Chapter 4
“I Don’t Need to Write It Down”
Planning

Every day I hear that you don’t want to write things down, set up your time, create a plan or schedule to manage your workload, because “It takes too much time.” But I also hear how strung out you feel. How far behind you are. How you forgot to do something important.

So let me see if I’ve got this straight: You’d rather constantly play catch up and rely on your not-so-perfect memory than take ten minutes to plan your schedule so you can feel more in control? Have you not realized that trying to remember what you have to do takes away from actually doing what you need to do?

No matter what you have on your plate—homework, studying, school activities, job, plans with friends, getting ready in the morning—you need to plan to make it happen. If you don’t, you’re bound to mess up. Make a mistake. Be late. Feel overwhelmed. Forget something. Stress out. Procrastinate.

But just because you know you need to plan doesn’t mean that you know how to plan. That’s what this chapter is all about.

The Brain Dump

The first step is to identify all the things you need to plan for. Sounds obvious, I know. But obvious doesn’t necessarily mean easy. Especially because things you need to plan can come at you all day every day. Let’s face it, we’re all a walking to-do list!

Does this scenario sound familiar?

Monday morning:	You find out your psychology midterm is next Wednesday.
Monday evening:	Your mom asks if you’ve purchased your plane ticket to come home for fall break.
Tuesday midday:	You look at your English lit syllabus and see that the book discussion on Wuthering Heights, which you’re only halfway through, is due on Friday.
Wednesday morning:	You realize you put on your last pair of clean underwear. You get in your car to drive to campus, and your Check Engine light is on. You arrive at campus, and as you’re walking to your first class, your fraternity buddy yells from across the parking lot, “Hey, don’t forget—you’re on snack duty for tonight’s meeting!” Your calculus professor reminds you about the problem set due on Friday. And as you’re heading to lunch, your friend from design class asks, “When are you in studio?” and you realize you need to schedule time to work on your project.

Your brain is moving a mile a minute trying to process it all. You’ve got a ton to do. Where the heck do you start? How do you even remember to remember?

With a good Brain Dump! It’s exactly what it sounds like—a way of getting all of those to-dos that are ping-ponging around your head out of your brain so you can more effectively and efficiently create a plan to actually do them. By doing so, you free up space in your brain, alleviating the stress of trying to remember all of the things you dumped. And by putting to-dos to paper, you can visualize them, which makes ordering, prioritizing and planning that much easier.

Do you need to do it every day? Yes. Will it hurt? Yes, until you get used to it!

Step 1: Just list your to-dos as they pop into your head. Don’t think too much. The point is to just clear your head and not to focus on order or priority.

Here’s what the Brain Dump from the scenario above looks like:

Psychology midterm Wednesday

Plane ticket

Wuthering Heights book

Laundry

Calculus set Fri

Design studio

Check Engine light

Frat food TONIGHT

Step 2: Make your to-dos actionable. The key here is to create some movement! It’s a simple trick I use to get those mundane to-dos to literally jump off the page.

Here’s what I mean:

Instead of “Plane ticket”	try “Book airline ticket.”
Instead of “Design studio”	try “Schedule design studio time.”
Instead of “Frat food tonight”	try “Order pizza from Uber Eats.”

And a tip within a tip? Group like with like. Want to avoid an overloaded, to-do list meltdown and save time? Here’s the catch: your tasks need to match. When creating your dump, put all your errands together, assignments together and emails together. My students say this trick really helps them manage their time more effectively.

What’s Your Priority?

Asking yourself “What is my priority today?” is much more effective than asking “What do I need to do today?” in terms of decision-making, sequencing and determining what is essential for you to get started on immediately.

It’s not enough just to know what’s on the menu. You need to know which dish you’re going to order first. Otherwise, you’re literally going to bite off more than you can chew.

