You forgot number 7 - Spreadsheets. Spend hours creating amazing looking, colour coded intricately designed spreadsheets with a table for everything. Make sure to learn how to use formulas and conditional formatting for the prettiest spreadsheet possible. If done correctly, at the end of the day, you will have made the best looking and most well thought out organisational spreadsheet ever made, and have completed exactly 0% of the tasks you had planned for the day!
The first method is called The Eisenhower Method/Box/Matrix coming from a quote attributed to Dwight D. Eisenhower: "I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent."
Dominika Kalkowska awesome👍 I've seen a few key tips on using it: it's tempting to spend all your time and classify lots of stuff on the top-left, but really the key is to push such things out to the right or downwards (the usual examples of crying baby/fire in the kitchen being obvious ones you can't, but it puts into perspective what you can), delegating stuff in the bottom left, and really trying to set aside time for those things in the top right that will really improve your life. Have you seen Tim Urban's work on waitbuywhy? I loved his piece about procrastinators, who tend to spend a lot of time in the bottom row, with a subset of them he calls "impostinators" (who are invariably "always busy") wander around at the bottom until there's a panic, then shoot up to the top left working until the wee hours Me? I'm still shit at doing this well and am more an impostinator 😅
I'm more of a "to do list" kind of a person, but my office-mate fills in his Eisenhower Matrix every day, and I got to say he's becoming an expert in "delegating". He even tried his tricks on me...
A "day in my life" video about organization would actually be great for those who really don't know anything about that like me so we could figure it out a little better !
Bullet journaling is funny because the guy who originally conceived it made it to be this very streamlined and simple system. Then pinterest and instagram got a hold of it and it's art as well as planning. I found it really intimidating when I started because I felt pressure to make it beautiful and matching and super consistent. Now I bullet journal ish and use it primarily just for uni stuff. I get the appeal of the pretty and colourful method though, it looks really relaxing if you have the time and will power.
Hey Hannah! I totally get that bullet journaling isn't your thing, and I'm happy that you have a system that works so well for you. However, there is this notion in the general public that bullet journaling is only for super artsy people and that it takes up a ton of time, when that doesn't have to be the case. Bullet journaling is essentially a more organized version of a to-do list, and if you stick to the original method, it takes up no more time than any other planning system. I would strongly urge anyone reading this comment to watch the original bullet journal video made by the inventor of the system (if you youtube search "bullet journal" it's the first result). All you need to start is a notebook and a pen (ANY notebook and ANY pen. You don't need to spend $50 dollars on stationary). Again, I have no problems with people who have researched bullet journaling and determined it's not for them. But so many people only see the super fancy stuff on Pinterest and Instagram, and just right off the bat say that they could never do it. Which is so sad, because in reality it's a simple, accessible, and amazingly effect planning system.
I second this! Regular week to a page planners don't have enough space for all my to-dos and day to a page planners don't let me see my week at a glance, bullet journalling is the best of both worlds!
rat she did a video with Lucy Moon on Lucy's channel, i suggest you look at that because you get hannah's organised view as well as Lucy's less organised view. its really good
As a self-proclaimed organisation fiend I LOVED THIS!! For me, I almost always find that writing tasks/lists down in a notebook or something makes me more inclined to do them than if I write them on my phone, purely because the satisfaction I get from physically striking something off a list is 10x stronger than just deleting it from a screen. I know that if I've written something on my phone it means I'm not as serious about doing it, so if I've written it down then I mean BUSINESS.
Colour coding is a life saver! I'm at school and have a different colour for each subject so I can see at a glance how much of each thing I have to do. Also, tick things off so you get a sense of satisfaction, which motivates you to work, and you can see how much progress you've already made if you're starting to feel stressed or overwhelmed.
Have-done lists are super helpful! Like a to do list but you make a list of the tasks you've already completed as you go. (Can be used alongside a to-do list) It encourages and motivates me and doesn't make me feel overwhelmed like to do lists sometimes do. Particularly helpful if like me you struggle with anxiety and depression but can work for anyone. It reminds you that even if you feel useless today you might have achieved more than you think, which then gives you the motivation to keep going :)
A good way of doing homework i find is doing 45 minutes work with no distractions then break 15 minutes checking my phone and watching videos then repeat
I used to do this, then someone specialized in organization adviced me to work longer. This way you don't need time starting up and become more effective. If it's not for you, you can leave this advice.
The method I've been using in 25 work and 5 break. I think its called Pomodoro? It's greet because you can get through the work time because it's not long and then the five is short enough to keep you in the flow
I recommend against checking your phone. I don't know. Maybe I'm projecting, but I get really distracted by sources of stress on the phone. Better to set it aside until the homework is done.
@Hannah Witton I've been Bullet Journalling for 3 months now and I absolutely LOVE it! Sure, you have to spend a bit more time on drawing the spreads than just writing your tasks down in an ordinary calendar/organiser, but the good thing is, that your spreads are specifically designed for you, by you. So every month I take about 2 hours to do the spreads for the next month (I'm still experimenting) and every evening I take 5 minutes to fill in my Habit tracker. A bullet journal is so relaxing and rewarding, being able to mark all your tasks and appointments of the day as completed, as you go. Probably the best part of it is that the BuJo becomes what you need it to be, so if you don't need any doodles or fancy spreads, just don't do them. In a nutshell: I'm really happy my flatmate got me into Bullet Journalling, because it really helps me to stay organised.
I have a HUGE university year planner from waterstones and it has been my lifeline this year. First half is for the weeks (where I've colour coded what I've got going on according to university/birthdays/part time job/voluntary work/placements/personal) and then the back half is just notes. So any and all info goes there; I do weekly to-do lists and also put my lecture list etc in there so I centric what I've done and ensure `i don't miss anything I need to cover
I am currently bullet journaling, and I find that it is a hobby for me. I often compare it to scrapbooking for some people as I enjoy doing it and it helps me organise my life at the same time. I understand completely that this doesn't work for a lot of people, however I find that it really helps me find a balance between my school and home lives.
Every evening after dinner, I plan out what I'm going to do the next day. I go into the wee calendar on my phone and write in what I'm going to revise the next day hour by hour. Then, I write detailed steps in my notes. This really works for me because I work really well when I can see exactly what I want to do in the time that I have
This is fabulously nerdy and I love it. I've always been an organization and productivity nut but I tend to bounce around systems every few months and that may never change. I've been doing GTD for about five years and it works well for me, but I switch between apps and am constantly "re-booting." I have started doing bullet journaling recently, but not for my planning. Instead, I've found it to be a useful place to a) log things in my life to look back on and learn about myself over time and b) capture references and lists that I really just want on paper, so that I can have them open while I'm using my entire computer screen. I've also found that handwriting is a creative thing that I can do without feeling terrible at it, so I enjoy that outlet, but I don't go overboard with the decorating.
Thank you for emphasizing the importance of work/life balance! It's affirming to hear that someone who is on top of their game makes this a priority, especially when today's work culture drills into our heads that working 24/7 is the only path to success.
On bullet journals: I use one and I love it. I am not arty or into all the pretty stuff. I have a couple of rolls of washi tape which is purely for marking pages to make them easier to see. Don't get me wrong, I watch all the beautiful videos too but mine is so plain and just a fucking mess to be honest! I got my layout from a minimalist bullet journal example and then I just scribble all over it. It helps me a lot personally because I do shifts in care work at two different places. So I can put my shifts in, and my mileage, and also make to do lists and lists to do with moving house or my pets all in one place. Its really helpful for me, like a diary come notebook. I loves it :)
I /love/ seeing people advocate for better work life balance!! So many people like us in their twenties (including me sometimes) burn themselves out so much, and I have found my current job incredibly helpful in that everyone around me expects and advocates for a work life balance while also doing amazing and important work. Glad to see more people showing that you can do it in other industries!
Marissa Nicole Cuevas I think the ones you typically see do. But that wasn't the original vision of them. They were originally designed to be super simple and quick.
