Crash Course Study Skills: Planning and Organization Boot Camp

Speaker

Thomas Frank

Key Concepts

• Planning Mode vs. Robot Mode
  • Planning Mode: Organizing and preparing tasks ahead of time.
  • Robot Mode: Focusing on doing the work without distractions.

Organizational System

• Essential components:
  • Task Manager
  • Calendar
  • Note-taking system
  • Physical storage for documents

Task Manager

• Records everything that needs to be done.
• Essential features: easy task details and due date recording, simple overview of upcoming tasks.
• Recommended tools: Todoist, Trello, Microsoft To-Do, Any.Do, Bullet Journal, paper planner.

Calendar

• Used for remembering upcoming events.
• Suggested separation of task manager and calendar.
• Recommended tools: Google Calendar, Apple Calendar.

Note-Taking System

• Paper notes: Separate notebooks or sections for each class.
• Digital notes: Tools like Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, Apple Notes, Google Docs.

Physical Storage

• For handouts, loose papers, and filled notebooks.
• Options: portable accordion folders, file boxes.

Creating an Organizational Scheme

• **Computer File Structure: **
  • Use a well-defined, flexible folder structure (e.g., by year, class, project).
• **Digital Notes: **
  • Organized into Notebooks and Notebook Stacks (e.g., Evernote).
• **Calendar: **
  • Color-code events.
• **Task Manager: **
  • Create separate projects for each class or activity.

Maintaining the System

• Consistency: Always enter information into the system immediately to prevent forgetting important tasks/documents.
• Quick Capture: Simplify and streamline how tasks/events are recorded (e.g., using daily notes).

Quick Capture Methods

1. Enter details immediately.
2. Use a daily note for temporary holding, then organize correctly at day's end.

Planning Details

Weekly Planning

• Review the upcoming week and next week's tasks/events.
• Identify and schedule upcoming study sessions, project chunks, important events (e.g., exams, project deadlines, scholarships).

Daily Planning

• Create a daily plan to list events and tasks.
• Best times: morning before school or night before bed.
• Task Batching: Group together low-energy tasks or errands for efficiency.

Weekly Review Session

• Reflect on the past week’s plan vs. actual outcomes.
• Identify productivity gaps (distractions, over-planning).
• Review and adjust tasks and events in the task manager and calendar.

Concept of Entropy

• Regular reviews help maintain order and prevent chaos in organizational systems.

Conclusion

• Implement and consistently use the system to handle academic workload effectively without missing details.

Gratitude Message

• Thank you for watching. Support Crash Course on Patreon to keep it free for everyone.