Managing a daily planner can put you on the right track of completing assignments, managing tasks and preparing for all of your classes. It is no secret that by using a planner you will have better time management, motivation and ability to organize your calendar not only with class information but also workout plans, to-do lists, goals and much more.

You can get on top of your classes and have less stress in your life by learning how to utilize your planner to its full capacity.

Here are a few ways to have a successful planner:

Purchase a Planner That is Right for You

There are thousands of planners that you can purchase. Some are more goal-based, while others have a more simplistic view. Find a planner that best aligns with your organizational behaviors to receive the full benefits of the planner.

If a paper planner doesn’t fit your personality, consider utilizing a virtual/digital planner. There are many digital planning applications that you can download onto your phone or computer that you can utilize.

Once you find a planner that fits your needs, you are on the right track to staying organized for your classes.

Schedule Deadlines

Setting deadlines for all of your classes ensures you have a reminder set in place to finish assignments on time.

“What I recommend doing is when you get all your syllabi at the beginning of the semester, take each syllabus and write every due date and exam into your planner,” professional academic advisor Megan Olson says. “It may take you an hour or two to do it, but you will have everything written down for the semester, so if you look at it every single day, you will know exactly what you need to do.”

If you tend to procrastinate, you will be reminded to finish your assignments. However, you can also set soft deadlines for yourself. Soft deadlines ensure your assignments are done on time and ahead of schedule; therefore, if the assignment is complex or takes a little longer than you thought, you have the ability to come back to it before your hard deadline.

Set Goals

Setting goals and placing them in your planner makes them more attainable.

Utilize the note section in your planner and come up with one academic and one personal goal, Olson says. Monitor your goals each week to make sure you are taking the necessary steps to complete them.

Reaching your goals becomes easier once you get in the habit of creating them. Remember if you set a goal, it should be a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) one. Here are some examples of SMART goals you may want to implement into your planner.

1. Work out at the gym three times a week for 30 minutes.
2. Spend one hour each night working on assignments for classes.
3. Save more money by putting 25 percent of your paycheck into a savings account for the next year.