Feeling like a bit of a hot mess now that uni’s well and truly under way? Got ten minutes to spare?

It’s a lot easier than you think to sort through the mess that may be your study habits, your finances or your sleep schedule, and what’s even better is that you can get a jump on it right now.

Use your calendar

Online and sync-able calendar apps are a godsend for planning ahead. If your assignments, exam times, work shifts and/or rent payments aren’t all on your calendar app of choice, put them in now.

You’ll be able to see when you’ll be the busiest, and alerts and reminders can help you plan your studying in advance. Make sure to sync your calendar to your phone so you always have an up-to-date picture of the time ahead.

Budget from your pocket

If checking your bank balance feels akin to playing Russian roulette, chances are your budgeting could use a little work.

Keeping a budget by hand (or by spreadsheet) can be tedious, time-consuming and prone to error, but budgeting apps like Pocketbook or Expensify keep track of your current balance and help you allocate funds for food, bills, general spending, and so on. Download one now – your wallet will thank you.

Plan your next assignment

Dive into the outline for your next assessment and brainstorm an essay plan, bibliography list, or study schedule – anything that’ll help you get a grip on the work.

You’ll feel like the Most Organised Person Ever, and when it comes to finishing the assignment proper, you’ll already have a plan to work from. Plus, you’ll actually have time to discuss questions with your lecturer instead of frantically quizzing your friends the night before it’s due.

Manage your sleep (or simply get some)

A new study by the University of Pennsylvania indicates that getting six or fewer hours’ sleep a night is basically as good as none – but you don’t need me to tell you that sleep = good.

It’s likely that most students get way too little sleep, and it’s wreaking havoc with their concentration, information absorption and time management. Thankfully, there are apps like Sleep Cycle and Sleep for Android that help maximise your sleeping patterns by setting sleep hours and ideal waking times, and building good sleep habits.

Clean Your Workspace – Or Something Else

Take a look around at your desk, living room or even ‘My Documents’ folder. Do you see mess? Not for long.

Taking ten minutes to declutter your workspace (and aggressively putting everything into a folder) will create a conducive space for you to get stuff done, as well as give you an ego boost for having your space (sort of) together. Make sure you only spend ten minutes, though – when cleaning becomes procrastination, it’s no longer your friend.

Block Out Distractions

Be honest – how much time do you spend on social media in a day, in an hour, in a lecture?

While the temptation to peruse Facebook, double-tap your bestie’s breakfast choices or practise some DM-sliding is great, it’s also a major distraction from getting anything done. Desktop apps like StayFocusd are designed to act where willpower fails, and make websites that distract us absolutely inaccessible for specific periods of time.

Get Up And Move!

How’s your posture? Breathing? Muscle tension? Sitting for long periods of time has been proven to be terrible for physical and mental energy levels. A quick stretch of your legs, arms and back can refresh your body and concentration, and going for a short walk gives you crucial time to process information and generate new creative ideas.

Chelsea is studying International Studies at the University of Sydney, but has a lot more contact hours with Netflix.