While I have always prided myself on being an organized
person, this class and its many commitments will either be a testament to my prudency
or prove that I am a fraud after all. The schedule I set up at the start of the
course shows that I intend to spread out the recommended six hours across the
week with one hour set aside each day. I still think this tentative schedule will
be best for me though I had some unexpected snags in my first week back this
semester what with switching classes, working with financial aid services, and
another private matter that threw me of track and sucked up all my free time. When
things settle down, I’ll be able to tell more clearly which times will be most convenient
during the day (or evening/night) that I can sit down and be productive.
Some of the strategies on the assignment overview page I
have either already put into practice or plan to. I have bookmarked the class
calendar, the syllabus, and the page with the outline of the assignment options
and their explanations so that I can easily refer to them when I need to be
reminded. As far as working ahead, I think that the advice I followed about
keeping tabs on the class tools and documents along with starting the week
completing some extra credit will be something I will test to see if it suits my
schedule.
This semester I want to avoid feeling like I’m having to
constantly play catch-up. As someone who stresses about due dates, I was drawn
to the title “The Psychology of Checklists” article by Lauren Marchese. Completing
tasks on a checklist does give a sense of satisfaction, but I also tend to see
it as a list of chores and am therefore more apt to abandon them. Making a
checklist that I am more likely to stick to inspired by Marchese’s “SMART” (Specific,
Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound) goals as a guide is something I
need to try while tackling my classwork this semester. The science behind the temporary
high after checking off boxes on our small and big scale to-do lists is interesting.
Instead of chasing deadlines I’m going to chase dopamine, per scientist’s (and
Marchese’s) orders.
When the relief of emotional
gratification isn’t enough to motivate me when I meet that lull in the middle
of a large assignment or while half-way through a to-do list, I’ll refer to
life-hacker Peter Banerjea’s advice in his article “Four Questions to Help You Overcome Procrastination.” First off, “what is one thing I can do to get
started?” His suggestion to begin with breaking up a large project into smaller
“sub-tasks” really relates to Marchese’s article above. Something doubly
recommended is worth doing. Secondly, “what are my three biggest priorities
today?” This is a good question to put into perspective that in our situation
as students, certain classes and projects might take precedence. If it seems
more important, it probably is. Thirdly, “how can I make this easier?” Or in
other words, as the saying goes: “work smarter, not harder.” A tried and true motto
of many an innovative slacker. Lastly, “what will go wrong if I don’t do this now?” Nothing like the dread of negative outcomes on account of laziness to get the gears going. I love Banerja’s point that even the uber-successful have their days, and he can speak on such
matters as he even signed off with a statement that he has mentored
entrepreneurs and leaders from Fortune 500 companies. I think I’ll listen to
this life coach.
I’ll try to be my own cheerleader this semester and keep
these article’s suggestions in my back pocket when I’m being none too
compelling. I am not opposed to the cliché calligraphy text posts with inspirational
messages, the ones you can find on your Instagram feed or Pinterest Quote
boards. Some find these images cheesy, but something about them makes me feel
like the urge to relate is a form of accountability even if subconsciously. Why
put things off until tomorrow which you can convince yourself into doing (one way
or another) today?
(Image Source: Pixabay Stock Photos)
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