Many successful students may employ different studying strategies, but many share one skill: the ability to effectively and strategically organize their tasks and responsibilities. Organizational skills help boost performance by making resources easier to access and eliminating unwanted distractions, also called “online clutter.” Now that computers and devices are commonplace in the classroom, ensuring that online spaces are organized is an additional challenge.  In this article, the GHFalcon composes a list of tips that can help improve your organization online. 

Folders

An important resource to keep your devices organized is using folders to store certain files that fit in one category. For example, if one would like to store documents that contain information for your math class, then you can place these documents in a folder that is named with the year of your class and the title of the course. For example, if you are currently taking calculus this year, consider naming a folder something along the lines of “2024 AP Calculus.” 

Apps

Having too many apps on a device can be distracting, which can hinder the performance of the user. To fix this, one must figure out what apps are needed and get rid of the extra apps. This process also frees up storage space for additional photos, documents and software updates. Furthermore, turning your phone to grayscale can also help boost productivity. This feature entails turning the home screen of your phone into varying shades of grade, eliminating the temptation to open apps with bright red notifications. 

Schedule

Creating an effective schedule can help one organize one’s time to make their productivity more efficient. Having a schedule can help prevent procrastination as it creates a solid outline that does not allow for much distraction. There are several applications are frequently used for this purpose, including Google Calendar, Notion and Microsoft Outlook Calendar. 

Tabs

Having too many tabs on a computer is similar to having too many apps on a phone; they both cause problems by distracting the user and slowing down the device’s processing speed. Though they create the same issues, they have two different solutions. One solution to disorganized tabs is by bookmarking important ones to reference for later. Another potential solution is to create a group of tabs so that it takes up less space on your browser. 

Organizational skills may seem difficult to grasp at first, but the more you build strong habits, the easier it is to stay on top of duties. The tools outlined above are helpful tools to aid you in this journey, and the GH Falcon hopes these tips will be helpful as you work towards success.