Time Strategies

As of now, I like the schedule that I have set for myself. I have two hours allotted to this class on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. After my first week of classes, I believe I may also be able to squeeze in an hour or so on Wednesdays that I can use to catch up on anything I've fallen behind on or I can use it for extra credit. I will have to be careful not to use this extra time slot as a crutch, because there will be days when it is needed for other classes. Sticking to my current schedule and using any extra time wisely seems to be the best bet.

The first article I read was How to Beat Procrastination by Caroline Webb. This was a good article that had many helpful tips, although a lot of it is common sense. It's always good to have that reminder, though. Caroline makes a really good point that sometimes just getting started can be the hardest, but also the most vital step, especially for bigger projects. I know that for me, I can get overwhelmed by a large paper or project which can result in me putting the entire thing off for as long as possible. Simply putting a header on a word document helps immensely and although it's a small task, it is something that can checked off. Caroline argues that this can help you feel more motivated to take the next small step, and I agree with her. It reminds me of a saying that I've heard numerous times when it comes to completing something that can seem like too much: "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."

The next article that I read was The Myth of "Too Busy" by Tim Grahl. I did not like this article near as much as I did the previous, but the author does make some very valid points. Prioritizing in general is something that I think a lot of people struggle with, myself included, and prioritizing time commitments is even more of a task. Grahl makes the point that replacing time wasters with productivity can help you accomplish more throughout the day. If you combine that thought process with Webb's ideas of completing one small task at a time, a person can really enhance their productivity levels, which is the point of time management in my opinion. Grahl also advises that one should plan ahead, which I believe to be a very good idea and something I try to do daily as well. Unfortunately, things do come up and not every situation can be planned for, but it is always good to at least have a plan for how you are going to use your time.

TIME: Our most precious resource (4 November 2015)

Image Creator: NasimAhmed96$

Source: Wikimedia Commons