If you tend to miss deadlines and have trouble finishing important things, start with the tasks that are most important and due the soonest. Then work on the less important stuff or things that have a longer deadline. Group your list by what you can get done now (or what we call in my house “your one-offs”), such as making the car repair appointment, separately from what needs to get done soon and needs a significant time block, such as reading Wuthering Heights.

Brain dumping and prioritizing are priorities in my book! You need to visualize it to plan it. And you need to plan it to achieve it.

And to achieve it, you need to schedule it.

The Digital Download

MyHomework Student Planner

A ton of electronic planner apps are out there that will have you organized and planned in no time. But I find most to be clunky or hard to use. Granted, I’m not very tech savvy, so you know if I can figure out an app and find it intuitive and easy to use, then it has to be! The myHomework Student Planner gives you a calendar to use to track your assignments, exams and other important dates, as well as a homework widget where you can sync your assignments and receive reminders for when they are due. Perfect for remembering those dreadful deadlines.

Using an Academic Planner

I can hear your grunts and groans from way over here. And all the excuses as to why a planner doesn’t work for you. And how much effort it takes to use. And that you don’t need to use one because all your assignments are online. And even better, that you remember it all without having to write anything down.

Did I miss anything?

I feel I’ve been pretty flexible with my advice throughout this book. Meaning, I’m 100 percent on the YOU-figure-out-the-best-systems-and-strategies-to-help-you-stop-procrastinating-and-get-stuff-done bandwagon. But when it comes to using a planner? Nonnegotiable, as far as I’m concerned.

You need to use some type of planning tool to . . . well . . . plan! It’s all well and good to know what you have to do and the order in which to do it (see our list on the previous pages), but a proper academic planner helps you also visualize what’s ahead so you can plan (there’s that word again) for and manage WHEN YOU HAVE TIME TO DO IT.

There really is no other way.

But not every planner is created equal. Most planners, especially the ones from your schools or found in campus bookstores, are formatted as to-do lists and don’t allow you to see your school, after-school, evening and weekend lives as a whole. They just give you a place to record assignments and tests. That won’t work if you want to truly plan and manage your time.

Out of the Mouth of (My) Babe . . .

Hi! I’m Maddie, Leslie’s daughter! I’m always asked how I keep my to-do lists organized and how I remember to get things done. I have an (admittedly) insane process, but it keeps me on track and I honestly never forget anything I need to do. (I’m truly my mother’s daughter!)

I swear by the notes app on my iPhone. It’s easy to use and syncs with my laptop so no matter where I am, my list is handy. I always have one note with a running list of all of my to-dos. And this note has EVERYTHING—things I need to get at the grocery store, reminders to return things I’ve ordered online or call my grandma, what workout classes I need to sign up for and when . . . you get the picture. 

This is where things get a little interesting. That note is divided into three parts: “now” (things I have to do that day), “later” (things that can get done later in the week or over the weekend), and “eventually” (things I just need to be reminded of but can really wait). It looks like this:

To-Dos 

NOW	LATER	EVENTUALLY
Call Mom	Make dentist appt	Call Grandma
	Book trip home	Yogurt (Trader Joe’s)

I’m constantly adding things to each section and moving items around. Because I’m checking this every day, my eventually items are always becoming laters, and my laters become nows. 

So that’s how I keep track of everything. But you’re probably wondering, or at least my mom is, “How do you actually REMEMBER to do what’s on your list?!” Well, Mom, every few days I cross-check my to-do list with my calendar to see what I can get done during the day. For me, I’m finding blocks between my meeting and call schedule, but it works the same for classes and club meetings. I take a look at my now and later sections and set reminders throughout the week based on free time in my schedule. Do I need to call the doctor? Great! I’ll get that done at 11:15 on Tuesday, right after I’m done with my meeting. I set a reminder and then boom, done.

