One of the challenges of distance learning is keeping everything organized. Over the first few days of distance learning, we have had many resources to plan out our learning, which can improve productivity and help to manage stress. I asked several high school students about their organization techniques, and how they have changed because of distance learning. 

Daiya Kaneko, Grade 9

What type of scheduling system do you use?

Some of my friends use a calendar, but I really don’t use a way to organize stuff. I guess I start with my hardest classes and go to my easiest class. I think if I start with my hardest class, I can get it done first.

How has your system changed because of distance learning?

I think that I’m more productive and I’m learning more since, at school, classes are ninety minutes but half of the time I’m not doing anything. I think because of distance learning I spend all of the time doing my work, and I can pace myself. The way I’ve organized is the same as always; I start with the hardest class and go from there. 

What have you learned about staying organized with distance learning?

I’ve learned to organize myself. If I have my phone with me, it tends to affect my focus so I put it far away from me. In terms of organizing, I don’t really think I’m one of the most organized people, but because of distance learning, I can manage my classes like, “I’m going to spend the first hour doing this.” And if one class is getting hard, I can maybe take a thirty-minute break, and then come back to it. 

Luke Dobberfuhl, Grade 10

What type of scheduling system do you use?

I don’t do anything that overboard. I open the Edsby tab for every class I have for the day and close it once I’m done with everything for that class. Once I close all the tabs I know that I’m done for the day.

How has your system changed because of distance learning?

Not very much. I’ve used this system to keep track of homework I need to finish before the next day, and since everything is pretty much homework, the technique I use doesn’t change very much (it just takes a lot longer to close the tabs).

What have you learned about staying organized through distance learning?

Oftentimes I get distracted and it’s hard to focus, especially since I’m doing all the work at home. There isn’t a very big distinction between classes so sometimes I wander off from the classwork I was focused on and start a different class without finishing the classwork I had to do in the first place. It’s also hard to know when to give yourself a break. If I start a break too early, I tend to stay on that said break for too long and don’t finish my work. If I start it too late, I feel like finishing the rest of the work and have to get it over with, and end up not giving myself a break in the first place.

Rina Patterson, Grade 12

What type of scheduling system do you use?

I use a planner to list all of my school work and other tasks for the day and I cross them off as I complete them. If I have anything that would take more than a day to complete, I write it on the day that I have to complete it by. 

How has your system changed because of distance learning?

The main thing that has changed because of distance learning is that I use my planner to list more specific times of certain things I have to do, such as call meetings to better block out my time for the day. I like to put in sticky notes to write down any tasks that aren’t related to school work so that it is separate from the assignments for the day. 

What have you learned about staying organized through distance learning?

I have learned that it is important to do my school work in increments and give myself breaks and time to do other tasks in between so as not to burn myself out. I found that by switching from task to task, it keeps me from spending too much time on one assignment and also keeps me productive and motivated for the entire day.