Every student is recommended to keep an updated planner at all times. This serves not only as a reminder for important dates but also as a cross-reference when setting team meetings. Planners can be either print or electronic, but some schools offer online planners with scheduling functionality that can be shared only with authorized people. It is also recommended to write everything down on the planner, especially little details that can easily be missed at a later time.
Juggling your focus from one activity to another in school can easily make you lose focus. This is particularly true for academics; students commonly let their grades slip because of their involvement in other activities. Experts agree that goal setting is a must to keep students on track in the short and long term. Weekly goal reminders, such as finishing projects, can be set around the student's room. Longer term reminders, such as keeping an A grade average, can be reviewed every time examination results are given back to the student.
Certain students may find that they work better in a patterned schedule. Patterns may help students find daily tasks to be more manageable. A student following a pattern should set blocks of time and places each day to study and do other daily activities. For example, you should stick with studying and doing homework in the same exact spot in the library between 6 and 8 p.m. This is typically a hard rule; this time would be a dedicated time for studying unless there is a necessary exception. This rule also allows you to start early on projects if there are no assignments due the next day.
Students attempting to get everything done may be tempted to skip meals. This severely impacts your efficiency and energy throughout the day and you usually end up skipping more assignments and tasks. Taking the time for food and rest may seem to cut into valuable time. However, there are convenient ways of getting energy for the day, such as eating small packs of fruits and sandwiches as well as taking 15-minute "power naps" during break periods. Spreading these activities across the day will make the impact on time much less significant.