Tag: personaldevelopment

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Back to School Organization

by Cristal Victoria

Back to School season is in full swing! The start of the school years means everyone gets to take part in the joy of learning; however, it also means a slew of extra responsibilities are on the horizon, depending on your role: juggling schedules, packing lunches, balancing extracurricular activities, overseeing homework, grading papers, writing lesson plans, studying for exams…the list goes on! During this busy time, it is important to set yourself up for success. This can be achieved through thoughtful organization. Here are five back to school organizational tips that can be used by students, parents, and teachers alike to help you feel ready to take on the new academic year!

1. Archive Last Year’s Materials 

Tip: Keep your labels consistent. You can use “SY2021,” “X Grade,” or “2020-2021” to label any folders or binders from the previous school year. 

Out with the old, and in with the new! Although you may feel tempted to use every page of your old notebooks, starting fresh will help you keep your new school materials in one place. One benefit of organization is knowing where everything is at all times. To accomplish this, gather and archive last year’s materials and purchase fresh ones to start anew. Label the notebooks, binders, and computer files that you wish to keep from last year. You can invest in a handheld label maker or use post-it notes, stickers, or tape to mark them. Then, store old materials on a shelf and/or flash drive to keep them accessible but out of the way. 

2. Invest in an Academic Planner

Did you know that not all planners are tied to the ‘January through December’ calendar year? You also have the option of purchasing a paper or digital planner that is based on the academic year. Academic planners start in July or August and end the summer of the following year so an entire school year can be planned in one book. This type of planner is perfect for students, teachers, or parents with school-aged children to stay organized. 

Tip: Not a pen and paper person? Digital planners can be downloaded straight to a tablet or laptop for little to no cost. 

3. Add Important Dates to a Yearly Calendar

Before the school year begins, add all important school dates and holidays to your planner or calendar. Schools usually will provide a ‘year at a glance’ calendar that includes all major school dates to families over the summer or during the first week of school. To ensure these dates do not sneak up on you or pass you by, write them all down (even if they are months away). Not only will this help you better commit the dates to memory, but you will also be glad that you don’t need to go back each month to add them later. 

Tip: After adding important school dates to the calendar, take time to pencil in any other family vacations, doctor’s appointments, etc. that are coming up. The more dates that are frontloaded, the better. 

4. Develop a Color-Coding System

If you are a student with various courses (or a parent with multiple school-aged children) adopting a color-coding system to distinguish school materials from one another may be a good organizational tool for you. You could also incorporate this tip with tips 1-3. For example, a student with four courses could use blue for social sciences, green for math, red for reading/ELA, and orange for art courses in their system. This student could use these same colors to create labels when archiving last year’s school materials or when highlighting course assignments and important dates on his or her calendar and academic planner. It all ties together and makes everything easy to track. 

Tip: Teachers with multiple sections or student groups can also use color coding in their classroom to keep assignments and handouts organized throughout the school year. 

5. Set Up your Ideal Week

Finally, mapping out your ideal week is another tip that can be used to stay organized during back-to-school season. For middle school, high school, and college students and teachers, this should be updated semesterly as course schedules change. Student athletes can also make updates as their sport seasons begin and end. 

So, how do you map out an ideal week? Use an undated, hourly, weekly schedule. Block out class times, work hours, practices, and any other regular, recurring meetings or appointments. This is also a great opportunity to block out study time for courses, homework time, and even weekly planning time. 

Once complete, this visualization tool allows students, teachers, and parents to better prioritize and plan their time when additional or unexpected projects, events, or tasks need to be added to their schedule.  

Tip: For families with multiple school-aged children, empower your students to complete their own weekly schedule. Completing this task instills valuable time management skills. 

There you have it! Five easy tips to help you tackle back to school season. For more organizational tips and tricks, follow @cristalvictoria on Instagram or visit cristalvictoriaconsulting.com. 

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Book Review: ‘Upstream’ by Dan Heath

by Cristal Victoria

“Upstream” by Dan Heath is a game-changer in the realm of personal development and societal progress. In this thought-provoking book, Heath explores the concept of upstream thinking, unraveling its potential to transform our lives and the world around us. With a blend of insightful anecdotes, research, and practical wisdom, Heath masterfully guides readers through the terrain of proactive problem-solving and systems change.

At its core, upstream thinking is about shifting our focus from merely reacting to problems as they arise to actively preventing them. As Heath eloquently puts it, “When you spend years responding to problems, you can sometimes overlook the fact that you could be preventing them.” This statement encapsulates the essence of the book: the idea that we often find ourselves caught up in a never-ending cycle of firefighting without realizing that we have the power to extinguish the flames at their source.

Heath’s extensive research and endless interviews provided engaging stories and examples throughout the book. One of my favorites was learning how Norway offers new parents “upstream” benefits. This clever anecdote illustrates the practical advantages of a society that invests in preventive measures and systems that support its citizens. It serves as a compelling reminder of what can be achieved when we prioritize upstream thinking on a larger scale. Not to mention, it made me want to pack my bags and move!

Heath’s exploration of the four barriers to upstream thinking in the first section of the book (Chapters 1-4) is particularly enlightening. These barriers—problem blindness, lack of ownership, tunneling, and misplaced accountability—are all too familiar in our daily lives. By identifying and dissecting these obstacles, Heath equips readers with the tools to recognize and overcome them in their personal and professional spheres.

The heart of the book lies in Heath’s definition of systems change: “The endgame is to eliminate the need for courage, to render it unnecessary because it has forced change within the system. Success comes when the right things happen by default—not because of individual passion or heroism.” This is a profound concept that challenges the prevailing notion of change as a heroic endeavor. Instead, it calls for a strategic, long-term approach where our systems themselves become agents of positive transformation.

Heath presents numerous compelling case studies throughout the book, showcasing how upstream thinking has yielded remarkable results in diverse contexts, from healthcare to criminal justice. These real-world examples serve as inspiring evidence of the potential impact of upstream thinking on a grand scale.

“Upstream” isn’t just a book about identifying problems; it’s a manual for taking action and effecting change. Heath’s message is clear: to make genuine progress in our lives and in society, we must embrace upstream thinking. By addressing root causes, changing systems, and fostering a culture of prevention, we can create a world where many problems are averted before they ever surface.

In conclusion, Dan Heath’s “Upstream” is an exceptional book that challenges us to rethink our approach to problem-solving and personal development. It offers a compelling vision of a world where proactive thinking and systems change lead to lasting progress. As we navigate our own lives and set goals, Heath’s insights into upstream thinking can serve as a guiding light, inspiring us to be architects of positive change and champions of a brighter future. Every page of this book brims with wisdom, making it a must-read for anyone seeking to make a meaningful impact in their own life and the world at large.