I personally use a bullet journal and it's definitely not as pretty as the ones you see on tumblr and insta. (If we're sharing: I have a system where I have a calendar on a column covering 1/3 of the page and then the other 2/3 is my to-do list. Sure, it has colors and I try to write nicely, and sometimes if I don't have much to do, I'll even write a nice motivational quote, but it's focused on my tasks.) Like mwalsh said, it was originally meant to be simple, quick, and fit to your needs, not to be the prettiest or most colorful.
Marissa Nicole Cuevas I agree, by the time I'd finished drawing it all up and decorating it I'd need a break without even starting any work! A good old list works fine for me!
i use a bullet journal but theres pretty much no decoration. i just use it as a book of to do lists and events and stuff, basically a personalised planner that i can change up a little if i feel like it
That's what I am doing cause normal calendars always seemed very limited. Some days I have a list which goes on for the three next days in a normal calendar and some I have nothing... The way I use it I make a monthly spread and write down all of the normal engagements like work, uni, exams, coursework deadlines and such an if I need to write down something longer, it is just a separate page and if it is important I know where it is. I also use it to write down ideas for coursework and such, different lists of what in general I need to do. I add very little decorations and most of them are just washi tapes cause they are quick :)
I'm a bullet journal user and I've found a system of setting up my pages that works for me! So I spend a day prioritising finishing my layouts for the whole of 2017 (it didn't take me that long as I have a pretty basic layout). The day off allowed me to relax and have me time while being creative with my bullet journal. Now my system is set up and ready to go and doesn't take time away from my daily tasks! Great video though! I definitely share your enthusiasm for organisation and it's something that's just inbuilt in me too :)
I'm trying out bullet journaling, I don't go overboard with it, but pretty tape and stationery makes it more fun for me, so I'm more likely to plan stuff. And the satisfaction of ticking a box is like UGH YES
WORD Hanna!!! Work-Life-Balance has to be appreciated more! Hate those people battling and proving to each other at work, who can work heavier and stay longer in the office to make a "career," but in the end "building" private life or having hobbies ist also an important achievement
How I stayed organised was colour coding EVERYTHING! In my diary, I had different colours for work, class, social things etc. For my study notes I had different coloured sections for various concepts, and my to do lists are coloured depending on priority. It is an easy way to have a quick glance at something and see what you have on.
I love organization and planning! Im a huge fan of my integrated to-do list and calendar as a student. Mine is set up exactly like yours. Another thing I do is track all of the time I devote to my studies in Toggl. I've only been doing it for one semester but I find it extremely helpful to know which classes take up the most of my time. This helps me better manage my time and understand where I should focus more effort in order to improve both my grades and my work life balance.
I'm a journaler (ish) - I also pride myself on being the 'organized friend' and completely agree that journals waste a lot of time but I know my weekly layout for a 'calendar/to-do list page' and it takes me two minutes to draw my week out. I only get all fancy and doodly when organizing a holiday/event/anything other than my weeklys. It's quite therapeutic, got to love organization!
That time management thing you said about they either haven't managed their time properly or you're not a priority has just opened my eyes! I have never thought like that, it is so true though. Ohhh I feel like I'm seeing who values me as a priority now :') Love this video though, organisation gives me life! xx
Bullet journalling is the best thing that has happened to me, organisation-wise. My bullet journal looks nothing like what you can see on pinterest or instagram, I don't spend hours trying to make it look nice. It's just a way for me to have all my lists at the same place (instead of post-it notes that keep getting lost) and be able to write down important things, which is crucial for me to remember them. I use google calendar to keep track of things that are further in the future, and use the bullet journal for the nearer future. That works out, cause I have the tendency to stress out about things way in advance, so the bullet journal kinda serves as blinders.
I use a bullet journal and love it! I dedicate a few hours to setting it up but then I do little check ins and updates of tasks and goals throughout the whole month.
Thank God I love organising too I thought I was really weird! I got out of the habit of doing this/became second nature to me but I used to rank my priorities on a scale out of ten then list them if I had a super busy week/month to make sure I still met everything and planned how much time I wanted to spend on each thing. For someone who gets stressed quite easily it really helped having a list of priorities and sticking to it. My main advice would be to start things as soon as you get them because leaving things to the last minute does you no favours and pulling all nighters are terrible especially for school/work the next morning. Also, it may sound weird but change your working environment from time to time if you are revising even if it just taking some notes outside and reading them over for twenty minutes in the sun; helps keeps work exciting and all that. :)
What works with me, a person who struggle with anxiety but need also to be organised so I don't get anxious is organise day by day. In the evening I just organise the day after, not more than one day. I found this method really helpful!!
I totally understand your thoughts on bullet journals. However, I find them quite useful for helping me sort out my thoughts and calm me down. I get easily overwhelmed and my anxiety gets bad when I have a lot to do. So I have a regular planner for all of my assignments but when I am feeling anxious/overwhelmed it is helpful for me to list everything out and take time to organize my thoughts
I bullet journal but I don't use the proper bullet journal system. I used to be so overwhelmed and disorganised but putting everything down on paper in one place has really helped. I'm not organisation queen or anything but I'm a lot better than I was. I mostly just make to do list and live of the satisfaction of crossing things off.
I have to admit , I am a google calendar girl all over :), I have a shared calendar with my entire family, all of which are in separate colours so we cant get confused and we will map out all of our stuff into the one shared calendar so that it can be seen by everyone. It means when my fiance has a funeral that day (hes a funeral director) I can see hes busy, my father in law can see when I need a lift to work in advance and we can see when hes busy and out for the day and arrange accordingly. SO DAMN HANDY, also I keep a paper planner with me that I update with work hours and more personal things which is my go to and then I relay anything I need to on to the digital calendar if and when I need to. I love your organisational skills fellow hufflepuff
the thing with bullet journalling is ...it can be artsy and fun. so if youre planning time off during your week, then you can do it then if its something you genuinely enjoy doing. once you have the system set up, it only take about 10 mins a day depending on how crazy you get. but that to me is fine...because Id happily spend an hour a day drawing or writing and this fits into those boxes, but its productive too! 😊
I literally just took notes! Totally agree about the bullet journal though, it's why I've steered clear. I would spend THE ENTIRE DAY making it look pretty and organising pages and then it'd be time for bed. People must be so quick! I just need to do the things. Also never even thought of putting my Mac calendar into week view... Will definitely be trying that one out!
I gonna to have a organized life since i was a person who extremely not organized at all, there are plenty of things i wanted to do, but only few of them can be done, love your sharing of organisation, i want to start a new life, and don't let the unnecessary things fill in my life completely. Love you, you are so pretty and sunshine.
I have a bullet journal since August last year, and I think the way you see bullet journals is not how I do it, it doesn't take me much time at all! for every month I do a calender, things I need to get done this month only with more space to write them, and then if I have a lot to do daily I sometimes write the date, and the list of the tasks. it may sound like a lot but it really doesn't take that much time and it's really helpful. I'm so unorganised naturally, the bullet journal helps but I still struggle to actually manage my time so I needed this video. I hope your advice will help me more!
I personally have my calendar with all my events/meetings and key tasks I need to get done in a day plus a separate to do list. I list everything I need to do within the week and give everything a priority score of 1 to 5 (1 being do it now and complete before a certain time or date and 5 being it could be done when I have some free time in my day or next week if necessary). I find this keeps me accountable and allows anyone else to know where my priorities are focused, so I can then explain why I'm not focusing on something. I re-evalulate my scores throughout the week and move things accordingly on my list. Say someone needs a certain piece of information for something I've labelled a 3, I'll move it to a 1 to 2 so I keep on top of all my tasks and when something doesn't get done, I have grounds to explain why it wasn't done.
