When I have upcoming tasks to prepare for, and especially during the school year, I maintain a rotating To Do list. This list extends from the present date down into the near future, usually two or three weeks, marking when assignments are due and when I plan to do them. This list "rotates" because the present date is always advancing, so the To Do list advances with it.
I like this system because it reminds me of my deadlines and helps me evaluate how to spend the intervening time. For example, I was able to spend most of the day with my friends today because I had already done a good deal of work on my upcoming assignments, and I know that I have a decent amount of time set aside over the next few days to finish them off. I knew I could afford some leisure time today because I've already figured out what I need to do and when I'm going to do it.
I think it's important to give a proper amount of attention to the past, the present, the near future, and the distant future. My rotating To Do list helps me focus on what I'm doing now, tomorrow, and over the next few weeks. It doesn't extend far into the future, and it doesn't extend at all into the past, but it helps me organize my time when I need that organization the most.
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