An Organizational to-do list for a SUCCESSFUL Week! November, 2025 Lauren Maharaj and Miriam Grant
- Time block your week: After a (hopefully) restful Saturday, it’s time to crack open the syllabi and plan for your big priorities for the upcoming week. Write your to-do list (including readings and small assignments), and time block your week accordingly. Time management is critical in achieving success in grad school or any professional program. The key to overcoming a daunting reading list is to be aware of your expectations in advance. Remember that you have control of your timetable – not your program, or your professors, or your to-do list. Effective time management is a tool for you to make the most of your studies and preserve time for your personal life. So, take 20 minutes each Sunday.
Miriam- and this includes blocking time if you’re writing that paper or thesis chapter. What’s your writing goal for the week? Break it down into smaller steps to make it seem less daunting and more doable!
- Meal prep (and grocery shop): Meal prepping is a secret hack for maintaining your health, availability, and finances throughout the week. Let’s face it – as a grad student, you do not have time to slave over the stove every night, and you can’t afford Uber Eats as much as you’d like. Save yourself time, money, energy by cooking your lunches and dinners once a week on Sunday. Plan for five lunches and four dinners – if you intend to eat out once a week.
Lauren: Here are some of my favourite (and affordable) ideas:
- Lunch ideas: Overnight oats, buffalo chicken wrap, quinoa salad, pasta salad, soups, green salads, smoothies, falafel and veggies!
- Dinner ideas: Ground beef/turkey chili, burrito bowls, chicken pesto pasta, Korean beef bowls, stir fry, curry
Miriam: And don’t forget breakfast planning. The bus/car can’t run on empty and neither can you- at least not very well!
- Laundry – the chore we all hate! Getting your laundry done on Sunday will save you from last minute headaches. Do you have a clean fit for each day of the week? Two to three pairs of clean gym clothes? Do you have any special occasions this week you need to plan for, fashionably? Getting your closet ready for the week is a huge gamechanger that will make you feel fresh for every occasion.
Miriam: A friend once confided that her roommate only washed her bedsheets about every 3 weeks. YUK! Clean towels and sheets are essential for good hygiene, and clean sheets help you to relax and sleep better. Give yourself the message that your health matters!
- Supply restock: How are your school supplies looking (your pens, paper, printer ink, and highlighters)? How are you house supplies (laundry detergent, dish pods, soap, sponges, etc.)? Bath supplies? Take a quick inventory while you’re enjoying time at home. Having a handle on your circumstances at home will make you feel more confident and in control during the week.
- Schedule your workouts… In advance! It’s easy to say, “I’ll get to the gym sometime this week…” and then spend the week without breaking a sweat. If you struggle finding time to work out while managing an intensive academic program, that is normal. Take some pressure off your to-do list by scheduling your workouts ahead of time. This may look like booking a spin or hot yoga class or asking a friend to meet you later at the gym. Get this solidified in your calendar on Sunday. Trust me, your future self won’t regret it.
Lauren: As a law student, I can attest to feeling 100x better at the end of the week when I’ve afforded myself 2-3 workouts. Regular exercise is critical for avoiding burnout – so treat your workouts like a class in your schedule.
- Connect with Friends and Family. You may not have much time to relax, but your social support network and connections need bolstering too! Whether you can schedule some in-person time around a meal or a walk, or whether you schedule a WhatsApp call or zoom session with family at a distance, making the time to connect with the supportive people in your life will benefit everyone- and hopefully will give you more confidence to face your week!
Lauren: As an out-of-province student, I find it hard to connect with my folks back home. I try to find small opportunities to call – during my morning walks or when doing the dishes… If you can’t connect with family over the weekend, consider using your commutes to/from school during the week!
- Get Organized for Monday Morning. Your mornings may be quite hectic and many of you need to look after family members before heading to campus. Pack up your backpack and your gym bag by Sunday night so that you won’t forget anything that you need! (This may include a stickie to remind yourself to take lunch.) Monday mornings can be difficult, but if you’re prepared, it sets the right tone for your successful week ahead!
- Plan something fun next weekend. I know – that’s the last thing on your mind after reviewing the piles of reading or writing you just time blocked. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, getting into this habit early – at the beginning of the semester – will help you get ahead on your readings or assignments/writing. We all need a little motivation. Give yourself the fuel you need and the rest you deserve. Here are some fun weekend ideas:
- dinner date with a partner/friend/family – have a new restaurant to try?
- movie night – what have you been dying to watch?
- workout class and smoothie – get your workout and socializing in all at once.
- paint and sip, pottery and sip, or any variation – an idea for the crafty folk!
- Bakery/café hop downtown – particularly great if you have a coffee addiction or sweet tooth
- A sunny walk/hike in the park – you might already have this one booked if you have a furry friend
- Rent kayaks or bikes (if you don’t have these) and go and explore with a friend
This is not a completely comprehensive list, but we hope you can find some good ideas/hacks in here to make you feel better organized for your week ahead. You don’t need the stress that disorganization brings- you’re dealing with enough as it is! But you can show up READY to take on this week’s challenges with grit and grace! Have a super week!