Planning and organisation skills

Planning and organisation skills focus on how you identify tasks, manage resources, and coordinate activities to successfully achieve your goals within deadlines.

Planning skills involve setting clear objectives, breaking down complex tasks into manageable steps, and creating realistic timelines. Organisation skills encompass managing resources, coordinating different elements of a project, and maintaining systems that keep everything running smoothly.

You can see a full list of the skills included in this category at the bottom of this page.

These skills help you stay on track in all areas of life, from organising your day or revision schedules to managing long-term, high-budget projects in a professional job. They enhance your ability to manage competing priorities, work efficiently under pressure, and deliver quality results consistently. Strong planning and organisation skills reduce stress, improve productivity, and enable you to take on more complex challenges with confidence.

Think about which of these skills you utilise using the list at the bottom of the page, and use the Skills Discovery Tool to evaluate your skills.

Easy ways to get started

You can start developing these skills through simple changes to your daily routine. You could try:

  • Practicing backwards planning. Start with an upcoming deadline and work backwards to identify all the steps needed so you can allocate enough time to each one.
  • Time-blocking in your calendar by assigning specific time slots to different activities, including study time, meals, and social activities. This can develop better time management habits while supporting you to have a balance between study and everything else!
  • Using the "two-minute rule" - if something takes less than two minutes, do it immediately rather than adding it to your to-do list, improving your efficiency.

If planning and organisation is something you find difficult, particularly if you have disability or neurodivergence, remember that these are skills that can be practiced rather than inherent qualities. Find methods that work for you and the way you think (which may be different to the standard 'use a planner' advice) and implement them into your everyday life to form habits. Chat to friends to see how they stay on track, or speak to your ADRC mentor about trying new strategies. Try out these resources and digital tools and look at the CamGuide for time management.

Skills development opportunities

As you build confidence with everyday planning and organisation, you might want to put these into practice to evidence your skills. Balancing any extra-curricular role or responsibility alongside your studies will do this, but here are some specific suggestions:

  • Take on event management roles such Events Officer for a society or JCR/MCR committee or running charity fundraisers like the CU Charity Fashion Show or Cambridge RAG. This is a great way to develop large-scale planning and collaboration skills.
  • Join your College's May Ball Committee to gain experience in complex project management, working with budgets, coordinating vendors, and managing timelines for major events.
  • Get involved in theatre productions by taking on roles such as stage manager, producer, or technical director, which require detailed planning and adaptable problem-solving skills. Find out more on the Theatre, Film & Arts page.
  • Access UIS training courses on using Office 365 effectively - learning how to make the most of your calendar, filter your emails and organise your files will save you time (and frustration!)
  • If you're a PhD student, you could become a postgraduate workshop convenor, arranging events for postgrads to present their research, test out new ideas and receive informal feedback. Managing the programme logistics will develop your project management and leadership skills.
  • Take on a leadership role for a recreational sports team, arranging training sessions and matches. This could be for a sport you're already involved with, or you could start up a new team in your College. Find out more on the Physical Activity & Sport page.

Check out the activities pages for more ideas on how to get involved and develop your skills in this area.