I'm a big bullet journaler, but I purposefully keep mine super simple otherwise I find myself falling into the trap of organising more than actually doing! But since I've kept a really basic bujo, it really works for me and helps me keep on top of things. I'm not particularly good at the prioritising in my head thing. I get overwhelmed and stressed out way too easily. So writing shit down helps a lot. I *love* lists and a bujo is basically just a nice way to organise lists! Loved this video! :) x
I go back and forth between being incredibly organised and incredibly disorganised, depending on how my adhd and anxiety and working together on particular days, but I adore bullet journalling. I have everything I plan in advance in my monthly calendar and then I have a weekly spread so I can see the events and the general tasks I have to do that week and then I have my super detailed daily to-do lists so I can remember to shower and eat lunch and what particular part of a particular essay paragraph I have to get done. It's basically just a journal that actually has enough space for me to write down everything I have to do. I use that in conjunction with my outlook calendar that syncs with my facebook and so that I will get reminders on there about work shifts and doctors appointments and such, but I still need the paper to write down and plan things.
I'm living for this topic! Personally, I'm bullet journaling but as a university student I don't really use it to plan (since every week is essentially the same except for weekends) but more to track my habits and well, journal a bit with bullet points. For irregular appointments I'll usually just use the calendar in my phone and till now it all worked out like that :)
one of the best videos on organisation EVER!!!! I know all the theories and this is a BRILLIANT summary, but I'm still rubbish at it though, I feel like I need someone to sit and watch me 24/7 for a couple of weeks and FIX me!!!
The bullet Journal inspired me to keep all my lists in one place, but I'm basically using the same system that I used to put on random scraps of paper and random pages of my random notebooks, and it is soooooo much more effective. I don't waste time making my notebook super pretty (although I did put lots of stickers on the cover) or drawing my own calendar. I use a calendar app for that, and I draw on drawing paper. This keeps my upkeep pretty straightforward. I do number the pages and keep an index up-to-date, but otherwise, my only maintenance is just to make a new list each day. I try to walk the line of readable/legible/tidy while messy and rough enough to be quick and low pressure. So far, this is working really well for me. Actually writing things down and physically marking them complete is very satisfying and it ingrains the information into my mind in a way that digital to-do lists never have.
I bullet journal, but not in the original format? But the way I've adapted it allows me to have a monthly and weekly visual layout just at a glance, so I can schedule super quickly when I'm out. And because I'm disabled, I've been able to work in things like pill icons to make sure I take my drugs, a mini tracker for migraines and a weekly chronic pain tracking scale (which sounds complicated but is very not), which really help at doctors appointments. They've been able to help out with medication adjustments and the like. Phone and electronic reminders work for some people, but making myself write it all out has been helpful for me, especially since one of my meds gives me memory loss 😝 Love the video Hannah! You always have great organization ideas.
I like to double up on things - I learn french while I'm communicating, and listen to political podcasts while at work to stay informed (work for me is more a means of survival than an actual priority in itself). Means that no time is dead time except for my scheduled self-care/slob time when I turn off my brain and watch riverdale or w/e
Now that you mention it, this is one of the most consistent channels that's produced out of a home. Impressive. and I greatly appreciate consistency. And tidy bookshelves :)
I love organisation too! I get super excited about calendars and spreadsheets just like you. Personally I use a bullet journal just because I can adapt it to my needs, I don't do any of those drawings or intricate decorations, although I think they are super aesthetically pleasing.
This was super helpful, I need to get really organised because I'm swimming in a pile of work and my anxiety is acting up. I find bullet journaling useful because I have everything in one place and since it's a book and not on my phone, it allows me to put my phone away when I really don't have time to answer messages. Although, I find those really intricate well thought bullet journal spreads a bit redundant. I usually take about 45 min to an hour once a month to plan and setup the month ahead and review all my tasks on a weekly basis. Also I really need to work on finishing tasks before I take a break. This past Easter weekend was meant to be my break and relaxation, but because I wasn't on top of everything, I ended up stressing about all the work I had to do.
As someone who has a massive problem with procrastination I can confirm that scheduling is extremely helpful to actually get stuff done, and also that scheduling your free time is valuable to keep from feeling overwhelmed. Keeping all my tasks in a calendar would not work for me, though, because I have a lot of them as breaking bigger tasks into small steps makes them easier to tackle. So I will e.g. have two hours scheduled to work on project A but might complete five tasks belonging to that project during this time. Also, I have too many tasks that are not (yet) scheduled, which would not fit into a calendar. My own setup is currently built around Todoist and Google Calendar. The former has a bit of a learning curve but is very flexible; and if you want to see scheduled tasks in your calendar, this can be set up with it too.
I used to be like this. Super organised, to do lists, everything done and super ahead of things... Then I had a baby. Heh! It's amazing how a little tiny human so small can completely nuke your productivity. No more than 2-hour stretches of sleep at night? Check. Taking an hour to get the baby to nap? Check. Breastfeeding 4-6 hours a day? Check! What really got to me what the complete un-scheduledness of it all, especially the first 3 months. Every day was completely different, our sleep schedules were completely all over the place. It's enough to drive one crazy. The good news is that around 6 months (where I am now) it all gets better. So it really is a matter of just completely writing off the first 6 months as time you will get almost nothing done! Finally back to scheduling and being organised again and it's so great to be back!
I learned to say "No" long time ago. I used to be the guy people came to i.e. Peter will do it. A manager came to me, after I was in a diff dept, and asked if I could cover the old job cuz the other fellow was off the next week. I had new priorities were I was, so I paused, thought, blanched.. then said "No". I found later the guy who was taking off that week gave mgmt months of advance notice, then reminded them again he'd be off, and they panicked, and ran to me LOL I now balance my yes and no's. ;) I also know all about biz/corporate stress, and now burnout, as I was off on hiatus for quite a time, now slowly working to go back, but to a diff position in the company... Thanks for sharing, Hannah. Kinda binge watching some of your stuff, just sub'd today. Liking the channel ;)
I've learned that I work best with to do list. I have a long list of things I have to do that aren't urgent, but need to get done. Everyday, I write Down five things that I have to do. Once I'm done, I can do whatever I want, whether that's doing some extra tasks or just binge watch Netflix.
I started with a bullet journal last summer and it's really been working for me, but what I like do to is pair it with another notebook. In this other notebook I have all the things I have to do (eg. clean the house, washing, or the homework i've been set) and then I open them both every morning and transfer them from this notebook (which is basically to know everything i have to do and not forget it) to the BuJo, and then check them off. It sounds complicated, but it works really well! :)
I have just started using a bullet journal and personally, for me, it works well, maybe at some point it will stop working and i will have to change my method, but for this stage of my life, it's working out well and i love it.
Ironically I watched this in my break from studying for my Spanish exam. I tend to make to do lists - I have a whiteboard on my wall and there is no greater satisfaction than wiping away one of my tasks when it's done. And in times like this when I have a lot to get done, I make strict timetables and follow them. Mental health sometimes derails it a little but honestly, by planning it out, I get more done than if I worried about where to start. But that's just my own experience.
I love this video so much! I know most of the tips already but I just get so excited about being organised and find it just so motivating to hear you talking about it!💗
BULLET JOURNALING. Made all my lists and organisation stuff go into one space, simple or cutely written out, and makes it easy to manage big or small things day by day
this was sosososososooso helpful. I am already a really organized person but that point about scheduling your breaks (or as i like to call it me time) literal mind blown
for bigger chunks of brainwork like academia i like using the pomodoro timer methods where you work for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break and do something unrelated to your work (like making a cup of tea or just walking around the room for a bit) and just repeat that for 4 intervals and then take a 15 minute break (or longer if you've finished your task). helps me stay focused on my work, especially when I'm reading lots of academic texts. there's also lots of timer apps with alarms and stuff. I bet someone has already mentioned this method in the comments, still wanted to throw it out there :)
Work-life balance is so important! The 3 part days you mentioned is a really easy and useful idea too. I'm definitely going to try and think of my days like that from now on. Thanks for the tip Hannah!
