Four ways to make school easier this year

Why do small problems seem to grow so quickly during the school year?

A worksheet disappears into a backpack. You know a project is due Thursday but haven't thought about when you'll work on it. You add another activity to an already busy week. Then there are the nights when you sit down to do something and just can't seem to get started.

This summer, I spent time talking about situations like these with students in my Teen Exec workshops. We worked on planning, organization, decision making, and follow-through. I came away thinking about how many school problems start with small, everyday things, and how small changes can make a difference too.

Here are four worth trying as the new school year begins.

1. Set up your spaces to make things easier

Think about how much time you spend looking for things during a typical school week. Maybe it's a worksheet somewhere in your backpack, a file buried in your Downloads folder, or the charger you need five minutes before leaving the house.

A few predictable places can solve a lot of these problems. Give papers and supplies regular homes. Create folders for your digital files and name them so you'll recognize them later. Before you start homework, clear away the things that tend to distract you. At night, check tomorrow's schedule and get what you'll need ready.

The students in our workshop looked at four spaces they use almost every day: their backpacks, study spaces, digital spaces, and a place for getting ready for tomorrow. The most useful habits were usually pretty simple.

2. Decide when the work will happen

“Science project due Thursday” tells you something important. It still leaves one big question: When are you going to do it?

A deadline is not a plan. At the beginning of the week, look at what is already on your calendar: school, practices, appointments, meetings, and other commitments. Then find places for the work you need to do.

A project due Thursday might mean research on Monday, building on Tuesday, and a final review on Wednesday. Seeing those work sessions on your calendar can also show you when a week is getting crowded while you still have time to adjust.

3. Think about what your choices require

The beginning of a school year can bring a lot of opportunities. There are new classes, clubs, sports, performances, leadership positions, and invitations from friends. Sometimes two choices both sound good.

Before adding something, think about what it will actually require. How much time will it take? What could you gain from doing it? What else might get squeezed if your week is already full?

Every meaningful choice has tradeoffs. I've found that some of my best experiences have come from trying something new. Thinking through the tradeoffs helps me figure out which opportunities deserve the time they will take.

4. Figure out what is keeping you stuck

Everyone gets stuck for different reasons.

Sometimes the hardest part is starting. Sometimes one confusing problem stops your progress. A big assignment can feel overwhelming because you don't know which piece to tackle first. You can also stop halfway through something and have trouble getting back into it.

When that happens, ask yourself: What's getting in my way right now?

Then choose a next move that fits the problem. Open the assignment and do one tiny first step. Mark a difficult question, keep going, and come back to it. Break a big project into a piece you can finish today. If you have to stop, write down exactly where you'll begin when you return. Those approaches reflect the different kinds of recovery students practiced in the final workshop. 

The beginning of the school year is a good time to notice the little things that make your days easier or harder. Maybe your backpack needs a better system. Maybe you need to start looking at your week before Monday morning. Maybe there's something on your schedule that deserves more thought.

Pick one change that would make school easier and try it. Small changes have a way of adding up over a year.

Originally published in the Weston Observer (see page 7) as part of my monthly column, The Student Observer, on August 28, 2026.