Some of my peers have been asking how I stay organized. Let me tell ya folks, it ain’t easy. Have you got tips, tricks and ways to cope? Please share! How’s your stress level? Do you feel you’re in a good space and academically everything’s going at a good pace? If not, below are some general tips on how to get (and, hopefully, stay) organized while in graduate school. The current use (or some would say invasion) of all things electronic into our daily lives can prove to be timesavers as well as timesuckers. Planning is the key to success and to avoid an academic crash and burn…
Drop-kick me through the goalposts of life:
Goals - set long term goals – at the beginning of each semester and entering all homework, group project deadlines, and/or exam dates into your PDA, datebook or corkboard. Whatever you use. Having the dates visible will keep you motivated.
This, no wait a minute this is important - Setting Priorities:
Within the goals, use priorities to determine what’s truly long-term vs. short-term and rank those activities accordingly. Always work on the most import stuff first. Back up these priorities with occasional self-checks. “Self, is the most important thing right now?” If not, don’t do it and move until you hit the urgent thing you should be doing.
Procrastination is thine Enemy:
Always work on whatever is making you freak out the most. Avoiding the beast, always ends in disaster. Get it out of the way and the rest of your stuff won’t look nearly as heinous.
Scheduling the Scheduling - How to Make Time for Planning
Set aside a definite period of time each week to review what’s coming up and to add new short and long term goals/activities. Always try to review at the end of the day what’s on the agenda for the next day. Don’t write it and then forget it…Reviewing might prevent those embarrassing forehead slaps – i.e. “What!? You mean Chapter 15 and 16 was due today???”
Know your A, B and Cs:
As in Priority A, Priority B, and C. It’s tough to do but don’t waste time “sweating the small stuff”. Attack top priorities and do the quickie things when you find yourself in a “break out” moment.
Ugh – this List is Humongous:
Feeling overwhelmed? Is your “To Do List” is daunting? Pat yourself on the back and make an “I Did It!” list at night. Tracking your accomplishments are automatic motivators to keep plowing forward.
Black Out Dates:
When are you truly at your most productive? Mornings, mid-morning, afternoons, mid-afternoons, or night person? Careful! There are very few actual “night owls”. Very few people can make significant production late in the evening and this can lead to a deadly backslide of unaccomplished tasks…. Black out times of the day where you know you’re at your best. Tackle those “mother of all” tasks then – when you’re at your sharpest. And this time is verboten to things like, American Idol, Grey’s Anatomy, and $2.00 pints at the local watering hole…
Oh, Look -- I’ve Found a Worm Hole:
Well, sort of. Being able to track how long things take to do is a key element in time planning your time. If you’re really bad at estimating (under or over) how long tasks take, try keeping an informal tally of how long different activities can take. Then your schedule will be much more accurate and realistic.
Keep a scratch pad or flip open that phone or PDA:
Find yourself with a cancelled class? Stuck in the elevator at the Sawyer building? Well, good! Now is the time to whip out your small list of “To Do” stuff when you find yourself with a windfall of unexpected time. Stuff some articles you’ve been meaning to read in your bag – when you’re stuck for half and hour in between T-stops – voila! Instant unscheduled, yet productive, time snag!
Downtime? Downtime? I don’t need no stinkin downtime?
Oh, yes you do my friend. Even the most aggressive Type As need to recharge their hyperactive internal batteries. Social activities, shared dinners, or planned “breaks” from study groups or a trek over to your favorite drinking establishment or letting it all hang out on the dance floor is important to staying well grounded and focused. Here are a few other tips for the work/life balance:
- Take a “joy break” – daydream for 10 minutes, want to see a movie that night? Cruise the web for times/see what’s playing, whatever -- get your mind (briefly) off the task at hand and think about something fun.
- Practice meditation (focused relaxed breathing, visualization).
- Exercise – yes, even dancing around your apartment like wild fool – is indeed exercise. No need to run a marathon or hit a costly gym – just get the ticker pumping. All work in front of the computer and no play – is not only NOT fun but can lead to such unpleasant things as early heart attacks. Angioplasty is definitely not fun.
- Even God took a break – schedule a day off. Read the paper, stay in your pjs, sleep until noon, eat breakfast all day, watch Godzilla movies – you get the idea.
- Take a Culture Break – best achieved alone. Go to that museum exhibit or get a rush ticket to the opera/ballet/hockey game. Do something creative – by yourself. A major recharger.
- Vacations – are for resting. Not lugging 20 pounds of books and a laptop to a tropical get away. If a full week is not possible – take advantage of the 3 day weekend thing.
At all costs, avoid the dreaded “Burnout”. Here are some signs:
- Chronic fatigue – exhaustion, tiredness, being physically run down
- Anger at those making demands
- Self-criticism for putting up with the demands
- A sense of being besieged
- Exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
- Frequent headaches or stomach problems
- Weight loss or gain
- Sleeplessness and depression
- Shortness of breath
- Suspiciousness
- Feelings of helplessness
- Increased degree of risk taking (i.e. bungee jumping off the Tobin = not a good idea)
If you think you’re experiencing any of the above and are concerned by it – you should contact a mentor or health official on campus and get some stress advice/counseling.
Turns out, this weeks' subject, time management, is not just a modern day dilemma – take a look at these wise words from Cervantes’ Don Quixote:
In short, he so busied himself in his books
That he spent the nights reading from twilight till daybreak
And the days from dawn till dark;
And so from little sleep and much reading his brain dried up
And he lost his wits.
Books for further reading:
- The One Minute Manager, Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
- The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey
- The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, Edmund Bourne
- Time Management for Unmanageable People, Anne McGee-Cooper
Have a great weekend! We're in for a real treat on Saturday -- the first Nor'Easter of the season! Cook up some stew, pop in a movie and enjoy the storm! See yas next week.