I really enjoyed this video and found it incredibly helpful! I have never been a very organized person but I've always wanted to be because I know I'd be a lot less stressed if I was. My biggest problem in definitely time management and actually doing the things. I can make lists all I want and make beautiful schedules and tasks and follow all the bullet journal videos and never do a goddamn thing with it. Hearing you talk about these tips in such a simple way and validating that not having a pretty bullet journal will still make you organized really helps and I'm definitely going to try this again but keep it simple! I honestly may be over complicating the bullet journal but it also just may not be my thing as well. Might as well start small and get the hang of it first then try something bigger like the bullet journal. Btw hearing how excited you are while talking is the best thing! It makes me excited about it too.
I have my planner where I put in my obligations (work, babysitting, appointments, etc.) and then a small whiteboard on my wall where I write out my to do list for the day. It works well for me and it's super satisfying to erase something once you've done it :P
Organisation is very alien to me. Seeing you so excited about it is a bit freaky but I'd like to thank you for this video. I have ADHD and since the diagnosis I've been a lot more conscious about getting organised because I need it more than others. In the last year or so I've used a weird criteria which helped me enormously : WTMMH? Will This Make Me Happy? It sounds very self centred but it actually gets more things done. Failing to meet a deadline or somebody's expectations makes me feel shitty but not always in equal mesures. Failing to meet my wife's expectations is crushing but failing to meet some administration dude's expectations, I couldn't give a shit if I tried. Priorities, yey! Also, my wife and I have multiple shared calendars (raising four kids is a lot like running a small business) and to-do lists. I recently shifted the todos to a new app/platform with the ability to assign a task to a person. The goal is to better share the mental charge by self assigning tasks so that the partner knows it's being taken care of. So far, it's been a real improvement. Also if you want to improve your French, why not weave it in your activities. Ask for french speakers to comment in French and answer in kind. I'd do that (I'm a french speaker; English is my second language)
Ohh, bullet journals have helped me tremendously with my procrastination problem! I tend to only use monthly calendars, habit trackers and the daily tasks though (probably so I get to number 6 as well). And at the end of the month a little "memories page" helps me to not only remember the fun things I did but also to get some drawing practice. (I use a seperate monthly calendar besides, though, for the overview :).
My mum has always told me to set time limits on tasks- if you only have a certain amount of time to get something done, you're more likely to power through it instead of dawdling. Obviously don't rush it though! But it's still really satisfying to get everything done in your time limit, rather than the task dragging because you're being slow
The thing about bullet journal is that you don't have to doodle it ;) I use two journals: bullet journal and regular planner. Bullet journal keeps some long-term stuff, pages for dealing with mental health issues, some lists, layouts of future log (year layout). Regular planner keeps daily log, weekly log, and some short-term stuff like lecture notes if I forget the proper notebook, some quick notes you need for an hour or kind like this time. It works good so far.
I put everything in Todoist, and the big things get blocked off in my Google calendar. For the little things that are still important (do the laundry, check my bank account etc), I'll block off an hour or two on my calendar that just says "to do list," so I can check off all the things that usually only take a few minutes. ALSO, I make sure I schedule fun things. If I want to watch Netflix but don't have time to just lie around, I'll write down "do the dishes while watching Stranger Things" or whatever. That's really helped me make sure I get stuff done and still be able to enjoy myself.
important thing note for someone who was completely unorganised but is slowly getting better and that is Practice. If you're not in habit of being organised do not expect to come to you all at once. it takes time to work out was is for you.
Hannah everything about this video is just YES!!! I'm currently in the process of sorting my life out for my gap year and just getting myself together in general whilst completing A Levels and this helped so much!! I loved the tip about splitting your day into 3 and I now use a google calendar because you mentioned it in your other organisation video with Lucy Moon and it helps SO much I'm obsessed!!
The bullet journal system really works for me personally, I love making it look pretty and personalised to me and it motivates me to get shit done (more than just an 'average' diary/to do list) :)
The 'all-in-one place' thing is gold. Though my tech life is easier with Apple products, I've not found the Mac-daddy (or mummy) of organisational apps without having to pay a sub (which I can't afford these days). Gonna give your All Day Event tip a go. Microsoft-wise, I've just started using Outlook at work after almost 10 years of either Lotus Notes or Mail. O.M.G! It's AMAZING! - *Categorize* general themes - Create *Quick-steps* with keyboard shortcuts for generating categorized calendar events or tasks - Create *Search Folder*s from categories that save me wondering which folder I stored things in because I use a... - one single DONE folder! Inbox Zero is finally a doddle! Oh, and all my Outlook categories are mirrored in OneNote too. Just gotta figure out a quick way of getting notes between those apps, or how to make better use of the Outlook notes feature. For personal life though, Office 365 isn't affordable, so All Day Events it is. Thanks Hannah!
Love this video. I have always had a problem with organization. I have a very clean room but not organized when it comes to my day. Usually my day ends with regret for the things I was thinking about doing but didn’t get around to doing them. Thanks for the tips.
What I found that works for me is dividing the day in 3. We should get an 8 hour sleep, work for 8 hours and we have 8 hours to do whatever I want(maybe hobbies, studying, revising, etc)
I'm organized in a seemingly unorganized manner. I just kind of do things. I know my priorities, I plan ahead in my calendar and I write what I've done each day afterwards in a strictly factual diary. Do you write things down afterwards?
Mahavishnu Stravinskij whatever works for you! i keep my task lists which act as a 'what I have done' kind of thing. You sound pretty organised to me, different things work for different people!
I use a bullet journal and I LOVE it! personally I don't make mine too fancy and decorative because I can't do that that well and I'd just rather it look slightly pretty and function in the way I want it to. I also tend to do slightly more organised to-do lists on post-it notes, just so I can sort the order in which I do things a bit better. but I like the idea of the morning, afternoon, evening system I might start using that so I can organise my time a bit better.
I so agree with all that's in here!! When you reached step 5 I was like "Okay, but what's the point if you don't use your system?", AND THEN STEP 6 ARRIVED, omg I'm way too excited. I must admit I'm a little disappointed you didn't call Step 6 "Doing it" though. I use a bullet journal. It's ugly, but it takes me 5 minutes a day, and it keeps so much of my forgetfulness and procrastination at bay, it's a wonder. I would recommend to try different systems in order to figure out what's best for you. Because a system failed you doesn't mean you#ll never get organised.
I love how you can tell how excited Hannah is about this
This is the most Hufflepuff video I've ever seen
Ellen lol I'm a hufflepuff and I can't organize for shit
Ellen I think she means the excitement about being organised
Ellen See, I was getting Ravenclaw vibes
Ravenpuff???
idk mate hufflepuff traits are dedication and hard work - key aspects for an organised person.
hANNah I've said yes to evERYTHings
also wtf nope the time management thing wasn't long enough I can't
Also as IF I can book off time :(:(:(
AHHHHH OMG DODIE I LOVE YOU
doddleoddle i just jumped from your vlog channel to this video how funny is it that you commented here omg weird hahah ily ♥️
doddleoddle aw dodes :(
You forgot number 7 - Spreadsheets. Spend hours creating amazing looking, colour coded intricately designed spreadsheets with a table for everything. Make sure to learn how to use formulas and conditional formatting for the prettiest spreadsheet possible. If done correctly, at the end of the day, you will have made the best looking and most well thought out organisational spreadsheet ever made, and have completed exactly 0% of the tasks you had planned for the day!
Peter Marsh Sounds like how Arnold Rimmer would organise his revision timetable.
The first method is called The Eisenhower Method/Box/Matrix coming from a quote attributed to Dwight D. Eisenhower: "I have two kinds of problems, the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent."
Dominika Kalkowska awesome👍
I've seen a few key tips on using it: it's tempting to spend all your time and classify lots of stuff on the top-left, but really the key is to push such things out to the right or downwards (the usual examples of crying baby/fire in the kitchen being obvious ones you can't, but it puts into perspective what you can), delegating stuff in the bottom left, and really trying to set aside time for those things in the top right that will really improve your life.
