How to Organize the Scattered Mind

Put simply, we live in a time of “full plates.” Our plates, both kids’ and adults’, are pretty much full every day. It makes sense, then, that we often feel overwhelmed and somewhat scattered.

Below, we’ll explore some simple ways to organize the multitude of stuff that goes on in the life of a student. These are easy-to-implement changes that can truly help with organization and that aim not to add stress to an already-stressful routine.

The Myth of Multitasking: While our society often extols the virtues of multitasking, research actually points in the opposite direction. According to psychologist Russell Poldrack, “multitasking adversely affects how you learn,” and learning done while doing other tasks is “less flexible and more specialized, so you cannot retrieve the information as easily.” The point is that trying to do too much at once can actually be less efficient, lead to unneeded stress, and ultimately make it more difficult to learn. So, if you already struggle with organization and prioritizing, attempting to multitask, while seemingly a time-saver, may actually result in further organizational problems. Even Isaac Newton would agree, attributing his discoveries “more to patient attention than to any other talent.”

Little Bites: It can be tempting to try to “eat the whole enchilada” when you are looking to make a change, but it’s better, in the long run, to take a little bite at the beginning. Who doesn’t want to see immediate results? But setting smaller, attainable goals is key in affecting real change. It is more effective, for instance, to begin a studying regimen of five minutes a day than to set a goal of studying from the time you get back from school until bedtime. From that modest goal, it will be easier and less stressful to begin stretching and moving up to ten minutes, then twenty, and so on. It’s helpful to remember the acronym SMART: to help keep your goals small, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Keeping things doable can help you to begin the bigger task of getting organized.

Write It Down: It’s no wonder that we are required to put a lot of the important stuff in life in writing; after all, this makes it “official” and leaves a paper trail, holding us accountable. Taking the same approach with organization can help you to visualize what you need to do not to mention give you the satisfaction of crossing things off your list as you get them done. “Old-timey” things like to-do lists and action programs can be extremely beneficial in mapping out goals and helping you stick to a plan. Putting it in writing worked for Benjamin Franklin, and if that’s not a ringing endorsement for the power of list-making, I don’t know what is.

Practice Mindfulness: You don’t need to become a Yogi or meditate ten times a day to work on mindfulness. This practice has more to do with attention to the moment than it does with some sort of religious awakening. The idea is that, by being attuned to what you are doing in the moment, you will go through life less on “autopilot.” When we think about organization and what makes it so challenging, certainly something to consider is the tendency of the mind to wonder, worrying and stressing about other things that have nothing to do with the task at hand. You may even be experiencing this now as you read this article. Noticing where your mind has wandered and bringing it back to the present moment is the essence of mindfulness. Cultivating a mindful approach can help keep things balanced and allow you to “live in the moment,” making the most of what you are doing right now. When we stop, as psychologist and Yale professor Ronald Seigel says, “trying to get rid of this life experience to arrive at a better moment,” we truly throw ourselves into the job we are doing and focus our attention on where it should be in the moment.

The life of a student can be scattered, fragmented, and, often, overwhelming, brimming with obligations, assignments, deadlines, and other stressors. Without a doubt, the simple nature of everyday life can lead to problems with organization, task completion, and overall performance. This overwhelming daily existence is compounded for young people who also must deal with the trials and tribulations of growing up while maintaining solid grades and academic success. It is, therefore, important that students practice slowing things down, learning to focus on the task at hand, and organizing what is, often, a scattered day-to-day life. At iAchieve Learning, we know all about helping students get organized and learn good practices for academic and life success. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us today for help organizing the scattered mind.

Written by Phil Lane

Does your child struggle with organization, time-management, study skills and motivation?  We can help! iAchieve Learning is offering a FREE presentation for parents to help them understand what executive functioning skills are and how they can help their children with these at home.

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