How to Get Organized

Written By: Coach Nathaniel Jenkins

The ability to organize is an under-discussed skillset. Organization is a tedious stepping stone that requires constant maintenance in efforts to meet our next goal or deadline. As I am sure you know, organization is acutely important in day to day life whether we acknowledge it or not; this can be a frightening thought for many, especially for young minds with executive functioning hardships or ADHD. You may have heard something along the lines of “I would like to become more organized, but I don’t know where to start!” or “I know where my stuff is and that is all that matters!” As is true for most things in life, just because one way works for an individual does not mean that it will work for another. Organizational skills are not simply taught through a “one size fits all” approach because no one student is exactly alike. For some, the thought of being disorganized is unfathomable, but for others, it's just a part of life. An article called “How to Help Yourself Get Organized” by the Child Mind Institute https://childmind.org/article/how-to-help-yourself-get-organized/ provides insight on how young minds may work and think of organization.

      Young minds are malleable and have incredible amounts of potential to soak up a lot of information. It is imperative to promote day to day routines focused on staying organized to carry out tasks of all difficulty levels with more peace of mind. Organization is not tactical, it is strategic, but it may require various different tactics, or approaches, to get your student on track to becoming self-sufficient in their organizational abilities. According to the article “How to Help Yourself Get Organized,” the most important “universal tips” for success when learning organizational skills are to do the following:

·         Write it down.

·         Put the same thing in the same place every time.

·         Make easy-to-lose things bulky.

·         Breaking overwhelming tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces.

·         Keep it simple.

            Let’s include these points into steps for instilling a sense of confidence to develop organizational skills in your student.

1.       If at first you don’t…. find an approach that is successful, test new approaches until you find one that works! Don’t stress it if several approaches don’t work as expected. Trial and error is a part of life. You will find what your student responds to in time. Positive reinforcement in general will go a long way in promoting life skills such as organization.

2.       Weaknesses, we all have them. Understanding weaknesses and tackling them head on is key in life in general, but especially in the life of a student lacking executive functioning skills. For these students, the sense of having a “weakness[es]” may be heightened and identifying weaknesses you may observe as the parent, teacher, etc. in your student may be different from what the student would classify as their weaknesses. Communicating to identify these shortcomings will significantly help in the long run.

3.       Methods for success. These methods may include specific items or words of affirmation or whatever it is your student positively responds to. Would a physical calendar full of handwritten notes of when homework, exams, etc. are due be a successful method for your student? Or would having the student write on a notepad or even an app for notes in their phone help? The key to successfully instilling a sense of organization in your student is to focus on what works for them.

4.       Don’t stress the planning aspect of becoming organized. The thought of attempting what to do to become organized can be daunting, but simple small steps will show the most success and will build over time into a fluid routine of maintaining organization in day to day life. The methods mentioned in step 3 may not be immediately useful so find what works piece by piece.

The key to all of this is understanding that your student is learning a new skill set altogether that does not have its own class subject at school. Your student who faces complications with executive functioning has a lot of potential to put their energy into becoming organized and maybe even one day enjoying the sense of accomplishment that organization brings. Finding what works for your student will not only help instill a valuable life skill, but will also help them to succeed in academics and whatever life may throw their way.

How to Eliminate Procrastination

It’s Thursday evening and you’re frantically working to finish up an English project due tomorrow morning. Tired, angry, and anxious that you can’t watch your TV show tonight, you ask yourself, “How did this happen?”

First, you spent your entire weekend binging Netflix, since you were giving yourself a break from the week. Then during the week, you spent hours on Tik-Tok, then you shared them with your friends, spending more time laughing at them and discussing what other videos are comparable in a group chat. That is called procrastination, and it is one of the most destructive habits.

However, if you make a habit of being proactive, it can lead to positive results if you focus and stay committed. Below are a few quick tips that you can use to transition from being a procrastinator, to a proactive student.

Make a Plan

Using a planner and making a detailed plan for the project is key. All supplies need to be present and important rubric points need to be highlighted for various parts of the project are just a few of the many details needed. A planner helps you keep all of the notes, comments and steps within your plan. A whiteboard is also beneficial as it can help you see the big picture when you lay out your plan. Remember, always get an overview before going through the details.

Remove Distractions

Whether you’re studying at home in a living room, bedroom, or kitchen, you are surrounded by distractions. You know what those specific distractions are and they’re part of the reason you procrastinate. Your social media accounts, your phone, your Tik Tok videos – all are in your control. Remove those distractions and watch your productivity rise and you’ll come to realize later that you’ve finished the project early and have time for yourself. Next time you find it hard to focus, look around the room and remove the biggest distractions. The environment plays a huge role in productivity. Control it or it will control you.

Start Early

The earlier the better, as it will allow time to fix mistakes or add to your project, while leaving you with more time for yourself when you are finished. You should start your project like any other homework, immediately the day it is received. No matter how small the first step is.  Procrastination is often caused by the fear of starting. By making progress, even minimal progress, from the beginning, you are less likely to procrastinate later on.

Dividing Goals

Whenever any project is assigned, it is best to divide the project into small manageable steps. In addition, writing the amount of time each part will take gives a realistic idea of how long it will take. This makes it easier to focus rather than getting overwhelmed by the project as a whole. By breaking your project into small manageable chunks, you’re able to measure the progress you’re making with each item complete.

Support Systems

Getting started on tasks isn’t always easy, and it’s difficult to push yourself when it’s a task that isn’t fun or interesting.  Therefore, find someone to push you to get started. Whether it’s a parent, friend, sibling, or tutor, find a support system that works for you so that you are motivated to start and finish your project. 

The truth is procrastination plagues the productivity of people all over the world, not just students. However, students who learn how to manage procrastination by becoming proactive thrive in the adult world. If your student struggles with procrastination or any other executive functioning skill, let us help!