Have you seen Tim Urban's work on waitbuywhy? I loved his piece about procrastinators, who tend to spend a lot of time in the bottom row, with a subset of them he calls "impostinators" (who are invariably "always busy") wander around at the bottom until there's a panic, then shoot up to the top left working until the wee hours
Me? I'm still shit at doing this well and am more an impostinator 😅
I'm more of a "to do list" kind of a person, but my office-mate fills in his Eisenhower Matrix every day, and I got to say he's becoming an expert in "delegating". He even tried his tricks on me...
Dominika Kalkowska devious! I wonder if he's a Slytherin 😆
And then there's me with executive dysfunction, swimming in my dirty laundry and staring at my textbook unable to open it.
Alec help
Same
Help.
A "day in my life" video about organization would actually be great for those who really don't know anything about that like me so we could figure it out a little better !
Bullet journaling is funny because the guy who originally conceived it made it to be this very streamlined and simple system. Then pinterest and instagram got a hold of it and it's art as well as planning. I found it really intimidating when I started because I felt pressure to make it beautiful and matching and super consistent. Now I bullet journal ish and use it primarily just for uni stuff. I get the appeal of the pretty and colourful method though, it looks really relaxing if you have the time and will power.
I bullet journal because it allows me to enjoy organisation. Also, the 20 mins or so I spend making it up per week are really relaxing.
I've just tried bullet journalling and doing a goal tracker with boxes really helps me. :)
Your genuine excitement about organization is the most relatable thing I have ever seen.
Hey Hannah! I totally get that bullet journaling isn't your thing, and I'm happy that you have a system that works so well for you. However, there is this notion in the general public that bullet journaling is only for super artsy people and that it takes up a ton of time, when that doesn't have to be the case. Bullet journaling is essentially a more organized version of a to-do list, and if you stick to the original method, it takes up no more time than any other planning system. I would strongly urge anyone reading this comment to watch the original bullet journal video made by the inventor of the system (if you youtube search "bullet journal" it's the first result). All you need to start is a notebook and a pen (ANY notebook and ANY pen. You don't need to spend $50 dollars on stationary). Again, I have no problems with people who have researched bullet journaling and determined it's not for them. But so many people only see the super fancy stuff on Pinterest and Instagram, and just right off the bat say that they could never do it. Which is so sad, because in reality it's a simple, accessible, and amazingly effect planning system.
I second this! Regular week to a page planners don't have enough space for all my to-dos and day to a page planners don't let me see my week at a glance, bullet journalling is the best of both worlds!
as much as i appreciate a video from an organised person i'd love a super unorganised human's perspective yknow
Have you seen the video her and Lucy Moon did?
rat she did a video with Lucy Moon on Lucy's channel, i suggest you look at that because you get hannah's organised view as well as Lucy's less organised view. its really good
Evie Goldsbrough whats the name of her channel?
SARA P meowitslucy
The most helpful CZcams video of 2017.
I'm sat on the floor crying because of English homework while watching this
LJ Jauregui i feel you 😭
LJ Jauregui same. this paper is not writing it self. but I wish it would
"The Lazy Person's Guide To Success" is a nice book if anyone wants some inspiration to get that work-break balanced lifestyle.
Splitting the day into three is actually so helpful - in struggling with revision at the moment
this was actually so helpful
As a self-proclaimed organisation fiend I LOVED THIS!! For me, I almost always find that writing tasks/lists down in a notebook or something makes me more inclined to do them than if I write them on my phone, purely because the satisfaction I get from physically striking something off a list is 10x stronger than just deleting it from a screen. I know that if I've written something on my phone it means I'm not as serious about doing it, so if I've written it down then I mean BUSINESS.
Colour coding is a life saver! I'm at school and have a different colour for each subject so I can see at a glance how much of each thing I have to do. Also, tick things off so you get a sense of satisfaction, which motivates you to work, and you can see how much progress you've already made if you're starting to feel stressed or overwhelmed.
Have-done lists are super helpful! Like a to do list but you make a list of the tasks you've already completed as you go. (Can be used alongside a to-do list) It encourages and motivates me and doesn't make me feel overwhelmed like to do lists sometimes do. Particularly helpful if like me you struggle with anxiety and depression but can work for anyone. It reminds you that even if you feel useless today you might have achieved more than you think, which then gives you the motivation to keep going :)
A good way of doing homework i find is doing 45 minutes work with no distractions then break 15 minutes checking my phone and watching videos then repeat
I used to do this, then someone specialized in organization adviced me to work longer. This way you don't need time starting up and become more effective. If it's not for you, you can leave this advice.
The method I've been using in 25 work and 5 break. I think its called Pomodoro? It's greet because you can get through the work time because it's not long and then the five is short enough to keep you in the flow
I recommend against checking your phone. I don't know. Maybe I'm projecting, but I get really distracted by sources of stress on the phone. Better to set it aside until the homework is done.
Yes I did a workshop on planning and they said that checking your phone doesn't really relax you. It's better to have proper breaks.
@Hannah Witton I've been Bullet Journalling for 3 months now and I absolutely LOVE it! Sure, you have to spend a bit more time on drawing the spreads than just writing your tasks down in an ordinary calendar/organiser, but the good thing is, that your spreads are specifically designed for you, by you. So every month I take about 2 hours to do the spreads for the next month (I'm still experimenting) and every evening I take 5 minutes to fill in my Habit tracker. A bullet journal is so relaxing and rewarding, being able to mark all your tasks and appointments of the day as completed, as you go. Probably the best part of it is that the BuJo becomes what you need it to be, so if you don't need any doodles or fancy spreads, just don't do them. In a nutshell: I'm really happy my flatmate got me into Bullet Journalling, because it really helps me to stay organised.
I have a HUGE university year planner from waterstones and it has been my lifeline this year. First half is for the weeks (where I've colour coded what I've got going on according to university/birthdays/part time job/voluntary work/placements/personal) and then the back half is just notes. So any and all info goes there; I do weekly to-do lists and also put my lecture list etc in there so I centric what I've done and ensure `i don't miss anything I need to cover
I am currently bullet journaling, and I find that it is a hobby for me. I often compare it to scrapbooking for some people as I enjoy doing it and it helps me organise my life at the same time. I understand completely that this doesn't work for a lot of people, however I find that it really helps me find a balance between my school and home lives.
Every evening after dinner, I plan out what I'm going to do the next day. I go into the wee calendar on my phone and write in what I'm going to revise the next day hour by hour. Then, I write detailed steps in my notes. This really works for me because I work really well when I can see exactly what I want to do in the time that I have
This is fabulously nerdy and I love it. I've always been an organization and productivity nut but I tend to bounce around systems every few months and that may never change. I've been doing GTD for about five years and it works well for me, but I switch between apps and am constantly "re-booting." I have started doing bullet journaling recently, but not for my planning. Instead, I've found it to be a useful place to a) log things in my life to look back on and learn about myself over time and b) capture references and lists that I really just want on paper, so that I can have them open while I'm using my entire computer screen. I've also found that handwriting is a creative thing that I can do without feeling terrible at it, so I enjoy that outlet, but I don't go overboard with the decorating.
Thank you for emphasizing the importance of work/life balance! It's affirming to hear that someone who is on top of their game makes this a priority, especially when today's work culture drills into our heads that working 24/7 is the only path to success.
At 5:56, I love that this is like a pep talk and how passionate Hannah is. I feel so much more inspired :)
On bullet journals:
I use one and I love it. I am not arty or into all the pretty stuff. I have a couple of rolls of washi tape which is purely for marking pages to make them easier to see. Don't get me wrong, I watch all the beautiful videos too but mine is so plain and just a fucking mess to be honest! I got my layout from a minimalist bullet journal example and then I just scribble all over it.
