Donna, Yes! it sounds like you have mastered one part of an effective approach. Now it's time to stand on the foundation you have built and get just a touch more efficient.
Dr. Melissa Read
I am not a very organized person, I like to complete the task as soon as I can otherwise I would forget about it. I hope to become a better organized person.
As for me i will get it done in the order that what i think is more important to less important.
That way my day will not be overwhelm with things that I know i can get done at a later time. It will get done either way.
I have always been one to make ToDo lists. I love the feeling of accomlishment when tasks are checked off. Most of the time I priortize pretty well. However, there are times when procrastation takes over and then I am kicking myself. If I stick to a time frame with my list I usually do pretty well.
Julie, It sounds like you may be struggling with immediacy. This probably makes you productive on simple tasks but might lead to delaying longer term, more complex tasks.
Dr. Melissa Read
Lynn, It's ok to procrastinate every now and then and it's not something to feel bad about. When it happens all of that time, that's when it's a problem. It sounds like you might be harder on yourself than you need to be. Everyone has opportunities for improvement.
Dr. Melissa Read
I use a daily to do list. Every day writing down what I have to accomplish by the end of the day.
I keep a task management template on my computer desk top.
As the week progresses, I refresh the tasks in the order of importance. I find this extremely effective.
I usually write things down that need to get done. It is something that comes natural to me now after working out in the medical field for so long. I find that having a list helps me remember and visualize what I must do next.
I'm horrible at making "to-do" lists! I often suggest to my students that this is a great method for task prioritization and yet fail to do this for myself. I have a ton of sticky notes around my office, desk and home of things I need to remember to do and this methodology seems to keep me in check to some degree.
I feel that the time it takes to complete a "to-do" list is time that could be spent completing an item I just placed on that list.
Tasks that are categorized as urgent and important are handled first. The nature of urgency and importance also depends on how it would affect the operations of the department and when there is a deadline. With a background in healthcare, I learned how to prioritize tasks especially if patient care would be compromised. Similarly in education, I prioritize tasks when it directly affects the welfare of the students and/or faculty and staff.
Gloria, What a great approach. I like how you have something that you can continuously reference throughout your week. Refreshing tasks likely keeps you on track with your priorities too.
Dr. Melissa Read
Sandy, It sounds like you have a case of the shoe cobblers' shoes. Some people are great at teaching others to do things but have a hard time of actually doing those things themselves. Perhaps the list method works well for others but simply does not work for you.
Dr. Melissa Read
Usually I note all task, place them in order of importance. The tasks that are time sensitive are completed immediately or as soon as my schedule allows. The remainder of the tasks are completed when time allows.
I do both. If I am really focused on something that I enjoy... I do it right away. If it is time consuming, dull, or just a block to check... I procrastinate on it. If someone needs it quickly, I am right on it.
I usually take care of priorities first. Mainly because of the number of people who are constantly following up to make sure I've done my job. Although I have to say, I have the habit of allowing the little things (of lesser priority) pile up to the point that it becomes a big problem.
I believe it is best to prioritize but I do not always do that. For work I do prioritize but personally at home I tend to do what I like to do first then move on to other tasks. I think I will try to do the more important ones first in the future or at least try.
To be honest I am a list maker and tend to stray from it's path over the course of the week. I tend to let tasks that are dropped in my lap during the day override what I need to accomplish. I tend to let other peoples ill planning become my emergency. I know see how that adds increased stress to my already full day.
I have a tendency to procrastinate a lot. If a task is important, but not necessarily urgent, I'll put it off. But I'll put it off indefinitely until eventually, it becomes a major problem. I also have found that to do lists in general tend to stress me out more because I look at them, and they just remind me of all the stuff I have to do. I think this module has helped me understand what I do need to include on to do lists and what I can take off. The less important, less urgent stuff can be left for another time. I'll definitely be reorganizing the way I write to do lists.
At one point in my life I didn't worry about prioritization, I knew that I would and could get everything done by the time I needed it to be completed. However as I grew wiser I learned that I could accomplish more and by seeing which task was the most important and then counting down to the lesser task and I also had more time in the end.