Features of the Perfect Planner

Here’s what to look for when scouting for the perfect personal planner:

• It follows the school year (starts in either July or August and runs through the end of June) rather than the calendar year. Look for one called “academic planner” or “school planner.”
• A customizable subject index (instead of preprinted subjects) where you write your class subjects only once. This feature will eliminate forgetfulness and frustration, which lead directly to procrastinating! The number one complaint I hear from my students is that their planners come with subjects already printed on them and that they are subjects they don’t even take! So make sure YOU can write in YOUR schedule!
• An ample number of subject boxes so there’s room to write all your classes. I recommend one that has at least six! Even if you have fewer classes, you can use one of the boxes for reminders or for an ongoing project such as college applications or thesis.
• And while you’re at it, make sure the boxes are big enough to hold all the details of your assignments. Unfortunately, most planners don’t, which forces students to either severely edit the information they write down or write illegibly, leading to massive confusion later.
• A grid system layout so you can see your week (and weekends!) at a glance. Weekly planner pages should line up with the subject index on a subject-by-subject basis, creating an easy method for you to record and review your weekly schedules. The bottom line? You need to see your week as a whole. So the planners that have Monday through Wednesday on one side and the remainder of the week on the other just don’t cut it.
• Days of the week listed horizontally across the planner. This makes recording entries simple and allows you to see assignments and due dates and creates continuity critical for developing time management skills.
• Space to enter after-school activities and weekend commitments.
  
• THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS! Once you enter all your activities and commitments, scheduled and available blocks of time will naturally appear. You can use those available blocks to plan your weekly workload!

  THIS IS THE KEY INGREDIENT TO PLANNING EFFECTIVELY!

• Monthly calendar views for long-range planning as well as recording vacation and school holidays. And an ample note section will help you track both personal and school to-dos.

Classroom Confessionals

Biggest “Oh, Shit” Moment?

“Thinking my test was the Wednesday after spring break and finding out it was actually the Monday we got back!” —Alex C., college junior

Paper Planner Pointers

Along with choosing the proper planner, I want to also make sure you get the optimum output from it! Here are a few planner pointers:

• List all your subjects in the index in a way that makes sense to you. Some of my students list alphabetically. Most prefer listing them in order of their day.
• If you have room, include a row in the planner for ORGANIZING so you can plan backpack and binder clean-outs, as well as updates to your schedule. Maintenance is the key to staying on track and feeling that you have it all under control.
• Immediately record all after-school activities, weekend commitments, parties at the sorority house, club soccer games, job hours and so on, so you can see your available blocks of time.
• Scope out that syllabus! Transfer all exam dates, group project meetings, professors’ office hours and even the scheduled day and time to submit your weekly problem set in economics to your planner.
• All long-term assignments and exams should be written down in every class, BOTH on the day assigned AND on the day they are due. PRO TIP: Some of my students write important assignments VERTICALLY for due dates to truly stand out.
• Write NO HOMEWORK if none was assigned to ensure you haven’t forgotten to record an assignment. The last thing we want is for you to forget what it is you need (or don’t need) to be doing! Procrastination averted!

Out of the Mouth of (My Other) Babe . . .

Hi. I’m Eli. I’m the son. I promised my mom (the author of this here book) that I would do this, so here we are.

I was tasked with listing my top five pieces of advice regarding procrastination that Leslie has given me through my years, as well as discussing how effective the advice has been . . . or not. She’s super honest! However, to be perfectly candid, I wasn’t able to do that. Just about everything I was taught regarding procrastination has been so ingrained into my lifestyle and how I function generally that I wasn’t really able to identify whether or not I had been taught them or just did them instinctively. I’m not lazy, I promise you. I actually did put thought into this.

However, I will say that the absolute most important and effective piece of advice she’s given me is to write things down in a planner. NO, THIS IS NOT AN ATTEMPT TO HELP SELL THEM. I’m not a sellout. But seriously, it works. And it works well. I say to you, dear reader, this is the absolute must when it comes to breaking your procrastinating ways. Keep a planner, one that shows your whole week at a glance, and put just about any assignment, event, or significant goings-on in there. Sure, it seems meticulous at first, but once you get over that, it becomes second nature, and you begin to notice that you have a much greater handle over your own time and time management as a whole. My mother knows her shit.

