I tend to overload my "to do" lists in order to stay ahead of pending tasks. I do tend to get easy items out of the way first and then focus on more demanding and complex responsibilities. I might try doing the tough stuff first and then do the small things.
I have many things to do in my career now and in the past that are time sensitive. I almost always do them ahead of deadlines whenever possible as a hedge against something interfering closer to the due date to prevent anything from disallowing me from completing the task on time. This module reaffirmed my commitment to continuing in this fashion. My "TO DO" list is revised daily, however, as necessary as unanticipated issues arise. Crossing things of the "list" also gives me a sense of accomplishment and serves as a way to reprioritize/adust tasks as they shift importance. I actually also do this at the end of the day to remind myself of the next day's activities and demands. I typically do not have a list at home -- I'm a "do it now" person so there are few things left unattended.
I tend to put other peoples needs before my own and sometimes feel the pressure of getting my own work done on time. I will definately try to improve on this by prioritizing my most urgent tasks. It is very hard for me to not take the time with others that they need. I suppose like anything else, ballance is important.
I tend to put things off. I am a procrastinator. Mainly I find it hard to start and once I get started I work until I finish.I notice that the priority is to be done adn not necassarliy to do a good job. Then I am not always satisfied with what I do. I then work with rough draft and fly by the seat of my pants. I then find myself with ideas that I don't know how to factor in. I would rather get it finished now and then be able to rework it and be more familiar with the material. I would rather havea good product than just be finished. I would also rather be sleeping then cramming the night before.
Excellent to hear. It's always nice when we can harness the power of technology to ensure students are on track Mario. In some cases, technology can make us better as instructors.
It helps maintain the student on track and helps with their organization. This is a very helpful tool
Yes, sometimes it is nice to knock a few easy tasks out of your queue before completing complex tasks. It gives us a nice sense of accomplishment. We've got to balance that with actually getting to those complex tasks - which can be tempting to put off!
Get the easy stuff out of the way first, then work on the rest.
Sounds like a great plan Rebecca. It's interesting because many instructors get into your situation. They either go too far with procrastination or immediacy. For many, it's hard to find a balance but you can get there if you focus on it every day.
Excellent approach Gilbert and I know it will work well for you. Go ahead and give it a try. Glad to hear you're at least doing the most important tasks first. That's a good step in the right direction.
I usually am pretty good at prioritising tasks and comleteing them in a timely fasion. I feel the order in which I do my scheduled tasks are not in need of change.
I tend to do the most important tasks first then forget or procrastinate the others because I did not write them down.Now I will remember to number the tasks which will help me avoid not writing them down.
After years as a procrastonator, I now try to hurry and get everything done quickly. After completeing course 110 I realize I am contributing to my own stress. I plan to implement the ToDo list and priortize my tasks as needed.
I am accomplished at list making but after participating in the CEE forum I want to add prioritizing of the items on my list. I tend to complete the eaisest tasks first so I wont' be interupted by smaller tasks while I'm consentrating on the more difficult tasks.
Excellent to hear Dale! Yes, some instructors face problems with immediacy. It's not always a good problem to have. While we are getting a lot accomplished, we don't always focus on the right things and aren't always able to fully enjoy our time off. Balance is the key.
I find that I usually tend to the task right away. I do find the suggestions in the course useful for the "to do" list as I intend to change the priorities based on urgent and important.
This module clearly highlighted important aspects of prioritizing that I already knew; but in the past, fail at getting things done in the proper order. I often find time to do the simple tasks, regardless of importance first, rather than tackle the more rigorous/important tasks. This type of prioritizing has lead to stress and sometimes resulting in not accomplishing anything. I have found that making a "To Do" list is the best method for me to ensure I complete ALL tasks in a timely manner.
I think the most important thing I learned about prioritization in this course, so far is that you cannot be afraid of what others think of you, especially if you are doing your job. In this way I think that one of the tasks someone with the obstacle of insecurity might have to put on their to do list would be to do what they do best the way they do it best without worrying about what others are thinking. I will definitely make this a priority of mine.
Otherwise, I will try to create a general list of things to do in my life on a weekly basis and then break these tasks down into smaller, more manageable tasks. As an instructor, a student, and a family man, it is important for me to get a hold of this method. I do believe that I am good at prioritizing tasks, but this will help me organize them so that I can put value to them on paper.
Excellent to hear Jennifer. If you've got a system that is working well for you, keep it. People who are priority driven and focused often don't need to change too much when it comes to time management.
I usually complete my most important tasks first. I create a daily to do list as I get to work to make sure I accomplish things throughout the day. I do not need to change the order of my priorities because I currently follow the model this module is talking about. Most important first and the less important I try to finish before I go home for the day.
