainable. You will end up wearing yourself out, which will in turn lead you to not doing good work. Instead, try to find a balance. It's hard, I know. But learn to put things that are important to you first, with reason. Yes, I am sure going to the bar might be important, so put that first...sometimes. But also know that school work is important too. Again, it's a balance. No one finds it on their first try.
I am by no means the expert of "busy", sometimes I still get super stressed with my busy life. But these processes and systems helps keep everything together. Just remember though, everyone has days where they feel overwhelmed. It's all part of being a leader.
Love,
Meredith
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