Discover the organization techniques of girls who are unafraid of challenges.

By Julia Saługa

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Four years ago, I created a list of women in business who inspire me and traced their journeys, reflecting on the experiences that led them to their current positions. I had observed their success with fascination even before, but it was the opportunity to learn about their journeys that marked a turning point for me. I'm not saying that my world suddenly changed beyond recognition or that I discovered a map to land on Forbes' list of the 100 most valuable personal brands, but it allowed me to understand that every path has its beginning. The question is: how can we start achieving our goals and manage time in such a way that transition us from the school desk to the CEO's office??

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Zofia Kierner has spent the last 3 years balancing her studies at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, UC Berkeley, with running a foundation and engaging in various other activities. The CEO of Girls Future Ready, responds to the question of when she finds time to sleep by saying that it's all about good organization.. "Together with my family, we organize an annual meeting where we discuss goals for the next year, as well as for 5 and 10 years ahead. It's also a time for me to review the goals from the previous year," says Zosia. She tries to plan her goals in such a way that they are directly dependent on the amount of work she puts in, allowing her to control them easily. "As for time management itself, I write all important dates in my calendar at the beginning of the year, and I manage to find time for sleep thanks to the time-blocking method," she admits. (At the end, I will share with you the planner that Zofia uses for her daily organization.) 

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According to this method, Zofia maintains a general to-do list, which she uses to plan the next day by filling out the template the evening before.. She starts by entering things that are non-negotiable, such as pre-scheduled meetings. Then, she fills the gaps between meetings with tasks from her to-do list. What allows her to maintain maximum productivity is allocating time for specific tasks, to focus on and complete the specific tasks she set for herself the day before.

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Someone might think that much more advanced time management methods are needed to succeed, but sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. And the best part is, you don't have to wait until the new year to incorporate this planning method into your routine. Simply list all the important events until the end of this week, month, or year. Prepare a to-do list with the tasks you need to accomplish in the near future and fill in your action plan for the next day, initially focusing on priorities, such as an English lesson with a native speaker.

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So how can you manage multiple “major projects” at once? Helena Góralczyk has been an active participant in the Girls Future Ready Foundation for the past four years. She is currently completing a dual-diploma program, attending two high schools simultaneously - one in Poland and the other in the United States. 

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"When it comes to time management, I try to get my work done even if it’s long before the deadline. As soon as I have a task assigned, I try to complete it. For example, when one of my school’s semesters started earlier, I completed it before my other school semester began," says Helena. She believes that the most important thing is to find the right method for oneself and not be afraid to dedicate time to organization.

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According to her own calculations, she spends two hours planning her weekly schedule, which is a small percentage of the average of over 60 hours of free time per week. Helena plans everything ahead. If she has a meeting in 2 weeks, she quickly puts it in her calendar so that she doesn't forget it. When it comes to making bullet points or lists, she finds that looking at a calendar is much easier. However, Helena highlights that time management can look different for everyone.

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And so, I asked Zuzanna Czernicka, a student at the University of Warsaw, who has experience in leading over 20 projects and was a laureate of the HerStory Project with Anna Janowiak during she worked on a conference and an e-book concerning ESG: How do you manage all of this?

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"Time management is a continuous process for me. I try to keep all important events, meetings, and tasks updated in my calendar to always have a current view of my schedule. However, what is particularly important to me is the weekly summary of plans. Every Sunday, I dedicate time to reviewing my calendar for the upcoming week. This is the moment when I can make final reflections, adjust plans, and ensure that all priorities are properly considered," Zuzanna admits. She showed me her calendar and it resembles a coloring book - different colors representing different types of activities, such as work, study, projects, courses, or meetings with friends. It's important for her to be flexible and ready to adjust plans. Sometimes this means moving tasks to the next day or getting up earlier to finish something.

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"Maintaining balance and the ability to forgive myself when not everything goes according to plan are key - I still try to learn that," says Zuzanna. ​​And maybe that's the point – to learn how to maintain a balance between planning and spontaneous actions, which in itself is a valuable lesson on the path to a dream career.