It’s safe to say that high school is a difficult and emotionally overwhelming time for many. It is a time when students are trying to find their passions, figure out what their purpose is in life, and surround themselves with adequate peers. While high school may feel challenging, a solution to this issue is improving students’ executive functioning and organizational skills, according to an article by one of Harvard’s writers, Elizabeth Christopher. This is important because a student’s managerial abilities can greatly affect a student’s mental health.
Mrs. Elisabeth Trofimtchouk, the director of counseling at Posnack School, states that “Organization skills are important in high school for many reasons. From my standpoint, it does help with your mental health because if you can keep things more organized in your life, you can focus on one thing at a time and be mindful of that, it will be helpful in how you feel overall.” Mrs. Trofimtchouk highlighted the significance of organization on mental health. Lack of the ability to manage one’s responsibilities comes with a possibly detrimental consequence in terms of mental health.
Furthermore, Shaylah Benaim, a sophomore at Fischer High School, provides insight into her view on organization, stating, “Organization is the only way that you can get your time management correct.” With many classes and after-school activities to manage as well, she explains that, for her, organization is crucial to make sure she can manage her life on her own terms and not succumb to great amounts of stress due to poor time management.
However, if organization is vital for one’s mental health and daily life, how does one implement these skills?
Mrs. Trofimtchouk suggests using any form of organization that works for the individual student; essentially, it needs to be customized to one’s personal needs. She states, “Use whatever is going to be most helpful for you…create something so you know how much you’re doing each day.”
Some of Mrs. Trofimtchouk’s suggested methods for organization:
- A planner
- A spreadsheet
- A calendar
- Taking notes
- Taking breaks in between studying for each subject
Yael Regev, a junior at Posnack School, provides an example of the usage of these various tools, stating that she uses a calendar to stay organized. “I have a Google Calendar that I link to my Canvas. It shows me all my assignments, when they are due, what class they’re for, and every day I look to see if it’s updated.”
She also goes on to say that as a student who took Advanced Placement classes, such as AP European History last year, and is currently taking AP United States History, organizing all of the documents, papers, and information for these classes has been her biggest stumbling block. However, Regev works on organizing her papers by using a folder system. She is able to locate all her necessary folders accordingly with little effort, giving her peace of mind. Yael Regev is a prime example of the power that organization has on mental health.
Benaim explains that as an AP student, she uses various spreadsheets and calendars to keep track of her assignments as well. She also provides good advice for students who are starting to enter the AP world, stating, “I really try to get the small stuff out of the way first…the things I know I can do quickly so I can really focus and dive into the AP…because they are very important.”
There are many skills and processes one can utilize in order to get organized. However, it is worth noting that these habits do not just affect one’s mental health, but the way one presents themselves and behaves in their everyday school life. As Trofimtchouk states, “Implement these organization tools so you can be present, focused fully in class, and then so you know after school, exactly what you need to focus on, you can prioritize it and then be ready for the next day.” In other words, organizational skills can help one feel grounded in their everyday life and present the best version of themselves both in school and out of school.
Although organization is crucial to one’s mental health, there are various habits that one can fall into that can sometimes hinder this objective, one example being the inevitable procrastination. Mrs. Trofimtchouk explains the reasoning of why the cycle of procrastination after organization can occur, stating, “Procrastination feels good at first, generally. If you procrastinate, what are you doing instead? Usually, doing something more desirable for you to do.” This is not just common among students. Mrs. Trofimtchouk explains that it affects everyone across various ages: “students, adults, everyone alike.” Unfortunately, the “good feeling” of procrastination eventually dissipates, as Mrs. Trofimtchouk explains, “We don’t always connect that procrastination is going to compound later when we’ve put something off too many times. By the second time of putting it off, it can be more anxiety-provoking, and then it’s just gonna build to where it gets really overwhelming.”
The reality of human nature is that procrastination is certain to occur at one point. The question is, how can one prevent procrastination or bounce back from it? When asked how students can motivate themselves to stay organized, Mrs. Trofimtchouk answered, “To celebrate how it feels after you do really well on a test. When you feel good that you did everything on your list, you can check all those boxes and celebrate that. Stop and remind yourself this is a good feeling.” Mrs. Trofimtchouk’s response shows that positive reinforcement psychologically conditions you to enjoy being organized. Rewarding and affirming yourself is the simplest way to begin the organizational journey.
Posnack students are privileged to attend a school that prioritizes both their educational and mental needs. There are various administrators and adults, such as Mrs. Trofimtchouk, who are willing to help students in times of need. There are also various policies that are in place in order to alleviate stress for students. An example of this, as Mrs. Trofimtchouk explains, is a policy that helps students get organized before or after they know they will not be in school or miss school for any reason for more than three days. She explains that, “Students can either come to her, or she can reach out to them to see how they’re making up their work. Mrs. Trofimtchouk and the student create a template and go class by class, and give them extensions if they need them. They are going to talk about what’s most manageable, and prioritize based on what’s due sooner.” This is then shared with their other teachers, which offers both the student and teachers peace of mind, knowing when everything will be completed. She highlights how powerful this process can be, stating, “I see automatic relief even once we’ve just done this,” and further emphasizes the correlation between organization and one’s mental health.
An additional policy that Posnack provides is a maximum of two summative tests per day. This rule is made to help students who may feel overwhelmed with many exams in one day. In addition to support from school and adults, it is important to stay kind to oneself and understand that organization is a learning process, and one is bound to struggle and make mistakes.
Regev admitted that no matter how organized someone is, the stresses of high school, assignments, and exams are still felt. “That’s like an average high school experience. No matter how organized you are, you won’t ever not be stressed about a test — that doesn’t change no matter how much you study.” In other words, it is important to understand and be aware of the pressures that high school brings, as it opens up a new chapter in one’s life and comes with its own challenges, just like everything else. The thing to keep in mind, though, is not to let that hinder the goal of becoming organized and reaching one’s full potential. It is simply the understanding and awareness of staying on top of tasks and being kind to yourself throughout the process that is important. Organization should be seen as a tool to overcome burdens, not a burden itself.
Additionally, just because high school may feel overwhelming and change one’s priorities, it does not mean one cannot achieve a work-life balance and enjoy and pursue hobbies or extracurricular activities. For example, Benaim explains that because she organizes her time, she is able to have a work-life balance. “I do theater, violin, and piano…I also allow myself time to just hang out with my friends and be with my family, so that I don’t get too overwhelmed.” Therefore, one should strive to achieve a healthy balance between their social life and work life.
Benaim also notes that this is not a perfect process and admits that, “Sometimes things overlap and I get overwhelmed, but that is normal.” Despite the occasional feeling of being overwhelmed, Benaim says, “to push yourself to your full potential. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone, but also make sure you have a balance between everything. Have things like your hobbies that you love doing. Make sure to spend time with your family, hang out with your friends, and have some downtime just for yourself. And obviously, stay on top of school.”
These words of encouragement are the perfect testament to a balanced and organized student. Benaim and others accept the incongruities of life and embrace them. When they hit roadblocks, they stop and think about how they will be able to overcome them.
In conclusion, organization is no easy feat; one will inevitably face their ups and downs and feel overwhelmed at times. The critical thing to remember is never to lose sight of one’s goals and keep working toward them. When an error occurs, one must be kind to oneself. There is also importance in building and maintaining these skills early on. As Trofimtchouk highlights, “You’re always going to need organization skills, no matter what your occupation is or your family life. It’s just going to get more complex in a great way.”