Using a Paper Planner vs Electronic Calendar

This is a tough call.

I tend to favor paper planners for my students because writing information down helps us to commit it to memory better than typing. Maybe it’s because writing creates better pathways in the brain to absorb information. Or maybe we instinctively attach significance to something we create that is uniquely our own. Something in our handwriting is more important than something in an impersonal font. Whatever it is, writing works!

But not all of you want or like a paper planner. If that’s the case, then find an electronic version that is organized for BOTH weekly and monthly views. This gives you the big picture, the sum of all the moving parts. While electronic planners are not my favorite tools to develop true time management and planning skills, you need to start somewhere.

I would prefer you get into the habit of using an electronic device than not using anything at all.

And for those of you who refuse to use anything? Or tell me that since all your assignments are on the school website you don’t need to write anything down?

One professor I know actually included a planner on her supply list and made it a mandatory requirement for her college class to stress its importance. She even went so far as to predict that those students who refused to use one would fail her course.

She was right.

Paper Planning: The Comeback Kid

I’m a paper planner girl. Always have been. Always will be. There’s something about putting pen to paper that makes me feel organized, time managed and, yes, in control. And it seems I’m not the only one. In our high-tech world, paper planners are making a comeback—and in a really big way.

According to the survey done as part of the Paper and Packaging Board’s recent annual back-to-school report, 63 percent of K–12 teachers’ courses involved paper-based learning and that included using a student planner! The 2018 report found that 94 percent of college students and 89 percent of students in grades 7 through 12 say that paper is essential to helping them achieve their academic goals.

Want even more proof? In 2017 the London School of Economics recognized paper’s unique role in the lives of our Gen Z students, born from the mid-1990s to early 2000s, who have grown up in a world of cell phones, laptops and touch screens. In a study of college students in ten countries, researchers found that these students still choose paper to study, read, share and send.

So when schools are posting assignments online and giving students iPads to use, why are some of you reaching for a hard-copy paper planner?

• Writing in a paper planner helps you remember. Philosopher and psychologist Nicolas Clausen said it best: “Typing only activates the ‘language’ areas of our brain; whereas writing with a pen/pencil activates multiple brain regions and therefore makes the process complex, sensory-rich and memorable.” Plenty of research shows that students who take notes by hand have a higher retention rate than those who take notes on laptops.
• Paper planners are more time efficient. I’ve been selling this concept to my students for years. But it’s true. How do I know? I actually test it by timing my students! I ask them to record the same homework assignment in their academic planners and then again on an electronic device. The physical planner wins every time!
• Electronic devices are distracting! I hear all day long that when you go to open up an app on your phone or computer to write something down, Instagram/Snapchat/text messaging/YouTube (should I go on?) starts calling your name. And of course what you intended to do never gets done.
• Paper planners build time management skills. I can’t say this enough! They allow you to see the big picture using clear weekly and monthly views to help you create a time sense and future awareness. I can’t count how many times I have heard a student say, “I need to see everything all in the same place.” Seeing helps us plan, prioritize and stay on task and track.

So if you thought that paper planning was a thing of the past, well, maybe. But I think the better point is that it’s very much the present and the wave of the future! 

Jeremy’s Story

Have I told you the story of my student Jeremy who carried around a roll of paper towels for his entire junior year? Now you’re interested! He didn’t want to use a planner or write in an electronic calendar. In his mind, there was no need. He had it all in his head. And no convincing on my part was going to persuade him otherwise.

Until one day, sitting across the kitchen table from him, I noticed that during our sessions he would rip off a paper towel from its roll and doodle on it. I asked him why paper towels rather than “real” paper or sticky notes. He didn’t give me a profound answer. He just said he found it funny and provocative. And if it was funny, and then it was fun to do. Crazily enough, that made sense!

