August is the perfect time for a mid-year evaluation and cleaning out of your home. Typically, it's associated with the back to school season and new pencils, unopened packs of paper and a new backpack. For the rest of us, it's a good point to get back on track for the new year's resolution to be more organized. If, like the rest of America, you can't even remember what your new year's resolution was, why not take a fresh season to set new priorities. 

Tips for getting more organized for fall: 

Clean out your closet. If you live somewhere with four seasons, this is the perfect time to begin transitioning your summer wardrobe and replace it with fall attire. Besides changing for the seasons, make room for new purchases by taking a long hard look at what is currently taking up space. If you haven't worn it in a year, it's time to either take it to a consignment store, donate it, or toss it. There will also be the surprise items that you didn't even remember you had. When you come across these, take the time to make sure that you have outfits to wear it with, or else it will most likely sit there for another year until you finally decide to donate it.

Set mid-year goals. Although we are a little more than halfway through the year, fall is a great time to set goals. You've had fun for weekends on end throughout the summer and feel rejuvenated to take on the world again. But first, a road map perhaps?

Invest in the jumbo set of highlighters. Going along with the back to school theme, highlighters are a must, even outside of writing hundreds of flashcards. If you keep a written calendar/planner, create a color coded system (work, fun, bill payments, etc.) to keep up with activities. 

Create a defined workspace (and use it.) I could take my own advice on this one. Even though I have a desk with plenty of workspace and a comfy-ish chair, I sill bring my laptop to the couch or bed to work. I don't know if this is a habit from my college days when my bed was where I slept, ate, watched movies and studied, but it's a habit I would like to try and break. Take to Pinterest and recreate one of your favorite work areas.

I have a confession to make. The scheduling gods were looking down on me in school and I was able to avoid taking the one class in my major that requires a long-ish research paper. So I may not be the most qualified person to write the post below, and feel free to correct me if all of my advice is completely skewed or irrelevant. These things I know to be true: It is not wise to begin coming up with a topic/thesis two days before the paper is due, you have a 50/50 shot of getting away with slightly increasing the line spacing and spaces in-between punctuation

If I had had to go through this collegiate right of passage, I would imagine that these would be the skills that can be applied after graduation.

Importance of setting goals on multiple levels

The big picture is you have thirty pages to write. But a lot has to happen before that. When setting longterm goals or working on longterm projects, take the time to think about all of the smaller steps that must happen in order to achieve it. Learn to bite off smaller chunks so to avoid being overwhelmed and not writing it until the night before. 

Sometimes you have no choice but to camp out in the library

I was more of a study in bed or in a coffee shop kind of person. I can't count the number of times I stepped into the library for more than to print something off or make copies. But sometimes you need to work in a dead silent environment with no distractions and just get to work.

Take good notes the first time

One way to save time in any project is to take good notes the first time when reading through a lot of material or listening to a speaker. With haphazard notes, you will inevitably have to go back and reread it all. Especially if a lot of time has passed since your initial reading.

Your highlighting system is a secret code that sometimes you don't even understand

Just because the 24-count highlighter pack was on sale at Costco does not mean that you must use every single color at once. If you have to make a key to let you know what each color is referencing, then you've gone too far.

You can get a lot done in a short amount of time when you need to 

Even if it was not your intention to procrastinate, perhaps you had a short deadline to start with, you will amaze yourself how fast you can accomplish a task when under a time crunch. Without distractions or thoughts about what you want for dinner, all you will hear is the clacking of your fingers on the keyboard. 

Sometimes it's important to have a solid idea of what you want the final product to look like

Having an end goal in mind can help you see the light at the end of the tunnel and help propel you along. And other projects are a work in progress and evolve over time. If this happens to be the case, make sure you set aside enough time for changes, revisions and moving in a different direction.

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Mornings are the time of the day that are most neglected. "Morning people" are either looked at with awe or confusion, because a lot of us wake up with just enough time to shower, get ready and get out the door. While I know that my peak performance is not before 7 a.m., I do enjoy mornings. If you would like to make more out of the time before your commute, here are a few suggestions. Sometimes it's not about waking up earlier, but taking advantage of the time you already have.

Limit your screen time

I'm still trying to break myself of the habit of scrolling through all of my newsfeeds before bed. The blue lights from your phone affect your quality of sleep. The same can also be said for checking your phone first thing in the morning. Make a habit of not touching your phone until your feet hit the floor. For two reasons: I'm sure it affects your brain in some way and takes up a large amount of time. You will wake up faster once you get out of bed than if you lay in bed an extra 20 minutes scrolling through everyone's late night instagrams.

Light up your apartment

This has to do with your circadian rhythms. Just as you are supposed to sleep in a completely dark room, you should also turn on the lights or open the blinds when you get out of bed. This tells your body that it is time to wake up. If you're anything like me, you would rather shower in the dark than face the blinding light in your bathroom. Although your eyes are still adjusted to the dark, turning on a light will make such a difference trying to wake up. Half the battle of gaining an extra few minutes in the morning is not spending them in bed.

