By Sarah Cottman
A teen’s life is pretty full on with never ending exams, assignments, school and sporting commitments! Finding ways to manage the pile up will ensure you stay on top of the work load and minimise any sort of stress which can amount due to lack of organisation. What’s more, why not have it look good? Creating a study space you like to be in can have enormous effects on your sense of wellbeing and help make work feel less like work each and every day.
Here are some tips to help you get started…
1 // Set up your study space functionally and effectively.
Whether it’s in the office, lounge room or bedroom, it is important to make clear divisions between your desk area and the rest of the room. Using black and white desk accessories is a great idea in helping you achieve a contemporary look that easily blends within the rest of the room easily.
Then give it your personal touch with photo frames, magazines or books. Utilise wall space with a pin board to display magazine cut outs of things that inspire you. Check out the range of desktop and filing solutions from Caché by Avery™ for some inspiration and try mixing and matching colour schemes using the online colour tool!
2 // Create different zones for all the tasks you need to do.
Have a zone just for filing that will include a labeller, plastic sleeves and good quality folders. If you love to clip articles out of magazines, set up a research area. Make sure that each of these zones has a distinct beginning and end and use containers! Using containers will ensure that you keep account of the volume of stuff you actually ‘need’.
3 // Only have current projects on your desk within reach.
Sort according to frequency of use and utilise storage solutions such as cupboards, cabinets, shelving with magazine files, letter trays and desk drawers to help hide away the mess and store your homework, current projects or assignments away from sight when not in use. Setting up a ‘toaster’ rack on your desk means everything you are working on will be on hand. Using attractive containers and files will encourage you to keep things in order.
4 // Keep the floor as a clear space to walk, NOT as a large storage area!
If your floor is littered with things to be done later or belongings that don’t have a home elsewhere (see point 1!) it’s time to grab a laundry basket (or another sturdy container) and garbage bag and get to work on your floor. It is amazing how well you can think when there is nothing on the floor to distract you!
5 // Take 15 minutes at the end of each day/study session to return your desk to order.
If you have been working on a project, put all the bits and pieces back in the toaster rack. Put pens back in the pen holder and sticky notes back where they live {*NEVER, EVER RETURN PENS THAT DON’T WORK!}.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Cottman is an accredited expert Professional Organiser. As Vice President of the Australasian Association of Professional Organisers {AAPO} she is passionate about order and loves to organise, motivate and teach the overwhelmed how to get their lives on track!
Her Professional Organising Consultancy, Heavenly Order, began in November 2006, assisting clients and training Professional Organisers. With a strong business background, having been self-employed for over 20 years as well as managing a busy family life, she knows first-hand how to achieve a healthy work/life balance. She has a sincere zeal for supporting family life through her work as a Professional Organiser.