It helps me a lot personally because I do shifts in care work at two different places. So I can put my shifts in, and my mileage, and also make to do lists and lists to do with moving house or my pets all in one place. Its really helpful for me, like a diary come notebook. I loves it :)
I /love/ seeing people advocate for better work life balance!! So many people like us in their twenties (including me sometimes) burn themselves out so much, and I have found my current job incredibly helpful in that everyone around me expects and advocates for a work life balance while also doing amazing and important work. Glad to see more people showing that you can do it in other industries!
finally! someone who also thinks bullet journals look awesome but actually seem daunting and like a real waste haha
Marissa Nicole Cuevas I think the ones you typically see do. But that wasn't the original vision of them. They were originally designed to be super simple and quick.
I personally use a bullet journal and it's definitely not as pretty as the ones you see on tumblr and insta. (If we're sharing: I have a system where I have a calendar on a column covering 1/3 of the page and then the other 2/3 is my to-do list. Sure, it has colors and I try to write nicely, and sometimes if I don't have much to do, I'll even write a nice motivational quote, but it's focused on my tasks.) Like mwalsh said, it was originally meant to be simple, quick, and fit to your needs, not to be the prettiest or most colorful.
Marissa Nicole Cuevas I agree, by the time I'd finished drawing it all up and decorating it I'd need a break without even starting any work! A good old list works fine for me!
i use a bullet journal but theres pretty much no decoration. i just use it as a book of to do lists and events and stuff, basically a personalised planner that i can change up a little if i feel like it
That's what I am doing cause normal calendars always seemed very limited. Some days I have a list which goes on for the three next days in a normal calendar and some I have nothing... The way I use it I make a monthly spread and write down all of the normal engagements like work, uni, exams, coursework deadlines and such an if I need to write down something longer, it is just a separate page and if it is important I know where it is. I also use it to write down ideas for coursework and such, different lists of what in general I need to do. I add very little decorations and most of them are just washi tapes cause they are quick :)
Loved this! I started scheduling my work in my cal a few weeks ago and my productivity went up massively.
I'm a bullet journal user and I've found a system of setting up my pages that works for me! So I spend a day prioritising finishing my layouts for the whole of 2017 (it didn't take me that long as I have a pretty basic layout). The day off allowed me to relax and have me time while being creative with my bullet journal. Now my system is set up and ready to go and doesn't take time away from my daily tasks!
Great video though! I definitely share your enthusiasm for organisation and it's something that's just inbuilt in me too :)
I'm trying out bullet journaling, I don't go overboard with it, but pretty tape and stationery makes it more fun for me, so I'm more likely to plan stuff. And the satisfaction of ticking a box is like UGH YES
WORD Hanna!!!
Work-Life-Balance has to be appreciated more! Hate those people battling and proving to each other at work, who can work heavier and stay longer in the office to make a "career," but in the end "building" private life or having hobbies ist also an important achievement
How I stayed organised was colour coding EVERYTHING! In my diary, I had different colours for work, class, social things etc. For my study notes I had different coloured sections for various concepts, and my to do lists are coloured depending on priority. It is an easy way to have a quick glance at something and see what you have on.
I love organization and planning! Im a huge fan of my integrated to-do list and calendar as a student. Mine is set up exactly like yours. Another thing I do is track all of the time I devote to my studies in Toggl. I've only been doing it for one semester but I find it extremely helpful to know which classes take up the most of my time. This helps me better manage my time and understand where I should focus more effort in order to improve both my grades and my work life balance.
I'm a journaler (ish) - I also pride myself on being the 'organized friend' and completely agree that journals waste a lot of time but I know my weekly layout for a 'calendar/to-do list page' and it takes me two minutes to draw my week out. I only get all fancy and doodly when organizing a holiday/event/anything other than my weeklys. It's quite therapeutic, got to love organization!
That time management thing you said about they either haven't managed their time properly or you're not a priority has just opened my eyes! I have never thought like that, it is so true though. Ohhh I feel like I'm seeing who values me as a priority now :') Love this video though, organisation gives me life! xx
Bullet journalling is the best thing that has happened to me, organisation-wise. My bullet journal looks nothing like what you can see on pinterest or instagram, I don't spend hours trying to make it look nice. It's just a way for me to have all my lists at the same place (instead of post-it notes that keep getting lost) and be able to write down important things, which is crucial for me to remember them. I use google calendar to keep track of things that are further in the future, and use the bullet journal for the nearer future. That works out, cause I have the tendency to stress out about things way in advance, so the bullet journal kinda serves as blinders.
I use a bullet journal and love it! I dedicate a few hours to setting it up but then I do little check ins and updates of tasks and goals throughout the whole month.
Thank God I love organising too I thought I was really weird! I got out of the habit of doing this/became second nature to me but I used to rank my priorities on a scale out of ten then list them if I had a super busy week/month to make sure I still met everything and planned how much time I wanted to spend on each thing. For someone who gets stressed quite easily it really helped having a list of priorities and sticking to it. My main advice would be to start things as soon as you get them because leaving things to the last minute does you no favours and pulling all nighters are terrible especially for school/work the next morning. Also, it may sound weird but change your working environment from time to time if you are revising even if it just taking some notes outside and reading them over for twenty minutes in the sun; helps keeps work exciting and all that. :)
Also apologies for the lengthy comment
What works with me, a person who struggle with anxiety but need also to be organised so I don't get anxious is organise day by day. In the evening I just organise the day after, not more than one day. I found this method really helpful!!
I have a to-do list and a done list! It's very satisfying when you can write what you've done in the day!
Yas Yas Yas, finally someone understands my love for organisation. This has made me so happy.
I totally understand your thoughts on bullet journals. However, I find them quite useful for helping me sort out my thoughts and calm me down. I get easily overwhelmed and my anxiety gets bad when I have a lot to do. So I have a regular planner for all of my assignments but when I am feeling anxious/overwhelmed it is helpful for me to list everything out and take time to organize my thoughts
I bullet journal but I don't use the proper bullet journal system. I used to be so overwhelmed and disorganised but putting everything down on paper in one place has really helped. I'm not organisation queen or anything but I'm a lot better than I was. I mostly just make to do list and live of the satisfaction of crossing things off.
I have to admit , I am a google calendar girl all over :), I have a shared calendar with my entire family, all of which are in separate colours so we cant get confused and we will map out all of our stuff into the one shared calendar so that it can be seen by everyone. It means when my fiance has a funeral that day (hes a funeral director) I can see hes busy, my father in law can see when I need a lift to work in advance and we can see when hes busy and out for the day and arrange accordingly. SO DAMN HANDY, also I keep a paper planner with me that I update with work hours and more personal things which is my go to and then I relay anything I need to on to the digital calendar if and when I need to. I love your organisational skills fellow hufflepuff
the thing with bullet journalling is ...it can be artsy and fun. so if youre planning time off during your week, then you can do it then if its something you genuinely enjoy doing. once you have the system set up, it only take about 10 mins a day depending on how crazy you get. but that to me is fine...because Id happily spend an hour a day drawing or writing and this fits into those boxes, but its productive too! 😊
I literally just took notes! Totally agree about the bullet journal though, it's why I've steered clear. I would spend THE ENTIRE DAY making it look pretty and organising pages and then it'd be time for bed. People must be so quick! I just need to do the things. Also never even thought of putting my Mac calendar into week view... Will definitely be trying that one out!
I gonna to have a organized life since i was a person who extremely not organized at all, there are plenty of things i wanted to do, but only few of them can be done, love your sharing of organisation, i want to start a new life, and don't let the unnecessary things fill in my life completely.
Love you, you are so pretty and sunshine.
I have a bullet journal since August last year, and I think the way you see bullet journals is not how I do it, it doesn't take me much time at all! for every month I do a calender, things I need to get done this month only with more space to write them, and then if I have a lot to do daily I sometimes write the date, and the list of the tasks.
it may sound like a lot but it really doesn't take that much time and it's really helpful. I'm so unorganised naturally, the bullet journal helps but I still struggle to actually manage my time so I needed this video. I hope your advice will help me more!
I personally have my calendar with all my events/meetings and key tasks I need to get done in a day plus a separate to do list. I list everything I need to do within the week and give everything a priority score of 1 to 5 (1 being do it now and complete before a certain time or date and 5 being it could be done when I have some free time in my day or next week if necessary). I find this keeps me accountable and allows anyone else to know where my priorities are focused, so I can then explain why I'm not focusing on something.