Complete a simple task

This applies to either your morning routine or once you get to work. The day before, I look at what I have left to accomplish and set aside one task to work on once I get in and to have finished within a short amount of time. Once you cross one item off, moving on to the rest of the day's assignments seems more bearable.

Pick out your outfit

I need to take my own advice here. Standing in front of your closet trying to find something to wear that is also the elusive "business casual" can be daunting. Especially if you haven't done laundry in a few weeks. Inevitably the outfit you plan in your head will be missing an item or two that is in the hamper. Or your shirt won't be ironed. Or you can't locate the skirt that you could have sworn didn't make it into your last Goodwill donation. Don't just plan out your outfit in your head; assemble all of the pieces and make sure everything is ready for the morning. 

Create a morning routine

You may remember my post a few weeks about the importance of creating a morning routine. Having a set order not only helps you get to work on time, but also gives your morning some structure that will hopefully carry on throughout the day.

You may remember a time a while ago when I gave my sage advice on time management and productivity. At the time, I was going to school full-time as well as working three part-time freelance jobs. And I still managed to go to bed before midnight. Clearly I was doing something right.

While I no longer have extracirriculars tugging my in every direction, I thought I would share a little bit more on the topic for those of you who are still in that boat.

Computers and smartphones can be the best thing and the worst thing that can happen to productivity. On one hand, you no longer have to write correspondence by hand and mail it by carrier pigeon. On the other... those Buzzfeed articles aren't going to read themselves. Why not put your phone and computer to work for you again? Here are my top apps/tricks to find the time to plow through your to-do list: 

StayFocused

StayFocused is an extension for your Chrome browser that you should install right now. You select the sites that you need to stay away from (Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Buzzfeed, etc.), set a time limit or block them between certain hours of the day. This last option would work great if you work from home and do not want to be tempted. They even give you the option to block the Chrome extension page so you can stop turning off StayFocused; think of this as disabling your alarm's snooze button. 

A Master List

Whether you keep this on your computer, phone or the old fashioned way with pen and paper, keep one notebook or folder with all your to-do lists. Do not have sticky notes strewn everywhere with all manner of ideas you have ever had throughout the week. Something will inevitably get overlooked. Have your grocery list, errands, and reminders all together. Evernote is a great option if you want to keep your lists digital. 

iCal

It syncs to your mac, iphone and ipad. My favorite feature is setting up multiple calendars. I have one for personal, one for work dates I may need to remember outside of the office, bills and blog posts. If you have several kids this is a lifesaver; give each kid a separate calendar and you can easily differentiate between Sally's soccer practice and David's dentist appointment.

Local Grocery Store App

I shop at Publix and can't get enough of their store app. My favorite function is selecting my regular store, entering my grocery list and getting a breakdown of what items are on each row. No more crisscrossing the store looking for flour or salsa. And if you shop at various locations across town, you won't feel lost. This can easily cut down 20 minutes or more walking up and down every aisle making sure you haven't missed an item.

Sleep Cycle

I downloaded this app several weeks ago and am waiting for a weekend to calibrate the settings. The premise is based on your REM cycle. Most of us do not set our alarm based on when we are in a light sleep, instead we determine how long it takes to get ready and wake up accordingly. For this app, you set the latest you want to wake up. Through the morning, Sleep Cycle tracks your body movements in bed because you start to toss and turn more as you are coming out of deep sleep. The app's alarm will then go off at that point. There is a 30 minute window of when the alarm will go off. In theory, you will wake up more naturally and feel well-rested. I'll let you know how effective it is after I test it out.

Past time management topics include: 

Tackle an easy task first | Plan out the week ahead | Two minute rule of productivity

I am a creature of habit. I drive the exact same routes, wake up at the exact same time and listen to the same playlists over and over until I have the transitions memorized. Although I've been told people with entrenched habits and routines are more likely to develop alzheimer's, it isn't enough for me to give up the comfort of routine. 

I read this article about how people with strict morning routines are more creative. The habit frees up space in your brain for more interesting and important thoughts instead of "Will I shower or eat breakfast first today?" Also, you begin to crave the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a routine. It's actually quite fascinating.

My morning consists of quickly scrolling through my Twitter feed from the night before (even though I know "they say you shouldn't immediately grab your phone first thing in the morning. Whatever.) Showering followed by the top of the news cycle, typically Good Morning America, while I drink my coffee and eat breakfast (toast with jam and a banana.) Those 30 minutes could be spent under the covers a little longer, but that's the time that I begin to feel like I can actually take on the day ahead. And finally there is makeup, hair, picking an outfit, and packing up all my snacks for the office. And I'm off.

I'm more of a morning person than a night person. And thankfully I was able to work out a work schedule of 8:30 to 5:30, which, (one) allows me to miss the worst of the traffic, and (two) gives me a little extra "me" time when I feel the most alert and productive.

