(Productivity. Web source: LifeHacker)
I have always considered myself to be good at time management. I love being busy and involved in a wide variety of activities, so staying on top of everything is important. For example, I started this class early so I would be able to focus more on some of my other classes during finals week. I have never really used any particular time management strategies, so reading some articles about them were interesting.
I am a huge planner girl. I use a physical planner and one on my phone, so I always know what's going on! In an article by Joynicole Martinez, she gives three helpful tips to make the most of your time. The first one was particularly interesting for me, as she challenges us to "refuse to yield your first 15-minutes." When you wake up, Martinez says it is so important to look at your day and take 15 minutes to identify the tasks you know you will need to complete that day. Often, I wake up in the morning and just get on with my day, so this is an important reminder to slow down and take some time. Additionally, she tells us to "recognize the pruning season." It is critical to understand that certain days or weeks will be harder than others, and that a few days of lower productivity is not bad. You have to have some dormancy to be able to grow! Finally, she writes to "practice the art of no." I am a people pleaser, so I do not like saying no when people ask for help. However, it is important to take some time for yourselves and to stay align with your priorities.
Another interesting article by Jory Mackay talks about the importance of starting. Often times, people lack productivity because they do not know where to begin. I struggle with this when it comes to long papers or studying for big tests. However, simply taking a few minutes to just begin, helps you refocus and be more successful. Motivation is defined as "the drive or preference for a course of action," and so choices ultimate come down to "the expectation of a good result vs. how long a task is likely to take us." Understanding this, it is necessary to realize that to be productive and do what you know you need to do, you simply must begin.
For this class in particular, I know I will need to make a schedule and stick with it. There will be weeks where this is harder than others, but it will make staying on track easier and allow me to enjoy the assignments by not having to rush through them!
Comments
Post a Comment