wasting time

What’s the most frustrating thing in the world?  Long lines?  People talking loud on a bus when you’re trying to read or sleep?  Being unable to explain yourself?  Sure everyone has their own answer to this question, but for me the clear-cut response is wasting time.  More to the point, the most frustrating feeling in the world for me is feeling like I have wasted time that could have been better utilized.

Over the past few weeks I have had this feeling a few times, particularly when tasks take much longer than I originally thought they would.  I also get frustrated when I cannot attack a task in the way I want to and it results in a lengthy and time-consuming re-strategy.  Why do these things hit a nerve with me?  Well when you are busy and you allocate every minute of the day to a specific project, time is a hot commodity.  When time is seemingly wasted, it means that there are other projects that will have to be postponed or abandoned all together.  Being that I take pride in my ability to get things done, it really bothers me when things like this occur.

This is one of the problems I face as a busy scheduler.  I don’t have any answers on how to deal with this frustration, but I am learning as I go.  I find that it helps somewhat to focus on what can be learned from the time-wasting experience, as to prevent it from occurring again.  To be quite honest, however, this is something with which I really struggle. 

This week I am asking you to think about what annoys you when it comes to scheduling.  Do you get frustrated with planning things out or making to do lists?  What do you wish you could do better?  And, do you have a remedy to the frustrated feeling that I face when I think I have wasted valuable time?  Do you share this same frustration?

Click here for your two minutes of procrastination.

scheduling 101

With the start of the spring semester less than two weeks away, it is prime time to start thinking about what your school-time schedule will look like.  Even seasoned schedulers should engage in this activity, but this fresh start is particularly applicable to those students that have never used a planner or followed a schedule in the past.  Starting with a clean slate makes it easier to get into the habit of staying on schedule and avoiding procrastination.  Understanding what your schedule will look like for the next four months can also give you insight into what kind of  semester you will have.  That being said, let’s go back to basics and take a look at how to make a schedule from scratch.

What you will need:  A day planner, a pencil, and the self-control to fight the urge to procrastinate.

Most day planners come with a calendar overview of each month before they break down each week and day.  This is the place you want to start.  Taking a look at the entire month is an important concept that most beginners overlook.  Knowing what is to come in the weeks ahead allows you to plan and prepare in advance and avoid last-minute cramming or rushing.  Even if you are a beginner, you should try to look at the month as a whole so that you do not forget about upcoming tasks.

Once you are focused on the month ahead, it is time to start with the very basic parts of your schedule: the reoccurring responsibilities.  There are things that pop up on everyone’s schedule repeatedly and with predictability.  For example, I know that every Tuesday and Thursday I have class from 9:40 to 12:20.  This is a reoccurring item on my schedule, it is predictable, and it is a fundamental part of my day-to-day.  Thus, these are the items you should schedule in first.  Other items like these include your work schedule, your favorite television shows, and any standing dates you have.

The second type of tasks that you should schedule into your planner are less frequent reoccurring responsibilities.  These items include tasks that pop up once or twice a month, but are predictable.  For example, John Jay College is closed on February 21st for President’s Day.  Other examples of these kinds of tasks include get-togethers, birthdays, monthly meetings, and other monthly tasks like going food shopping.  These tasks may seem less important than others, but forgetting about them can be very problematic.  Do not fall into the trap of thinking that you will remember them without writing them down.

After these two types of tasks are written in, your planner becomes a powerful resource.  With this information in it, your day planner has the backbone of your schedule for the month ahead.  It is a standard schedule into which you will fit other tasks.  This basic information is VERY important when developing a schedule.  Without this information, it is much more difficult to schedule when you will read for class, write a paper, study, or go out with friends.  Knowing this elementary part of your schedule is crucial, because it is the foundation of your schedule.

After these first three steps comes to-do list making.  This includes writing down everything that needs to get done in the given month: papers to write, tests to review for, events to plan, and errands to run.  This is where critical thinking comes in.  Making a complete and thorough to-do list is one of the most important elements of making up a schedule, but being able to do so comes only with practice and painstaking effort.

Once the to-do list is made and reviewed, the only thing left to do is to fit each task into your basic schedule.  Think of this like a puzzle that is half-finished.  Fit the smaller tasks in on busy days, and the larger tasks in on days with less to do.  Keep in mind deadlines and existing responsibilities.  Play with your schedule and do not be afraid to move things around.  Be sure to be realistic with what you are capable of in a given day or week.

And there you have it: your spring semester schedule. 

As I read this over, I am aware that it sounds like a huge undertaking.  Perhaps, parts of it are.  Overall, however, this process is an important one.  knowing what you will be facing over the next couple of months is crucial.  Will you be working everyday?  Will you have to cut back on your sleep?  Will you have a day off to run errands?  If you make up a schedule for the semester now, you will be able to answer all of these questions.  Keep in mind that knowing your basic schedule is one of the most important things as you move into a new semester, but making thorough to-do lists is also a good skill to have.  Click here for your two minutes of procrastination.

a head start so you do not fall behind

At this point during winter break most college students are working pretty hard to avoid the coming semester.  By putting off the tasks that will ready them for the next few months of classes, students think they can extend their vacation and push back the first day back at school.  The truth is, however, that during these last few weeks of break we should be tackling all of those preparation tasks to ensure a smooth and non-stressful transition back at college.