And then . . . Bingo! Something hit me. I asked Jeremy, “What if you wrote your assignments each day on a paper towel?”

I was met first with a blank stare. Then he kind of sheepishly said, “I can do that?”

“Of course you can,” I told him. “I don’t care how you keep track of what you need to do, as long as you do it.”

Here’s what I learned from working with Jeremy. Getting him to use a planner was really a two-step process. And since using a planner was the SECOND step, I needed to focus on the first—getting Jeremy to write things down. By first finding a Brain Dump tool that worked for Jeremy, we were eventually able to move on and find him a planning tool he committed to using.

Planning Guidelines for Long-Term Projects and Papers

Nothing gets your procrastination blood pressure rising faster than trying to tackle a long-term project or paper. Not only might it be difficult academically, but keeping track of all the steps involved and the amount of time it will take can be a time management nightmare! Never mind a procrastination one! So you keep pushing it OFF and pushing it OFF, until you have no other choice than to flip that pesky switch ON!

I’ve got you covered. Use the Project Planning Guide included on the previous page while following the steps in this chapter or feel free to create one of your own.

Make an outline of the steps necessary to complete the assignment.

For written reports, the steps might look something like this:

Read rubric

Pick topic

Create thesis

Select sources

Search web/trip to library

Take notes

Make outline

Craft introduction

Write sections of paper (not necessarily in order)

Prepare bibliography

Create supporting documents

Proofread

Prepare final draft

Break large parts of the assignment into small actionable tasks.

I can’t stress this point enough. Breaking things down into manageable parts makes working through them less overwhelming, which cuts down the procrastination. AND it provides multiple opportunities to enjoy the success that comes from finishing each part. Make sure each task is manageable and specific. After all, it’s easier to write one paragraph every afternoon than it is to complete the entire research paper in one night.

Estimate how much time it’s going to take you to do each step.

Work backward from the due date to figure out how much time you will need to accomplish each task. Always build in extra padding. I normally tack on an extra 25 percent to act as a buffer against false starts, interruptions and unanticipated problems.

Assign deadlines and schedule appointments for each task.

Assign due dates for completing each step, and record them in your planner. Remember to schedule them as regular assignments so you know exactly when you have time to work on them. This step is critical. Most of you know how to complete homework that is due the next day. However, while making time for long-term assignments and projects that can be more challenging, it is essential for crushing procrastination. Plan to finish two days in advance of the due date.

Allot time for hidden tasks.

The devil is in the details, my friends! Purchasing materials, visiting a museum or watching a movie, getting together with your group and proofreading drafts are all steps that are easily overlooked when factoring your time.

Are You on Track?

Let’s be real. Even the best-laid plans go off the rails. That’s why I always suggest you plan days to get them back on! As you are entering your tasks into your planner, add a few are-you-on-track days (three to four days apart) when you don’t schedule any actual work but leave yourself a check-in to make sure you are on target. If you’re not, then this is the time to get caught up. And if you are? Consider it a “get out of jail free” card!

Free periods are gifts. Period!

Use your free periods, study halls or time between classes to work on these projects. Using downtime during school breaks or conference days to get a jump start on your assignments and projects is a great way to take the pressure off.

Classroom Confessionals

What’s the largest assignment you’ve completed in the shortest amount of time?

“Two-month-long final exam project in one day.”

—Melissa, high school senior

Study Planning vs Study Cramming

Studying for exams, especially midterms and finals, is a juggling act. And more often than not, you drop the balls!

