Organisation is definitely something that is drummed into us from the moment we start university. We sit and nod our heads and think ‘yes, I know what I’m doing’… well, I thought I had good organisation before I started third year – oh how wrong I was! So where to start on trying to organise the busiest year of your life… so far?
Yes, I felt the need to by a over priced KIKKI.K diary to keep me ”organised” haha
Get a diary! Whether it’s on your phone calendar, book or bedroom wall, if it’s not in the diary you’re probably end up not doing it because either you’ll forget about it or because you’ll double book yourself! I also find post-it notes useful for prompts or reminders. Stick them on your mirror or somewhere you will look daily to keep those important tasks at the front of your mind.
Since being back in theory I have had to be disciplined with my time management and organisation. I’ve had lectures to attend for two modules, one being my dissertation and the other being my management and leadership module, both really important and coming with a lot of independent work and wider reading which I have to factor into my weekly schedule. I have goals each week that I want to achieve to ensure I’m on track and keeping up to date with work deadlines. I have a separate dissertation timetable which can be daunting to look at but a must-have to ensure everything is done efficiently and in good time. I also have to factor in paid work as the bills won’t pay themselves! I aim to work 2-3 times per week, whether that is doing bank HCA work or student ambassador shifts. It’s exhausting and can set me back in my educational aims if I do long shifts but it’s a necessity. It’s also the time of year where there are a lot of nursing recruitment fairs coming up. I attended one recently (Nursing Times Live) and it was incredibly helpful to get an idea of what hospitals have to offer us as newly qualified nurses and when their open days and interviews are (something else to put in the diary).
Or scale a climbing wall in Northampton square to let your hair down!. Some of the easiest things to forget to schedule are things that you enjoy doing most like sport, going to the gym or a crazy night out at the SU – remember you are still a student!
I had my first meeting with my dissertation supervisor last week, we discussed my question and set goals for how my dissertation writing and research should progress. This has really helped me to set clear aims and objectives. I will prioritise my time from now until Christmas on my dissertation aims and will factor in all other activities around that!
In terms of organisation and time management, being at university has taught me that if you don’t tackle deadlines or projects head on and in plenty of time they can become so over whelming you lose motivation and put yourself under immense stress. So from someone who has been there and still occasionally slips up, get organised stay on top of your goals. Good luck with any January exam revision or essay deadlines looming pre or post-Christmas! Make sure you enjoy Christmas, get organised and you will feel a lot better for it….it can also be a new year’s resolution (….too early?).
Liv x
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