With so much to do these days, it is difficult to stay organized, but a lack of organization leads to stress and to less productivity.

According to the WebMD.com, stress becomes negative when a person faces continuous challenges without relief or relaxation between challenges. WebMD.com said 43 percent of all adults suffer adverse health effects from stress, and 75 to 90 percent of all doctor’s office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression and anxiety.

"Without organization, everything would be in complete chaos," said Taylor Ritter, a sophomore at Palo Alto College.

Organization keeps clutter to a minimum and makes life easier. A system can be obtained through patience and time, but getting started is the key to getting organized. Make a list of assignments that need to be done and work on them one by one. It is really that simple.

Take it slow and start with one piece of the project. You will be able to concentrate better on one task at a time. Use lists to get your mind organized. The list shows what you have to do and what you have accomplished. Keep your list somewhere visible and add things as needed. Breaking jobs into smaller ones helps you get more accomplished.

Ritter stays organized by keeping everything in its place. Save money and time by being able to locate items needed for tasks. Losing things can be costly and inconvenient.

For instance, if you need a pen and cannot find one, you will have to buy or borrow one. Buying a new pen costs money and borrowing one cost time. Instead, get organized and put all your pens in an old coffee canister, which you can recycle and design. Doing this, you can easily save yourself 10 minutes and $2.

Anthony Pierulla, a 20-year veteran of Palo Alto College’s Counseling Center, suggests using your iPhones or smart phones to stay organized.

Pierulla also suggests prioritizing assignments. Start with the assignment with the nearest deadline and work on them in the order they are due. This way you concentrate on the items that are due now and forget about assignments that can wait until later.

To save time and hair, don’t procrastinate. If a paper is due and you know in advance, head straight to the library to find out if they have the materials you need.

According to Tina Mesa, dean of Learning Resources, the Palo Alto Library will order materials it doesn’t carry, but items can take anywhere from a few days up to two weeks to be delivered. Don’t wait until it is too late to ask for help. Plan early for written assignments so you are not scrambling at the last minute to get your project done. Schedule an appointment at the writing center for free help.

Getting and staying organized is not easy, but in the end, it saves you time and money, and it makes you a more productive person. Make lists, put things where they belong and don’t procrastinate. In the end, you will be less stressed and you will get more accomplished.