How I Created a Daily Follow-Up System to Dominate My Master’s Degree Assignments

Balancing coursework, life, health, and long-term goals can feel like running a marathon with no finish line.

Have you ever felt that way?

To stay on top of everything—and avoid those last-minute surprises—I built a daily follow-up system that keeps me locked in, productive, and always a step ahead of my deadlines.

In this article, I’ll break down how the system works so you can adapt it to your own rhythm—whether you're a Master's student, a remote worker, or just juggling multiple life commitments.

---

Why I Needed a System:

I’m a project manager—and yes, that means I thrive on structure. Been there, done that, built the Gantt chart.

When I started my Master’s in Software Engineering & Artificial Intelligence at Torrens University, I quickly realized the course was designed to be self-directed: all 12 weeks of content are made available from day one. Weekly sessions are meant for check-ins and deeper discussion, but the heavy lifting is up to you.

From day one, the expectation was clear: 10 hours per subject, per week. So I got to work and created my personal battle station.

---

My Setup: Digital Organization First

I built a clean folder structure in Google Drive:

/Course
/Modules
/Module 1
/Module 2
/Module_Controller.docx
/Notes
/Projects

The Module Controller is where the magic happens. It’s a living document with a table that tracks my progress across readings, assignments, and personal tasks. For example:

Task	Module	Type	Status	Date	Link
Read Chapter 1 of Project Manager’s Guide to Mastering Agile	1	Reference Read	✅ Done	07 June	My Notes

---

The Daily Follow-Up Strategy

Here’s what my routine looks like:

Morning Check-ins

Review deadlines, check what’s due today/this week, and adjust priorities.

Micro-Goals

Break big assignments into 30–45-minute study blocks to keep momentum without burnout.

Weekly Retrospective

Every weekend, I assess progress and fine-tune my approach for the next week.

Tools I Use

• Google Docs for tracking and organizing assignments
• ChatGPT for brainstorming and refining first drafts
• Notebook (yes, physical!) for class notes, book summaries, and insights

---

How It Changed My Game

Since implementing this system, I feel 100% in sync with both my personal rhythm and the university’s schedule. Showing up to class already ahead of the curve gives me the goosebumps I didn’t know I missed since undergrad days.

That feeling is addictive—and sustainable.

---

Tips to Make It Yours

• Keep it light, but consistent. Don’t overengineer it, just show up daily.
• Know your energy flow. I found I work best with a morning coffee. Sometimes that gives me 2+ hours of deep focus.
• Start small. Even a 10-minute review each day builds rhythm over time.

---

Final Thoughts + Sneak Peek

This isn’t a magic bullet, but it’s a system that helps me show up every day with clarity, motivation and a sense of control.

If you’re struggling with structure, try something like this for a week and adapt it to your flow.

I’m sharing my Master’s journey in real time, with daily updates on GitHub: Masters in SWE AI @ Torrens Open-Source Repo

Brick by brick, we're building!