Need more convincing? Let’s play out a scenario. You have an exam on Thursday. You didn’t write it down and pushed it out of your mind. Then on Wednesday night something jogged your memory. Maybe a friend asked you for help or your roommate was studying for his exams. You have your big “Oh, shit” moment! But you don’t have enough time to study because your workload for Thursday is huge and you’re scrambling just to finish that up. You blame your stressed-out, pit-in-the-stomach, I-feel-like-throwing-up feeling on not having enough time in your schedule. But you’re wrong, my friend. The real blame lies in the fact that you didn’t make a plan!

In this section, I’m going to show you the EXACT methods I teach my students for planning for a single exam and for multiple exams at once, such as midterms and finals. Most of the how-tos for studying were covered in our study skills chapter. Here, we’re going to focus specifically on setting up the plan to achieve those steps.

Planning for a Single Exam

I start all my planning sessions using 8½ by 11 unlined paper OR my preprinted Study Planning Guide. Using paper allows you to SEE the whole picture easily. For this example, I’m going to use plain paper.

1. Create a three-week calendar using unlined paper. Enter your exam on the designated day.Begin marking off days and afternoons you are unable to study. This allows you to see your available time in relation to everything else you might already have planned.Put in the days and times of your study groups, review sessions and so on.
2. Define what topics will be covered. For example, “Study for social studies test” is too big and vague. Writing “study for Mesopotamia test” is too. Answer the question, “What will my test specifically cover?” You answers might include:the seven gods inventions architecture If using the Study Planning Guide, enter the topics in the section marked “What topics are covered?” If not, write them in your notebook.
   
3. Take stock of your study tools. Ask yourself the following questions: What tools do I need to use? What do I already have? What do I need to create? Your answers might include: What tools do I need to use? Flash cards. Videos. Study group. What do I already have? Old homework. Teacher’s study guide.What do I need to create? Flash cards Write your answers in your notebook.
4. Assign specific tasks to each day and enter them on your calendar.Monday: Create flash cards.Tuesday: Self-test. Pull out old exams. Answer questions in the back of the textbook. Redo old homework. Wednesday: Learn material you didn’t know well. Use flash cards. Watch videos. Answer study guide questions. Go to study group.Thursday: Take sample test. Review ALL material.
   
5. Start studying at least three days before. This gives you extra padding in case the unexpected rears its ugly head. What happens if you don’t have time on Tuesday but a lot of time on Monday? By planning your study schedule, creating a visual calendar and seeing your time in relation to everything else you have, you can make the necessary adjustments. Double up your time on Monday if Tuesday is jam-packed.
6. Transfer your study plan to your planner.

Planning for Midterms and Finals

To plan for midterms and finals, there are a few extra steps to follow.

1. Create a three-week calendar using unlined paper. Enter your exams on the designated days. Assign each subject a different color. Begin marking off days and afternoons you are unable to study. Add any review sessions and group meetings that are already planned. Again, use a different color for each subject.**
   
2. Follow steps 2 and 3 of “planning for a single exam.” (What topics are covered? What study materials do you already have? What tools do you need to make?) for each of your exams.
3. Determine how much time you need to study for each subject. Which subjects do you feel confident in? Which will need more of your time? Is one exam cumulative while another will cover material from the beginning of the year? Take all these factors into account.
4. Begin assigning your subject blocks to each day. There are a few rules of thumb to follow: Try to study two or three subjects a day. Alternating among a few will help your brain stay fresh and active. Only schedule two-hour study blocks at a time. A study group or teacher review session can be considered a study block. WIN!
   

   ** Use either Sharpies or colored sticky notes. The sticky notes allow you the flexibility of moving your study blocks around until you determine the optimum plan.

5. Once you have all your study blocks assigned, review your plan. What do you see? Have you scheduled too much time for one subject and not enough for another? Using color to plan gives you a clear and intuitive method for seeing how much time you have allotted for each subject.
6. Your first day of your study plan should be spent getting set up and creating the study tools you need.
7. Repeat step 4 under “planning for a single exam.”
8. Transfer your study plan to your planner.

Now you’re ready to plan, no matter what comes your way!