How thoughtful of you Kenny. And yes, it is important to think about how your tasks can create dependencies on others.
I know that if i don't make a "to do "list i will forget something, And when dealing with others at the job that not only will effect your schedule but MAY effect others that are depending on you to complete certain task.
Thanks for your comments, Thomas! I have found as well that my success with the "just get er done" attitude rests in just diving in and starting a project or activity; for me, getting started is half the battle.
Jay Hollowell
MaxKnowledge/CEE
In truth I do fine in this area I do not worry about or fear doing something wrong becouse so many of my co workers are so lazy and do nothing that my boss is always prasing me for my just get er done attitude.
I think I have most of my life planned well - for example, my husband and I have a nice two-hour morning routine that allows us to eat, shower, walk the dog, spend time with our baby and get ready for work. There are other things though that I do procrastinate on - for example, bills. I like when the bills are all paid, but it's a lot of work because I schedule them all at once (at the beginning of the month) and balance the checkbook at this time. I know I should do it more often, but I can't seem to get into a good routine. Also, at school I teach three days a week, three classes a day. I know I should spend the last part of class grading items and preparing for the next class so I can relax at home, but I'm so tired at that point that I often zone out. So in this sense, I put these tasks off. Otherwise, I do them right away as soon as students turn items in.
Between my full-time career as an in-house attorney, my duties with my university, and my family obligations, I always use to-do lists and daily schedules. My biggest problem is determining what is important and what is urgent in my task prioritization. I have a bad tendency to schedule too much in a day and pushing uncompleted tasks to the next day (thereby creating a bit of a snowball effect). I like the idea of breaking up tasks into smaller achievable tasks. This may help me in determining what is the high priority items.
I attempt to do anything assigned to me done as soon as i get them, If not i may not have time later to get them done. Being i work 12hr day's alot of the time. task prioritization is key to getting it all done
I used to accomplish these tasks right away, but now that I have taken this course I realize that it is more productive and I can actually get more done in the long run by making a "things to do" list and prioritizing my items in order of importance.
I may procrastinate less. This is a question I return to regularly. I manage my schedule in light of the energy each task takes from my work day. I try and balance life quality with work demands. A little intentional procrastination can be fun :) I think the way to "solve" the problem of procrastination is to let delight pull you instead of making a to-do list push you. Work on an ambitious project you really enjoy, and sail as close to the wind as you can, and you'll leave the right things undone. The same ideas you are suggesting already….really, just different language.
Preparing my class materials for the next class, and taking the children to daycare are important task that need to be completed daily. I choose to complete these tasks right away, because they are in the top priority category.
I learned to make a to do list whenever I am multitasked. I would list the must urgent to the least important. This tactics works for me every time and is invaluable procedure.
Interesting points Richard. Responding to easy emails first isn’t always a bad thing. It can feel a lot less stressful when you see only a few emails in your inbox. The key is really making a point to respond to the complex ones too. One method that works is to agree to address one difficult email for every 5 easy emails. This way, you can count on getting everything done.
I think I am pretty good at managing my tasks; however, there are times I find myself procrastinating if I don't completely understand a task that needs to be completed. I have found that even if I don't have all the details, sometimes it is best to jump in and figure it out as I go rather than to keep putting it off.
When it comes to email, I find myself trying to clean out my inbox all the time and to do this I always answer or delete the easiest ones first. This course has taught me that I should respond to the most important tasks first. I think it is just a visual thing where I feel overwhelmed if I have a bunch of unread emails so I go through the easy ones to make it look like I don't have as much to do.
I would usually choose to wait verses charging right in. It depends on the priority level the boss puts on a given task. No I'm not apt to change this as I am pulled from many different directions.
Great point Janet! Breaks and downtime should definitely be on the list. I like to list items like ‘schedule vacation.’ I consider it to be a high priority task =)
Dr. Read,
Listing potential interruptions in "to do" lists is a great idea! I believe that idea will help me do a much better job of making "to do" lists that are more funtional.
Another thing that comes to mind to add to "to do" lists are "breaks" or "down time."
I deal with important and urgent tasks quickly, and am good with lists. I do, however, get frustrated when another task "bumps" one on my list. The module content on control put that in better prespective with my task prioritization. The obstacle linkages affect task prioritization and to see that was very beneficial.
Thanks for sharing Mary! Many instructors have problems with over projecting what they can accomplish. It would be easier to accomplish more if we weren't faced with things like continued interruptions from students and administrators as well as frequent task switching. It's interesting because we usually don't write these types of things down on our To Do lists. Nonetheless, we spend a good percent of time on them.
I recommend listing things like interruptions from students / administrators and task switching on your To Do list. In your daily plans, include these tasks each day. This method will help you set more realistic expectations for what you can accomplish.
I have the tendency to also over project what I plan to do for the day. I have followed the instructor's suggestion in compiling many of my lists into one list. I numbered the items by priority. However, I still over project what I plan to accomplish. Subconsciously, if I did not accomplish the majority of what is on my list, I was not achieving goals. Any ideas or suggestions?
Mary, It sounds like you might benefit from combining your several small lists into a centralized master list. Then you could have a better snapshot of what needs to be accomplished. It's actually easier to accomplish priority tasks when we can see them listed all together, in one centralized area.
