This objective focused on getting organized and making a plan to manage time more efficiently. I made a monthly calendar for my desk where I do my homework so I can easily see which assignments are due when, and I also have a matching calendar in the planner which I carry around all day. These both serve the purpose of reminding me of long term goals and deadlines, since they would most likely not be my focus on a day to day basis. In addition to this, I have created a general weekly schedule, of which I have one copy on my desk and one in my planner as well. This is to serve as a general outline of my week so I know not to make plans or appointments during times such as class or other mandatory meetings. The daily planner which I carry with me at all times has slight variations of my weekly schedule, depending on new, one-time events, or slight changes in workout and study routines. To test out this organizational system I spent three days tracking what I did at every time of the day, to see if i could follow a set schedule and stay on top of obligations and assignments. This experiment went fairly well, except for slight inconsistencies in studying or eating times, as well as exercising and napping times.

When creating my study plan as well as my daily, weekly, and monthly planners, it was important to consider the curve of forgetting, as well as the study cycle. In my original weekly plan, I made the mistake of forgetting to include times to preview my work, and designated times to review and study. In my new plan, I have managed my time much better, and have included time slots for these important study sessions that do not cause my schedule to be overbearing or cluttered.

Day 1: Mondays are usually very busy for me, and this one was no exception. Because of my hectic schedule, it was much easier for me to follow my designated planner because most of my activities were required for me to get done. I found that the planner still helped a lot, as it kept me motivated to cross tasks off of my list.

Day 2: Tuesdays are fairly easy days for me, and my schedule today was not very eventful as I spent most of the day sleeping. Nonetheless, I still had two classes to go to, as well as the gym and some homework assignments. I felt that my planner did help, but that it was not completely necessary on a day when I was fairly not-busy.

Day 3: Wednesday is another fairly busy day similar to Mondays, so the planner helped keep me on track. I have one less class on Wednesdays, but I had more assignments to complete. I followed my planner for the most part, but went to the gym later than expected and did not get to meet with my academic counselor. These could have been avoided had I not taken an unplanned nap, and updating my planner would not have changed much. These tasks were not very crucial or urgent, so it was alright for me to save them for a later time.

In completeing this exhibit, I was able to discover which time management methods work for me and which do not. Writing out a weekly schedule with blocks helps me for seeing when I have classes so I know now to make appointments or other responsibilities during those slots, but my schedule is so temperamental that it is very hard for me to have a set weekly schedule. Because of this a weekly planner works really well for me, as does having a monthly calendar on my desk so I do not forget upcoming assignments. I also learned not to plan on packing too much into my schedule, because I will either burn out or get discouraged when I cannot complete everything on my list. This exhibit really helped me to find new ways or organizing my life and, even if they did not all work for me, completing them was a very successful motivator. Even if I could not always follow my weekly schedule, making it all color coded and having it on my desk made me feel more productive and organized, so in that way it was helpful.