How To: Agenda Organization Tips

One of the most asked questions I get is “How do you organize your agenda?” I m excited to finally be addressing this question in the best way I can with what works best for me. Keep in mind that the way I organize my agenda may not be the most practical way to organize yours and that it is imperative to organize in whatever way works best for you. With that being said, hopefully some of these tips will prove to be useful for your own organization!

I’m going to start with the tips and then show y’all specifically how my agenda is organized! Also, I am including the agenda organization video I did to hopefully clear up any other questions you may have!

1. Make a plan and stick to it.

This is the most important thing you can do in order for your agenda to appear organized. By writing things down in the same place or color each day your agenda is bound to appear more organized even if that isn’t the case. For me, I write down what color pen I am going to use for each subject and activity on a sticky note and move it from week to week until the colors are associated with my subjects, don’t worry it will soon become second nature!

2. Color coordinate by class/activity.

As I hinted at above, I have my assignments written down in a specific color that coordinates with one of my classes or activities. This is a great way for me to avoid writing the subject or activity by an event or assignment each time I have a meeting or something is assigned. I also find this helpful when looking at my monthly calendar since the colors apply both weekly and monthly.

3. Organize in a way that works best for you.

I can not stress this enough. If these tips don’t work for you then it is very important for you to instead organize your agenda in a way that does! You won’t be as productive or feel as organized if you are organizing in a way that is not convenient for your lifestyle or habits.

4. Write down assignments when they are assigned and when they are due.

This is most important if you struggle to meet deadlines or remember assignments. I have found it super helpful for myself to write down my homework on the night I need to due it as opposed to the day it is due. My reasoning behind this is that if I am just seeing the assignment on the day it is due then it is already to late to complete it. For big assignments however such as tests, projects, or papers, I write them down when they are assigned as well as when they are/due. This is one thing that I know varies from person to person but again, this is what works best for me!

5. Cross assignments off once they are completed.

This is without a doubt the biggest motivation for me to complete assignments and the reason I find to-do lists so productive! I love taking my yellow highlighter and crossing off an assignment once I finish it and I feel so accomplished when all of my tasks for a day or week are highlighted meaning they have been completed.

6. Utilize your monthly calendar.

I never did this before coming to college and I honestly don’t know how I survived. While it can be stressful to see all that needs to be completed or attended during the month it is the best way for me to get an idea of how to productively manage my time.

Below are images of my agenda and how I have it organized based on the tips I have given you above.

For reference, my agenda is the Large Lilly Pulitzer agenda in the Let’s Cha Cha print. The pens I use are from the brand Le Pen and I usually purchase the 18 color pack. They last for such a long time, have a fine tip, and don’t bleed through your pages!

This is an overview from November according to my crazy hectic schedule. For the classes I am taking, I write any big assignments (tests, projects, and papers) in the same color I use for weekly assignments as a way to clarify that those activities are for academics. For anything else I write it in colors other than those academic colors which causes my months to end up looking super bright and fun. I also love to throw in some of Lilly’s academic stickers in the mix to make the scary crazy weeks I have look slightly more appealing.