Using your planner!!!

The key to effectively using a planner is consistency: use it well and use it always. If you only use your planner once in a while, or don't use it to write down homework in each and every class, it's probably not going to be helpful to you. But, if you do use it well and use it consistently, you will likely find that you are less stressed about schoolwork, you're getting better grades, and you're enjoying your classes more because you're prepared and more relaxed!

Backwards planning for long term projects, and upcoming tests and quizzes works like this:
1. Start by writing down when the assignment is due, or when the test/quiz is. Write this in on the day it's due/ being given.
2. Count back the days you have to work on it; that is, count backwards from the due date to today.
3. Think about the amount of material you have to produce, or review to prepare for the test or quiz. Divide it into chunks that make sense for whatever the assignment it. For example, if you have a math quiz on chapter 1, sections 1-3 four days from now, maybe you chunk down the material into sections (one per night), then use the fourth night to review all of the sections together. If you have a first draft of a five-paragraph essay due three days from now, maybe you work on brainstorming and outlining tonight, writing the three body paragraphs tomorrow, and then writing the intro and conclusion the next night.
4. Write down EXACTLY what you will work on each night, and how you will "work on" it. Writing "study" in your planner doesn't really remind you of what you should be DOING to study. Instead, write down "make flashcards and play mix-and-match game with flashcards" or "make and complete an active practice on section 1."

The idea behind backwards planning is to get larger assignments or tasks done by attacking it in smaller and more manageable pieces, in the days leading up to a due date or an assessment date. Practicing backwards planning can help you to see a large assignment as more manageable, and it can also help you to not procrastinate on the work! Above is a video that shows an example of backwards planning in practice.

Estimating the amount of time each nightly assignment will take, and writing down that estimation, can help in two ways: first, it can be a goal to then complete the assignment in that amount of time, which may lead you to be more efficient and focused; second, it can help you to get an idea of when you should work on each task. For example, if you think that reading a chapter for English will take you about 20 minutes, and writing a response for History will take you about 30 minutes, and you know that you have only 20 minutes left before having to eat dinner, you could complete English in that amount of time rather than feeling interrupted when working on history. Also, generally speaking, the longer something is going to take, the more brainpower it is going to require. So, it's often a good idea to complete longer assignments before working on shorter ones.

Plan out the order in which you'll complete your assignments, before beginning them. Simply numbering assignments or subjects 1, 2, 3, ... can help you to feel like you have a road map to your nightly homework. Again, for most people, it works best to start with the most difficult assignments first, because that's when they have the most brainpower or mental energy. However, other students report that starting with something they like, or something that's relatively easy, works well because they feel like it's motivating and it gets them on a roll with their work, and gives them confidence in their ability to complete the work (even when the later assignments are more difficult).