I re-evalulate my scores throughout the week and move things accordingly on my list. Say someone needs a certain piece of information for something I've labelled a 3, I'll move it to a 1 to 2 so I keep on top of all my tasks and when something doesn't get done, I have grounds to explain why it wasn't done.
I'm a big bullet journaler, but I purposefully keep mine super simple otherwise I find myself falling into the trap of organising more than actually doing! But since I've kept a really basic bujo, it really works for me and helps me keep on top of things. I'm not particularly good at the prioritising in my head thing. I get overwhelmed and stressed out way too easily. So writing shit down helps a lot. I *love* lists and a bujo is basically just a nice way to organise lists!
Loved this video! :) x
I go back and forth between being incredibly organised and incredibly disorganised, depending on how my adhd and anxiety and working together on particular days, but I adore bullet journalling. I have everything I plan in advance in my monthly calendar and then I have a weekly spread so I can see the events and the general tasks I have to do that week and then I have my super detailed daily to-do lists so I can remember to shower and eat lunch and what particular part of a particular essay paragraph I have to get done. It's basically just a journal that actually has enough space for me to write down everything I have to do. I use that in conjunction with my outlook calendar that syncs with my facebook and so that I will get reminders on there about work shifts and doctors appointments and such, but I still need the paper to write down and plan things.
I'm living for this topic! Personally, I'm bullet journaling but as a university student I don't really use it to plan (since every week is essentially the same except for weekends) but more to track my habits and well, journal a bit with bullet points. For irregular appointments I'll usually just use the calendar in my phone and till now it all worked out like that :)
one of the best videos on organisation EVER!!!!
I know all the theories and this is a BRILLIANT summary, but I'm still rubbish at it though, I feel like I need someone to sit and watch me 24/7 for a couple of weeks and FIX me!!!
The bullet Journal inspired me to keep all my lists in one place, but I'm basically using the same system that I used to put on random scraps of paper and random pages of my random notebooks, and it is soooooo much more effective. I don't waste time making my notebook super pretty (although I did put lots of stickers on the cover) or drawing my own calendar. I use a calendar app for that, and I draw on drawing paper. This keeps my upkeep pretty straightforward. I do number the pages and keep an index up-to-date, but otherwise, my only maintenance is just to make a new list each day. I try to walk the line of readable/legible/tidy while messy and rough enough to be quick and low pressure. So far, this is working really well for me. Actually writing things down and physically marking them complete is very satisfying and it ingrains the information into my mind in a way that digital to-do lists never have.
Wow yes thank you! If you enjoyed making this please make like 50 more, I'm finding this so helpful and I imagine a lot of other people do too
Now to rewatch and write down all of it
I bullet journal, but not in the original format? But the way I've adapted it allows me to have a monthly and weekly visual layout just at a glance, so I can schedule super quickly when I'm out. And because I'm disabled, I've been able to work in things like pill icons to make sure I take my drugs, a mini tracker for migraines and a weekly chronic pain tracking scale (which sounds complicated but is very not), which really help at doctors appointments. They've been able to help out with medication adjustments and the like. Phone and electronic reminders work for some people, but making myself write it all out has been helpful for me, especially since one of my meds gives me memory loss 😝 Love the video Hannah! You always have great organization ideas.
I like to double up on things - I learn french while I'm communicating, and listen to political podcasts while at work to stay informed (work for me is more a means of survival than an actual priority in itself). Means that no time is dead time except for my scheduled self-care/slob time when I turn off my brain and watch riverdale or w/e
Now that you mention it, this is one of the most consistent channels that's produced out of a home. Impressive. and I greatly appreciate consistency. And tidy bookshelves :)
I love organisation too! I get super excited about calendars and spreadsheets just like you. Personally I use a bullet journal just because I can adapt it to my needs, I don't do any of those drawings or intricate decorations, although I think they are super aesthetically pleasing.
This was super helpful, I need to get really organised because I'm swimming in a pile of work and my anxiety is acting up. I find bullet journaling useful because I have everything in one place and since it's a book and not on my phone, it allows me to put my phone away when I really don't have time to answer messages. Although, I find those really intricate well thought bullet journal spreads a bit redundant. I usually take about 45 min to an hour once a month to plan and setup the month ahead and review all my tasks on a weekly basis.
Also I really need to work on finishing tasks before I take a break. This past Easter weekend was meant to be my break and relaxation, but because I wasn't on top of everything, I ended up stressing about all the work I had to do.
As someone who has a massive problem with procrastination I can confirm that scheduling is extremely helpful to actually get stuff done, and also that scheduling your free time is valuable to keep from feeling overwhelmed. Keeping all my tasks in a calendar would not work for me, though, because I have a lot of them as breaking bigger tasks into small steps makes them easier to tackle. So I will e.g. have two hours scheduled to work on project A but might complete five tasks belonging to that project during this time. Also, I have too many tasks that are not (yet) scheduled, which would not fit into a calendar. My own setup is currently built around Todoist and Google Calendar. The former has a bit of a learning curve but is very flexible; and if you want to see scheduled tasks in your calendar, this can be set up with it too.
I used to be like this. Super organised, to do lists, everything done and super ahead of things... Then I had a baby. Heh! It's amazing how a little tiny human so small can completely nuke your productivity. No more than 2-hour stretches of sleep at night? Check. Taking an hour to get the baby to nap? Check. Breastfeeding 4-6 hours a day? Check! What really got to me what the complete un-scheduledness of it all, especially the first 3 months. Every day was completely different, our sleep schedules were completely all over the place. It's enough to drive one crazy. The good news is that around 6 months (where I am now) it all gets better. So it really is a matter of just completely writing off the first 6 months as time you will get almost nothing done! Finally back to scheduling and being organised again and it's so great to be back!
I learned to say "No" long time ago. I used to be the guy people came to i.e. Peter will do it. A manager came to me, after I was in a diff dept, and asked if I could cover the old job cuz the other fellow was off the next week. I had new priorities were I was, so I paused, thought, blanched.. then said "No". I found later the guy who was taking off that week gave mgmt months of advance notice, then reminded them again he'd be off, and they panicked, and ran to me LOL I now balance my yes and no's. ;)
I also know all about biz/corporate stress, and now burnout, as I was off on hiatus for quite a time, now slowly working to go back, but to a diff position in the company...
Thanks for sharing, Hannah. Kinda binge watching some of your stuff, just sub'd today. Liking the channel ;)
I got this Harry Potter planner for Easter and it has a calendar and weekly pages in it and has saved me and my school work.
I have never commented on a youtube video before, but I felt I have to say, thank you, this has just changed my currently unorganised life!
I've learned that I work best with to do list. I have a long list of things I have to do that aren't urgent, but need to get done. Everyday, I write Down five things that I have to do. Once I'm done, I can do whatever I want, whether that's doing some extra tasks or just binge watch Netflix.
I started with a bullet journal last summer and it's really been working for me, but what I like do to is pair it with another notebook. In this other notebook I have all the things I have to do (eg. clean the house, washing, or the homework i've been set) and then I open them both every morning and transfer them from this notebook (which is basically to know everything i have to do and not forget it) to the BuJo, and then check them off. It sounds complicated, but it works really well! :)
I have just started using a bullet journal and personally, for me, it works well, maybe at some point it will stop working and i will have to change my method, but for this stage of my life, it's working out well and i love it.
Ironically I watched this in my break from studying for my Spanish exam. I tend to make to do lists - I have a whiteboard on my wall and there is no greater satisfaction than wiping away one of my tasks when it's done. And in times like this when I have a lot to get done, I make strict timetables and follow them. Mental health sometimes derails it a little but honestly, by planning it out, I get more done than if I worried about where to start. But that's just my own experience.