When we think of going back to school, we usually think of all the work that is to come - the reading, the writing, the studying, and the test-taking.  We dread this stuff and want to prolong our restful time off, so we put off thinking about the coming semester.  Do not get me wrong, I am enjoying this time as well, but this train of thought chugs along a slippery slop.  In putting off the thought of all the work that comes along with the next semester many students also put off the thought of all the things that need to get done before the semester starts.  These tasks include registration, paying your bill, getting your valid ID sticker, buying textbooks, buying notebooks, and preparing a new work schedule that fits around your classes.  All of this stuff can be and should be done before the first day of classes.

Why proactively take time out of your winter break to ready yourself for the next few months?  For someone like me the answer includes the suppression of anxiety that accompanies not being prepared.  For the rest of the world the upshot of this preparation is a smooth transition back into classes.  Getting back into the swing of things is enough of a shock without the added tasks that a new semester brings.  When you are thrust into a semester with an already long to do list, that list doubles and the time you have to tackle the tasks is cut in half.  When you jump into a semester with a clean slate, however, you have more time to devote to your new classes.  The transition goes smoother and you can get a head start on your assignments, which always pays off in the long run.

I know firsthand that procrastination is an epidemic among college students.  There are days during break when I do not even want to think about going back to school.  The truth is, however, that by being prepared to go back I am providing myself more time during the first couple weeks of classes to adjust slowly and lengthen my vacation just a smidge.  Procrastination in this case, as in most cases, only means cramming in the end.  So this week think about making a to do list for the coming semester, and do not put off tackling the list for too long.  Click here for your two minutes of procrastination.

goal setting = goal scoring

Big projects are more difficult than small ones.  That seems logical, right?  However, these projects are not only more difficult because of their size and the time it takes to complete them.  Big projects can also be hard to tackle, because they are typically not just one big task but rather a culmination of smaller ones.  The problem with tasks like these is that they have many parts and pieces that can distract and take away from the bigger task at hand.  Think of it like a puzzle.  When you get too concerned with fitting pieces together based on their shape, you lose site of the bigger picture that may help you solve the puzzle faster.  It is like the saying, “Don’t miss the forest for the trees.”

As I tackle my winter break to do list over the next couple of weeks, I will be employing a new scheduling technique about which I recently read.  This technique boasts increases in productivity, focus, and completing of tasks through goal setting.  The idea is that by setting smaller goals on a weekly basis, schedulers will be able to chip away at bigger projects while keeping the overarching task in mind.  This helps to keep us focused, on schedule, and conscious of our ultimate goal.

Because it works best on large projects and tasks, goal setting is the perfect technique to apply to a to do list that has developed over time.  The items on a to do list like this are usually general and vague, which makes them hard to finish because the plans to complete them are typically equally as vague.  By setting goals that chip away at this task you can guarantee that it will be dealt with in a systematic way instead of a chaotic one.  This organization means crossing more tasks off of your list faster.

So you have your winter to do list and some big projects, but how exactly do you go about setting goals?  I like to think of this process in terms of a tree diagram.  The big task goes on tops, but then branches out into two or three somewhat smaller tasks, which in turn break down into smaller ones.  This process repeats until the most basic tasks, of which there may be several, are at the bottom of the diagram.  Consider, for instance, the task to prepare for the upcoming semester.  This big project can be broken down into several sub-tasks, for example clean up from last semester, make sure registration is complete, and get supplies.  Each of these tasks can also be broken down further: clean out desk, clean out computer files, pay tuition, print out schedule, get valid school ID, get new clothes for the semester, buy new notebooks and pencils, order textbooks online.  Some of these tasks can even be broken down further, resulting in a chain of tasks that leads back up to the overarching goal. 

The first part of goal setting is making this diagram and knowing this chain because these sub-goals will be used from week to week to make sure you are on schedule.  For instance, keeping with the previous example, the first week of vacation might be dedicated to the first sub-task of cleaning up from last semester.  During this week each day could be dedicated to a sub-task of this, and each week this process repeats. 

The second part of goal setting is much simpler but even more important.  Keep your weekly goals in a place that you will see them.  Being constantly reminded of the bigger picture is one of the key reasons that this technique works.  By being aware of the purpose of the smaller tasks you will be better equipped to tackle them, more focused on your work, and more motivated to keep chipping away at the big project.  For me, keeping track of my overarching projects means keeping post-its in my planner that remind me of what the tasks for the week are, as well as those for the entire break.  Looking at these reminders constantly helps me to organize how I will tackle them, which is sometimes half the battle of finishing them.

This week help yourself focus on your to do list by setting goals for yourself.  The feeling of accomplishment that accompanies completing a large task is a great one, so do not be intimidated by big projects.  Tackle that winter break to do list head on, and click here for your two minutes of procrastination.