I am learning to enjoy life but do struggle with immediacy. My husband helps me to slow down and smell the roses so to speak. I did not realize that my behavior of immediacy is a contributor to stress. I thought that keeping up with my tasks would aleviate stress. This course really made me open my eyes.
Oraganizing task is very important for success
At the hospital there are many tasks that students need to experience and I use lists to check off as they arise, Some times I must change these lists as opportunities present themselves.
William, Good point. Our tried and true process and templates must occasionally change to stay relevant. Sounds like you understand this all to well.
Dr. Melissa Read
I tend to do some tasks right away and others I procrastinate on. I will try utilizing a "to do" list to help manage my time and prioritize my tasks. I like the idea of breaking my tasks up into "manageable" tasks...this should help me complete the tasks I procrastinate on.
Some tasks I respond to immediately while others I take my time to reorganize my thoughts, my schedule, and the timeliness of my response. I maintain a certain level of flexibility when responding to any task. I will start writing down in a "to do" list my tasks and hopefully this will help in my thought process to organize and respond in a timely manner.
I am the type of person who would rather get things done then let them sit. However, I also know that some tasks are more important then others and I accomplish those tasks first. I have never been one to put things off for another time. I will probably not change the order in which I accompligh important and urgent tasks.
Cynthia, So glad to hear it! Yes, sometimes staying so on top of things is actually our greatest problem. When we don't slow down and take a break, we can get overwhelmed and stressed too.
Dr. Melissa Read
Anna, Excellent to hear. Yes, breaking tasks into manageable chunks is a wonderful approach to completing daunting assignments. Keeps us motivated and moving forward.
Dr. Melissa Read
Ghaleb, I like the way you assess each task to decide how quickly you respond. That's a great approach. You are right. Some tasks can be knocked out of the queue right away. Others require thoughtful and deliberate response. A one-size-fits-all approach does not always work for task management.
Dr. Melissa Read
I find that I need to compartmentalize my life somewhat to keep it manageable. I have to do lists at home and at work but am better at prioritizing at home. The instruction will help alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed at work. Sometimes I choose the easier less important tasks to do first, and that is not the best practice.
I usually accomplish he tasks that are most important to me right away. I will continue to address these tasks in that same way. This course has made me consider that the tasks can be better organized, and so I will try and do that first before jumping headlong into them.
Because of the high activity level of my job, i do those tasks that are urgent first thing in the morning while fresh, then consult list for the next thing there. I wish i was as good at home!!!!
I normally accomplish assignments right away; I tend to have more of a problem with immediacy rather than procrastination. In order to fix this, I need to just add everything to a "to-do" list and then plan out what I'll start on first.
Kesa, Yes, sometimes getting a jump start on organization is all we need to get everything complete. It can be tempting to jump on to completing tasks right away, but the reality is that sometimes a better approach is better planned.
Dr. Melissa Read
Dawn, While that is not best practice, you'd be amazed at how often instructors take this approach. Completing easy tasks can be great confidence builders before moving on to harder ones.
Dr. Melissa Read
I have been working for some time now to come up with a method to prioritize the tasks I need to accomplish. I have made a list of tasks and numbered the tasks. I then review the list and see if what I made number 1 really needs to be number 1. If it does not I renumber the list until I am satisfied with the order. Then I can begin to accomplish the tasks in the correct order. This method works well for me.
I try to prioritize my tasks by the urgency they represent. I am now preparing of a class that I have taught before. I don't feel so under the gun to get things done, so I am using my prep time to develop activities and learning projects this time around. I do have a life long habit of being a procrastinator and have really worked on pacing task to be done.
Colleen, It sounds like you know yourself well. That's a great start. Sometimes being honest about our strengths and opportunities is the first step toward a more effective path.
Dr. Melissa Read
Jim, Sounds like you have found an approach that works great for you. Excellent to hear. Yes, sometimes list review is important before starting tasks. Emotionally, we may label a task with a number 1 when really it should logically fall lower on the list.
Dr. Melissa Read
