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.
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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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
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 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.
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.
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
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.
How thoughtful of you Kenny. And yes, it is important to think about how your tasks can create dependencies on others.
Not only am I an instructor but I am in charge of other things at our campus. (i.e., Proctoring exams) So procrasting is NOT an option for me. I do a fairly good job at keeping up what I have to do. However, I have to say that keeping up with my grading suffers sometimes. So instead of taking it home to grade, I will grade during class when I have a lab and students are busy on the computer doing their assignments. I defintely learned that keeping up with the small tasks is better than procrastinating.
Interesting points Jennifer. It’s important to be able to examine your schedule and assess when dual tasking might be an option. This method is often a far better option than taking work home.
Both! Ironically I intuitively know what tasks are important and how much time I can let slide before tackling the tasks. I make a list and start with the most important ones. Then everything changes. Teaching at a proprietary college I've come to realize that the best laid plans of "mice and men" etc. have to make way for sudden changes. Typically I have to adjust my teaching strategies based on attendance in order not to present material that half the class would miss (holidays, weather, prepartation for other class exams, transportation). Although frustrating it allows me more time to get done the things I've listed as important.
Jennifer: Hello I'm taking the course and wanted to ask you something. I find that if I'm late grading the exams the students are calling, e-mailing or meeting with me to see how they did. Is this a problem for you?
Great question James! Students do tend to overstep their bounds to find out how well they did on exams – and this can further delay grading. For multiple choice exams, one way I have dealt with this is to publish the exam answers just after the exam but prior to grading. Students are typically good at remembering their answers and can quickly assess how well they did on their own. This buys you a little time for grading. For essay exams, this can work but can be a little harder due to the subjectivity of grading these kinds of answers. In these cases, setting realistic expectations about when exams will be completely graded has worked best for me.
I think you raise an important point James. The best instructors do more than carefully plan out their syllabus and teaching materials. To be the best, we must have the ability to be flexible in the ever-changing career school environment, and work with whatever comes our way.