Even in college I took the extra time to wake up a little bit earlier to develop a routine instead of racing around trying to look as presentable as possible before my first class. Perhaps you love working out first thing in the morning. The key to making that happen is by ingraining the action into your morning sequence that you don't have to even think about "where are my shorts? socks? tennis shoes?" Or maybe mornings are your time to write and spark your creativity. Whatever it is, by doing it in the same order morning after morning, you'll have more brainpower to think of the exciting things in life.

What about you? Do you have a routine set in stone or do you begin your day however you feel like it at the time? 

This post originally appeared on Sept. 6, but I thought it was a fitting reminder to include in the Maximize Your Time series.

Let's talk about being productive. Because as I am typing this post there are about five other homework assignments that I could and maybe should be working on, but I'm not because they aren't due within the next 12 hours.

I've noticed that I am most productive when under a time crunch and deadline. My extremely organized side recognizes upcoming projects and assignments weeks in advance and I know that I should start working on them, and many times I do. But it's not until I get down to the wire that I focus and check items off my to-do list faster than New Yorkers lined up for the cronut.

Does this describe you, too?

If there is one thing that school has taught me, it is how to procrastinate. The problem is some of my best work comes when I do it in a hurry. When looking too far in advance on my calendar, I become bogged down with how much needs to get done. Instead of prioritizing, I do nothing at all and scroll through my twitter feed for the twentieth time that hour.

I was reading an article yesterday about the two-minute rule of productivity. If it is a task you can accomplish in under two minutes like emptying the dishwasher or cleaning your email inbox, get it done right away. If the task at hand will take longer than two minutes, then spend at least two minutes getting started. If your goal is to go to the gym more often, then at least put on your tennis shoes and walk out the door. Once you have made that initial action, you are more likely to finish out the task. Want to start reading the book for book club instead of just skimming reviews? Spend two minutes reading the first few pages. Chances are you will get hooked and won't want to put the book down.

So the next time, your to-do list is a mile long, just take two minutes to start tackling those items because don't we all know that crossing several items off quickly makes us feel more productive? Just two minutes. What could you have accomplished in the time it took you to read this post? (Although I am glad you read to the end.)

So, as per last week's instruction of planning your week in advance, you find yourself staring at a daunting list of appointments and tasks. Now what? Any time I sit down to get work done, I always start off with the easiest item on my list. Knowing that I can check off one item and begin to shrink the list gives me the motivation to continue on. For example, if I had a choice between taking notes for a research paper, reading 50 pages or completing a simple 10 question quiz online, I would start with the quiz. BAM. One down, two to go. If I decided to start reading the chapter, I may get halfway through and decide that I deserve a break for almost finishing. And then where does that leave me? Not much better off than when I started.

Perhaps you need to wash the dishes or vacuum the floor. If working in a clean and organized space clears your mind and helps you to focus better, then by all means, clean first.

I wouldn't suggest leaving your hardest or timeliness task until the very end, because you may tire before starting. Try to sandwich the monster of the day somewhere in the middle after you have hit your stride, but before you are winded. (I tried to make a running analogy, but since I run like Phoebe from Friends, I avoid running at all costs.) 

Also, don't always consider checking and answering emails as your easiest task. Unanswered questions can ultimately lead to more work that may not be time sensitive and lead you off track of what you set out to accomplish. Set aside a specific amount of time to clean out your inbox. 

The bottom line is to start with a task that you know can easily be accomplished in order to give yourself the motivational boost to complete the less desirable tasks in your day. Think of the simple task as drinking espresso, a quick burst of energy, as opposed to sipping coffee.

At one point this semester, I worked three jobs on top of classes and still managing to go to bed before midnight. Only once did I ever think I was in over my head and that was the days leading up to the two-day Main Street festival I was helping organize. So I think it's safe to say that I know a thing or two about how to maximize every minute of the day. 

For the next few weeks I will be sharing some of the practices that work best for me. They are not revolutionary or out of the box, but sometimes you just need a reminder. Also, changing your habits and routine is easier said than done. 

Plan Out Your Week (or Day) Ahead

If you want to begin using your time more effectively, start at the beginning. On Sunday afternoons, I sit down and look over all of the assignments, meetings and due dates that are coming up in the week ahead. Before Monday I have already prioritized assignments and carved out time in the afternoons and evenings to work on them. 

Know about how much time each task will take, and then add in some wiggle room. This is especially important if others are contributing portions of the project, but you are the one who ultimately has to turn it in. Plan for the worst so you are not stressed when tasks take longer than you would like them too. Also, budget time for interruptions.   

Of course, you will not know of all tasks and meetings a week in advance. As new assignments arise, adjust accordingly. You can't expect to always follow your schedule with military precision, so be flexible and adjust as needed.

Take the time beforehand to make a game plan so you aren't caught off guard in the middle of the week and have to burn the midnight oil working to finish a project. The importance of looking to the week ahead is to make sure you don't let anything slip through the cracks.

Recap: 

• Look over all assignments, meetings, due dates coming up 
• Prioritize deadlines and pencil in specific time in your day to work on each one
• Budget extra time for delays and interruptions
• Each day quickly look over your schedule and to-do list and adjust it for any last-minute tasks that arise