Each day when it comes time to start my homework I look at my monthly calendar that I have already written down all my assignments on, and make a list of everything I need or want to accomplish that day. By this time the list is just a compilation of tasks and assignments with no order or structure, so I end up just starting at the top and making my way down. While I may be getting my work done, I am not doing it in the most productive manner. This is why when I heard about the "Ranking Priorities" strategy I knew it was the perfect opportunity to try it.
So, to begin I rewrote all of my assignments for that day on a new sheet of lined paper, and then ranked each of the items on the list based on whether they were A- absolutely essential, B- important, or C- optional, and then put a number next to each letter based on which one I wanted to accomplish first . For example, I wrote A-1 next to my REL191 paper because it was due the next day, therefore it was critical I finished that first. I used due dates as a factor for determining my priorities so I would complete the most important tasks first. Now, instead of having a jumbled list of assignments without any specific order, "Ranking Priorities" was able to solve my problem and I have a list that enables me to identify the tasks that need the most immediate attention and are "absolutely essential".
While I figured out a way to better organize my daily tasks, I realized that I needed help solving an even bigger problem : tackling my WGS101 Take-Home Midterm. On Thursday our Take-Home Midterm was passed out in lecture and I began to have a mild panic attack as I read the assignment. My mind began to race and my heart began to pound, and before I knew it little beads of sweat were forming at the top of my hairline. Some people might find this strange, but for me it's pretty normal. When I see a big assignment I get intimidated and overwhelmed, not knowing how to start or where to begin. Once I realized the stress I was putting myself under, I decided to try out the "Is Versus Wants" strategy to help me reevaluate my current situation and figure out what I need to change to be more successful.
As I filled out the chart I was able to actually ask myself questions that I normally wouldn't, such as "What is the problem I am having now?" "What would I like my situation to be instead?" "What do I need to do in order to accomplish this?" "What exactly am I going to do to accomplish this?" and "How will I know I achieved my desired outcome?". Once I got to the "Action" column, where I had to think about the necessary steps needed to fix my problem, I realized that the "Target Planner" - a task management strategy that my friends had used last week- would be the perfect strategy for me to use. It would let me break up the Midterm into small, manageable sections
with due dates so I could do a little work each night. This way, I am accomplishing my Midterm without feeling the stress of having to finish all of
it at once.
With "Is Versus Wants" I was able to become my own therapist. I had to look at my own situation, acknowledge what was wrong with it, and then figure out on my own how I was going to solve the problem. By working something out on my own, I gained a greater sense of accomplishment at the end once I
had fixed what wasn't working.
Enjoy the Weekend and do your work wisely!!
