Get Organized for Your Online Course

Michelangelo said, "The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark."

If you think about that sentiment as it relates to your own life, the thought is pretty stunning. What are you capable of doing that you haven't even tried?

Set your goals high and stretch. Dream!

People who write down SMAART goals are more likely to achieve them. We'll show you how: How to Write SMAART Goals.

Get what you want.

Whatever you want to call yours—a calender, date book, planner, whatever (I have a friend whose husband calls hers "her damn book" because her entire life is in it)—get one that works the way you think.

You can get date books in small, medium, and large sizes, formatted with daily, weekly, or monthly pages, and stuffed with extras like note pages, "to do" pages, address sheets, and sleeves for business cards, to name only a few.

Find a date book that fits your lifestyle, fits in your book bag, and accommodates all of your activities.

Then use it.

Now that you have a great date book, schedule time in it for studying. Make a date with yourself, and don't let anything else take priority, unless, of course, someone's safety is at risk.

This works for exercise time, too. Put it on your calendar, and when you receive an invitation to go out for dinner with friends, you're sorry but you're busy that night.

In this world of instant gratification, we need discipline to meet our SMAART goals. A date book helps keep us organized and on track.

Make dates with yourself and keep them. You are worth it.

Create a nice, cozy study space for yourself with everything you need: computer, printer, lamp, room to write, beverage coaster, closing door, whatever makes you comfortable and ready to learn.

And then make another one somewhere else.

Okay, not the same kind of space, few of us have that kind of luxury, but have in mind some other places you can go to study. Research shows that varying your study space helps you remember because you associate the space with the learning. Makes sense.

If you always read in the same place, there are fewer distinguishing factors to help you recall.

Do you have a porch? a quiet reading rock in the woods? a favorite chair in the library? a coffee shop down the street?

Have a few places in mind where you can go to study. Some like white noise. Some like perfect quiet. Discover where you like to study.

If you're a non-traditional student over 40, and many of us are, you more than likely have a little trouble with your eyesight. I juggle several pairs of glasses, each one designed to see at a different distance. (Lens Options for People Over 40!)

If this sounds familiar to you, and one of your struggles is the seeing your computer screen, I can help, and it doesn't involve buying a new pair of glasses.

You can change the font size on your screen with a simple keystroke! I get thank you letters from people about this every week.

To Increase Text Size Simply press Control and + on a PC, or Command and + on Mac.

To Decrease Text Size Simply press Control and - on a PC, or Command and - on Mac.

Happy studying!