I base task completion on the urgency in which it needs to be done. It is a constant measure of reprioritizing items to ensure that tasks do become completed when necessary.
Sounds great John! I like your motto.
I often struggle with what was described in the module by choosing to do the easiest things on the list first so I can feel better about getting something done. It was good to hear that other people do that too. I do prioritize my tasks by due date, but i think I will try using the number system mentioned in the module to indicate what should be done first.
I arrange my tasks that suit my judgement of importance, therefore I will not chance anything.
I am a procrastinator who has convinced myself that I work better that way :)! However, I am learning that there are tasks that are immediate and doing them sooner rather than later reduces stress.
I do a real good job of living a stress free life. One reason is I get things done in a timely manner. One of the biggest reasons I'm not stressed out is I live by a motto when it comes to stress. "Change things you can and don't stress over things you can't."
I do things as they come up. Rarely do I have to put things off. I don't usually use to-do lists because I rarely have any uncompleted tasks. I understand the concepts presented in this module, but most do not apply to me. I have spent my life trying to make sure I don't put myself in situations where I have more to do than I can accomplish. I don't want to rule the world, run my company or become a millionaire. I live a comfortable life and will retire in a few years having accomplished all I care to accomplish. I really don't care if I leave a legacy as I will be dead and it won't matter.
Time organization is so important. Not only for your professional life, but for your personal life as well. Task prioritization needs to take priority to be successful.
Yes, completion times are a nice added touch to to do lists Charles. Mapping your to do list to a computer program like MS Outlook is one way to take your current method to the next level.
Sounds like you have a very organized approach Diane. If it's working for you, great! No need to change it. Just keep doing what you're doing.
Yes, dealing with the unexpected is an art William. I like to add a 10% buffer into my schedule to account for priority tasks that pop up throughout the week.
I do prioritize very well but unexpected meetings and student issues make it hard to stay on track.
My task prioritization has always been to do the most important/urgent ones first.I usually give myself a deadline as to when these tasks need to be done and allow a comfortable time frame in which to complete them. This way, i can avoid this becoming a stressor. Based on this module, I will not change how I organize my tasks, because my current method has worked well for me in getting the job done without stress.
Hello,
I make a to-do list from most important with completion times to ensure the task is completed prior to its do date - by checking the list to see if it is accomplished!
Charles
I tend to prioritize tasks,then I like to finish them in a quick and orderly fashion. I do not like to procrastinate and wait until the last minute to finish anything.Some people call me compulsive, I call it efficient.
Yes, I will change the priorities of the tasks in the future.
I am very consistent about grading papers within 24 hours of the dead line. In rare circumstance, I will extend that to 48 hours (although I am allowed 72 hours turn around). The reason I try to beat the deadline is to help the students in avoiding the same mistakes in the next assignment.
On my priority list there are more tasks than grading. They include tasks related to work, lecturing, and home.
That's a great approach Patrick but also very rare. Most instructors do the opposite.
I usually try to do the harder or most time consuming tasks first to get them out of the way depending on how urgent they are.
I know it's sometimes hard to establish task importance Michael. I try to consider things like who will be impacted by completion of the task and what the outcome will be if the task is not completed. This usually helps.
Good to hear Karl! Getting a head start on future tasks can put us in such a great position to succeed later.
