Advice for Disorganized, Distracted Writers By a disorganized, distracted college student

1. Evaluate how much you play vs work I cannot tell you how many times I said I was going to work on something and ultimately got distracted and did something like learn a new song on ukulele. Paying attention to your bad habits will give you just the wake up call you need so you can control them.

2. Write down your goals Whenever I start a project, I make sure I write down things I want to accomplish by finishing it. Having your goals written out will inspire you to follow through with them. It also will help get ideas flowing in your head.

3. Write out a schedule In order to finish a project more efficiently and accurately, I write out how much time each day or week I will devote to just that project. This will help you develop good habits. It gives you more of a concrete visual. Lists don’t have to be with words, use visuals, even music!

4. Find a mnemonic device that will help you stay on track Once in high school I made a song to remember the charges of elements on the periodic table. “PO4 is negative three, that’s what I learned in chemistry” You may not need to know charges of elements for your paper, but it can be easy for tasks to slip your mind. Do not just keep your plan written in one place, keep sticky notes around or make an alarm. These reminders will make you even more focused.

5. Show yourself you finished something When I make lists, I always check off the task I completed from it. Physically checking, coloring or crossing something off your list will make you feel accomplished and encourages you to do more.

6. Keep a journal with you There are so many thoughts that have ran through my brain that I think I will remember because they were just that good, but eventually slip my mind before I write them. You do not necessarily need to be sitting down and thinking about your paper to have great ideas for it. They could come at any moment!

7. Find an accountability partner Sometimes, when I know I need to focus, I ask my roommate to snap me out of it if she sees that I am not working. If you need extra help, tell a friend about your goals and ask them to keep you in check. It does not hurt to have another set of eyes on you.

8. Keep your work space tidy When I look at a messy desk, I immediately want to turn way. It is uninviting. Always having your desk clean will mean one less thing for you to worry about that gets in the way of your goals.

9. Reward yourself When I earn the right to relax, I feel good rather than guilty afterwards. This can be anything from giving yourself thirty minutes to watch a TV show to buying your favorite snack.

10. Most important: do not stress I still find it hard to have good time management, but if I ever get off schedule I just rearrange it so I can still get my assignment done. It is okay to slip sometimes. It is more important how you handle those slips rather than the fact that they happened.