
Back to School Time is the Perfect Time to Organize and Get Hyped about Productivity
When I was young, back to school time was exciting. Though we didn’t use backpacks back then, we still loaded up with lots of supplies. All of the new items made you feel like you were prepared for exceptional productivity. I still feel that way about back to school time, and I use it as a way to signal for me to organize my workspace and other areas of my environment.
Companies use back to school time to put out their best items related to organizational products, calendars, and other goodies. You will find more colorful choices in just about any item and the calendars usually run from July through to December of the next year. It is like getting an extra six months of a calendar and the best news is they are, as I mentioned, more organizational, more colorful, and usually discounted in comparison to what you will find at the end of the year.
I love Post-It-Notes and their use is unlimited when it comes to project planning, recording quick ideas, calendar updates, and more. You can find these delightful little helpers in more colors, shapes, and sizes while being discounted in stores during back to school promotions and sales. It’s a great time to get inspired to use them more and to restock your supply.
Organizers and portfolios are in abundance during back to school promotions. Again, it is like the companies and the retailers hold out on their best stuff for this time of year. There are more choices and the quality is better. If you want a nostalgic organizer visit your college bookstore online or in person and you will find some great ones. Office stores as well as retailers like Target will have good choices, including very professional designs, but don’t miss checking stores like TJMaxx and similar ones because they, too, are trying to grab the back to school customers.
Take a walk through the office supply stores and discount retailers in the back to school areas for great prices on printing paper, printer ink, pens, refills, dry erase markers, Sharpie pens, and equipment like shredders, printers,
Retail stores usually have areas that carry items beyond the regular back to school items to offer college students unique finds. This is a great opportunity to buy towels, bedding, desk organizers, trash bins, cork and dry erase boards, and I can always find some sort of organizer that is great for my vehicle by repurposing it from its intended use.
It goes without saying that phones and computers will be discounted as well during this time, but you might miss the offers by mobile service providers. Consider contacting your provider and finding out what discounts you could switch to during this time if you have children or college age young adults in your family and on your plan. It might win you a big discount just because you asked, and even if you don’t have children ask anyway, because back to school time is when retailers want to boost their profitability and are out to win customers.
By taking advantage of all the special and unique items available in stores during back to school time, it will motivate you to become organized and efficient. Just a new calendar can do wonders for adding energy into your day each time you open it. It’s like injecting positive energy into your work area when you switch out new for the old or when you add to your supplies new, colorful, or unique tools for increasing productivity.
There are a few other things you can do that will be helpful during this time of year. If you replace your equipment and organizational items, or through your organizational tasks find you have spare and unneeded items, consider donating what is being replaced if it is gently used. Take the items to a Goodwill store or a Boys and Girls Club which can use your replaced office equipment and organizers. Churches and the American Legion Posts are also good choices for donations, but call ahead first and let them know what you have available.
The second thing is to consider donating to charities and organizations that supply back to school items to children in need. These organizations will take donations to purchase backpacks and other required items outlined by area school systems. It will help jump start children in your area toward a successful school year. Some retailers offer buying lists in their store for you to purchase items and put them in a donations bin within the store to be sorted later on by charity groups.
Another good deed is to ask your children’s school teachers or a local school in your area if they could use any school supplies. Many schools have teachers that use their own money to provide needed items to their classroom and some of the children in it. By using the back to school sales to purchase much needed items, you can increase your giving and if you make a monetary donation, the school or teacher can take advantage of the current deals available from retailers.
There is also a much overlooked and under reported need in colleges. There are many college students that are going hungry on campuses. The students are trying to stretch their available funds for college and that often leaves them without enough food. The situation is so bad that there are many colleges that have food pantries available for students. Check to see if your local college or university has a food pantry and consider making a donation or buying items for them from their needs list.
If you are a pet lover, then shelters, too, can use your help through donations of items often found on sale during this time of year in the back to school promotions. Cleaning supplies, towels, and office supplies are always needed. Call and ask if they have a wish list that you can download or pick up and buy a few extra things for them during your shopping trip. It will feel good to support a good cause while setting yourself up for success.
Back to school time perhaps just draws on our memories of all the newness, possibility, and opportunity for starting new and achieving much. Take advantage of what back to school time can do for you in setting you up to succeed, organizing you for better productivity, and creating a workspace in which you can thrive. It also offers a great opportunity to do for others and set them on a path to greater achievement as well. Make it happen.
Thank you for reading — it means a lot to me. I appreciate your sharing as well. Please follow me on Medium, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn — I’d love to connect and be a part of your network team. On social media I share my own articles, but also those that I find helpful and relevant to business, success, entrepreneurship, leadership, community enhancement, and personal development. You can find out more about me at SherryHBlue.com.
