It's tough sometimes to prioritize things but I learned my lesson and try not to do things immediately all at once. I have to priorotize the most important one.
I will do the most important task then proceed to the less important task.
I definitely will change my way of thinking. I usually complete task based on their deadline. This has repeatedly caused me trouble because their are no deadlines on 90% percent of things like emails or voice mails.
I like a "To Do" list and a "Honey Do" list, etc., and I am good at prioritizing and checking things off the list. But I also tend to procrastinate things that are not on my high priority list. Then, my mind is burdened that I did not complete the list. Now I am going to form a "less important things to do, or If I have a time" list and prioritize it. That way I can get more done with less guilt.
David, Nice approach with the stacking method. Sometimes physical objects can make a great, real-world do to list. I have met many people who leave things out and in their way so they won't forget to address them.
Dr. Melissa Read
Shawn, It sounds like you have a healthy way of focusing on your priorities. While you procrastinate some things, you are able to keep on top of the important things. That's the right approach. It also sounds like you feel good about your approach and have reasonable expectations of yourself. That's a healthy outlook too.
Dr. Melissa Read
Gerald, Yes, if you are required to complete certain tasks in order to keep your job, and keep in the good graces of your administration, it is critical that you work these thinks into your daily routine. I understand how it can be easier to accomplish tasks that you are genuinely excited about. It can be tempting to focus just on them.
Dr. Melissa Read
I ususally complete the task that are most urgent to me first. I dont know why I did think about asking other who may have input on my task list how urgent it is to them. I will do that in the future so I guess yes, I will change the way I accomplish task.
I do recognize the fact that there are certain things that I do procrastinate, yet there are times which I jump right on top of other things. Over all I thing I manage my time quite nicely. I am usually on schedule and never running behind, so time management constraints are not usually my problem.
I try to prioritize my work based on importance and time. I will leave my work stacked on my desk in the order it needs to be done in the next day. That way I can simply work down through the stack the next day. I never thought about it, but it gets reorganized at the end of each day as I recreate my next stack of work for the next day. I have to admit that I mostly get the order right, but sometimes I misinterpret importance.
I prioritize my daily objectives but sometimes leave out facualty requirements that I am excpected to accomplish like review of lesson plans and continuing education. I have learned I need to add those into my daily routine to slowly get those things that are long term goals done without deadline stress
I agree, but find that my "to do" list frequently needs to be adjusted due to time restraints and unexpected "bumps in the road."
Not only will making a to do list help you remember what you have to do, it will give you a sense of control over the items on it. You can plan when you are going to do them, and it will give you the feeling it is all under control. It will also give you the feeling of accomplishment, and sucess as they are crossed off.
I think that would I am going to do is to break the task down into the steps, write these steps down and begin doing them at a time that I schedule to make sure I meet the deadline. Breaking these tasks down and using a written list are very applicable to me.
I definitely like to plan out a "To Do" list to optimize my time and organize my tasks everyday, but this has certainly made me understand a lot more about my modes of thinking and priorities. I have always put family time as a high priority on my lists and will continue to do so.
I usually prioritize my tasks, I do not complete them right away. I use a method learned from one my mentor. I learned this by reading a book he recommended to me called "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People." Within the book I learned that tasks are broken down in to quadrants, Urgent / Not Urgent, Important / Not Important. When completing tasks, review each one carefully and determine which quadrant the task applies. I assess my decisions and one by one complete each task with a minimum level of stress. Based on what I have learned I will not change my method as my current method works for me. This module reminded me of what I know already. It's a reminder I needed every once in a while so i stay on track. I am currently a ground instructor, online teacher, and doctoral student. Time management is very important to me and for me to succeed in my professional and personal life, I must master the skills of time management.
I think lowering the priority on school email, as in checking it only a few times every couple of hours, is an important lesson.
I make "to do" list all the time. I never thought about the fact that I need to go back to them regularly and reassess them. This information is invaluable.
Phyllis, This is a fantastic approach. I appreciate the way that you are consistently evaluating your priorities and being thoughtful about task management. At a guess, this approach serves you quite well!
Dr. Melissa Read
Mario, Interesting point regarding timing and the effectiveness of prioritization before you leave the office. I agree it's nice to have a good plan of attack in place before you leave. It can help you rest easily at night. However, sometimes I find that I need to step away for an hour or two for my priorities to become clear.
Dr. Melissa Read