I love this video so much! I know most of the tips already but I just get so excited about being organised and find it just so motivating to hear you talking about it!💗
einfach inka ooh hallöchen
BULLET JOURNALING. Made all my lists and organisation stuff go into one space, simple or cutely written out, and makes it easy to manage big or small things day by day
this was sosososososooso helpful. I am already a really organized person but that point about scheduling your breaks (or as i like to call it me time) literal mind blown
for bigger chunks of brainwork like academia i like using the pomodoro timer methods where you work for 25 minutes, take a 5 minute break and do something unrelated to your work (like making a cup of tea or just walking around the room for a bit) and just repeat that for 4 intervals and then take a 15 minute break (or longer if you've finished your task). helps me stay focused on my work, especially when I'm reading lots of academic texts. there's also lots of timer apps with alarms and stuff. I bet someone has already mentioned this method in the comments, still wanted to throw it out there :)
Work-life balance is so important! The 3 part days you mentioned is a really easy and useful idea too. I'm definitely going to try and think of my days like that from now on. Thanks for the tip Hannah!
I really enjoyed this video and found it incredibly helpful! I have never been a very organized person but I've always wanted to be because I know I'd be a lot less stressed if I was. My biggest problem in definitely time management and actually doing the things. I can make lists all I want and make beautiful schedules and tasks and follow all the bullet journal videos and never do a goddamn thing with it. Hearing you talk about these tips in such a simple way and validating that not having a pretty bullet journal will still make you organized really helps and I'm definitely going to try this again but keep it simple! I honestly may be over complicating the bullet journal but it also just may not be my thing as well. Might as well start small and get the hang of it first then try something bigger like the bullet journal.
Btw hearing how excited you are while talking is the best thing! It makes me excited about it too.
I have my planner where I put in my obligations (work, babysitting, appointments, etc.) and then a small whiteboard on my wall where I write out my to do list for the day. It works well for me and it's super satisfying to erase something once you've done it :P
This video keeps just saving my life over and over again. Bless!! You!!! Hannah!!!!
Organisation is very alien to me. Seeing you so excited about it is a bit freaky but I'd like to thank you for this video.
I have ADHD and since the diagnosis I've been a lot more conscious about getting organised because I need it more than others.
In the last year or so I've used a weird criteria which helped me enormously : WTMMH? Will This Make Me Happy?
It sounds very self centred but it actually gets more things done.
Failing to meet a deadline or somebody's expectations makes me feel shitty but not always in equal mesures. Failing to meet my wife's expectations is crushing but failing to meet some administration dude's expectations, I couldn't give a shit if I tried.
Priorities, yey!
Also, my wife and I have multiple shared calendars (raising four kids is a lot like running a small business) and to-do lists.
I recently shifted the todos to a new app/platform with the ability to assign a task to a person. The goal is to better share the mental charge by self assigning tasks so that the partner knows it's being taken care of. So far, it's been a real improvement.
Also if you want to improve your French, why not weave it in your activities. Ask for french speakers to comment in French and answer in kind. I'd do that (I'm a french speaker; English is my second language)
I thumbed up just cause of her enthusiasm about organisation.... well and her cuteness and greatness as a lovely person xx
Ohh, bullet journals have helped me tremendously with my procrastination problem! I tend to only use monthly calendars, habit trackers and the daily tasks though (probably so I get to number 6 as well). And at the end of the month a little "memories page" helps me to not only remember the fun things I did but also to get some drawing practice. (I use a seperate monthly calendar besides, though, for the overview :).
My mum has always told me to set time limits on tasks- if you only have a certain amount of time to get something done, you're more likely to power through it instead of dawdling. Obviously don't rush it though! But it's still really satisfying to get everything done in your time limit, rather than the task dragging because you're being slow
there is nothing wrong with pep talks, in fact I think a lot of us need it :D :D :D(currently preparing for graduation exam)
The thing about bullet journal is that you don't have to doodle it ;)
I use two journals: bullet journal and regular planner. Bullet journal keeps some long-term stuff, pages for dealing with mental health issues, some lists, layouts of future log (year layout). Regular planner keeps daily log, weekly log, and some short-term stuff like lecture notes if I forget the proper notebook, some quick notes you need for an hour or kind like this time. It works good so far.
I have never seen someone so excited to talk about organisation
Love your content!
I put everything in Todoist, and the big things get blocked off in my Google calendar. For the little things that are still important (do the laundry, check my bank account etc), I'll block off an hour or two on my calendar that just says "to do list," so I can check off all the things that usually only take a few minutes.
ALSO, I make sure I schedule fun things. If I want to watch Netflix but don't have time to just lie around, I'll write down "do the dishes while watching Stranger Things" or whatever. That's really helped me make sure I get stuff done and still be able to enjoy myself.
important thing note for someone who was completely unorganised but is slowly getting better and that is Practice. If you're not in habit of being organised do not expect to come to you all at once. it takes time to work out was is for you.
Hannah everything about this video is just YES!!! I'm currently in the process of sorting my life out for my gap year and just getting myself together in general whilst completing A Levels and this helped so much!! I loved the tip about splitting your day into 3 and I now use a google calendar because you mentioned it in your other organisation video with Lucy Moon and it helps SO much I'm obsessed!!
The bullet journal system really works for me personally, I love making it look pretty and personalised to me and it motivates me to get shit done (more than just an 'average' diary/to do list) :)
The 'all-in-one place' thing is gold. Though my tech life is easier with Apple products, I've not found the Mac-daddy (or mummy) of organisational apps without having to pay a sub (which I can't afford these days). Gonna give your All Day Event tip a go.
Microsoft-wise, I've just started using Outlook at work after almost 10 years of either Lotus Notes or Mail. O.M.G! It's AMAZING!
- *Categorize* general themes
- Create *Quick-steps* with keyboard shortcuts for generating categorized calendar events or tasks
- Create *Search Folder*s from categories that save me wondering which folder I stored things in because I use a...
- one single DONE folder!
Inbox Zero is finally a doddle!
Oh, and all my Outlook categories are mirrored in OneNote too. Just gotta figure out a quick way of getting notes between those apps, or how to make better use of the Outlook notes feature.
For personal life though, Office 365 isn't affordable, so All Day Events it is. Thanks Hannah!
Love this video. I have always had a problem with organization. I have a very clean room but not organized when it comes to my day. Usually my day ends with regret for the things I was thinking about doing but didn’t get around to doing them. Thanks for the tips.
The idea to integrate the things you need to do in the calendar as full day events is just genius! thanks again Hannah for enriching my life
I needed this video so much, constantly putting things aside and not organising, THANK YOU HANNAH
What I found that works for me is dividing the day in 3. We should get an 8 hour sleep, work for 8 hours and we have 8 hours to do whatever I want(maybe hobbies, studying, revising, etc)
i am literally the exact same when it comes to organisation. this made me happy 😍
I'm organized in a seemingly unorganized manner. I just kind of do things. I know my priorities, I plan ahead in my calendar and I write what I've done each day afterwards in a strictly factual diary. Do you write things down afterwards?
Mahavishnu Stravinskij whatever works for you! i keep my task lists which act as a 'what I have done' kind of thing. You sound pretty organised to me, different things work for different people!
I use a bullet journal and I LOVE it! personally I don't make mine too fancy and decorative because I can't do that that well and I'd just rather it look slightly pretty and function in the way I want it to. I also tend to do slightly more organised to-do lists on post-it notes, just so I can sort the order in which I do things a bit better. but I like the idea of the morning, afternoon, evening system I might start using that so I can organise my time a bit better.
I so agree with all that's in here!! When you reached step 5 I was like "Okay, but what's the point if you don't use your system?", AND THEN STEP 6 ARRIVED, omg I'm way too excited. I must admit I'm a little disappointed you didn't call Step 6 "Doing it" though.
I use a bullet journal. It's ugly, but it takes me 5 minutes a day, and it keeps so much of my forgetfulness and procrastination at bay, it's a wonder.
I would recommend to try different systems in order to figure out what's best for you. Because a system failed you doesn't mean you#ll never get organised.