Task Management!

People are so busy these days that it can be hard to keep track of all of the tasks one needs to accomplish. I know this is true for me. There are many times I find myself confused about what work is due in which of my classes. Especially with the year coming to an end I feel like I have so many things being thrown at me (papers, tests, homework, etc.) that if I don't have the skill of task management than I am going to be in BIG trouble. As if it's not hard enough to prioritize my school work, one must also prioritize personal things outside of schoolwork, such as being in a sorority for me. There are so many events one must attend if part of a sorority, and I love going to them, but at the same time I know it gets in the way of my school work. I really looked forward to this week and learning about task management because I knew its something I struggle with, and with practice, a skill I could really benefit having.

As I looked at my work for the week, I decided the two classes I had the most work in were PSY 205 and CLS 105. Because I have used it in the past and found it very helpful to me by executing my work in an organized manner, I used the "Target Planner" strategy for CLS 105. In PSY 205, I used the strategy "Divide By 4" because I have an exam coming up this week and foundthat the layout of "Divide By 4" was a perfect way to begin my prep for my exam. Also, I have always been a fan of "Post It Reminders" and used them throughout the week, as I do every week.

Tomorrow in CLS 105, I have a huge project due: The Major/Career Exploration. I was very proud of myself because I got started on this project early on, and was done with most of it at the start of last week. But as I said a few weeks ago, I really struggle with procrastination, and I could feel myself putting off the rest of the project because I had accomplished so much already so early. So to get my priorities straight and figure out exactly what had to be done and when, I created a Target planner. We have used the Target planner in CLS before, and it had worked great for me so I decided to try it again. I am a

visual learner so it is very important for me to see what I have to do. This strategy is great because it is a visual reminder of what has to be done. I took the Major/CareerExploration Project and broke it up into the different sections of it. I then created a bullseye and added each task of the project and when it is due. Having this very visual reminder of my project not only kept me from procrastinating, but also helped me finish all of my work by the date I had specified. I am also a kinesthetic learner, so the actually making of the target planner also engrained the tasks and dates into my head. I would definitely recommend using a Target planner, but probably only for big projects, or project with multiple parts and due dates.

This Friday I have my last PSY 205 recitation quiz. These quizzes are really important because they can help save your grade if you do not test well (which is me!) I de

cided to use the strategy "Divide by 4." The four steps are prepare,start, continue, and finish. Here is what I did:

1. PREPARE: In order to prepare for my quiz coming up, the first thing I had to do was gather all my notes and make sure I wasn't missing any lectures. I have missed a few classes which meant part of my preparation was going online and copying the PowerPoints I had missed into my notebook. I also went to the bookstore and picked up notecards. I did all of this on 4/20.
2. START: I decided I wanted to start prepping for the exam the next day (4/21). I started with the 20 minute test prep. Since I didn't have class on Thursday, I went to my last set of notes (from Tuesday) and reviewed them. After this, I spent about 10 minutes on each week of notes I had, highlighting this I was unsure or had questions about.
3. CONTINUE: I continued with the 20 minute test prep by creating test questions at the end of each week's lecture. I aimed for about 5-8 questions per week. I also noticed that I felt myself beginning to stress, so I used a strategy from last week, "10 Minute Vacation," to help calm myself down, and refocus.
4. FINISH: To finish, I began copying all of the test questions I created to notecards. I have used flash cards all of my life and they really help me preparefor exams. I also went through the text book and clarified anything I was unsure about. I am planning on creating a topic outline as well after our last PSY class before our quiz, which is on Tuesday.

"Divide By 4" made me realize something very important. Organization is KEY in task management. If you do not have a plan of execution, or a break down of what you must accomplish, it is never going to get done. I found "Divide By 4" to be extremely helpful and would recommend it to my peers for any type of work. Whether it be a big project or one homework assignment, being able to break up your work really helps keep you on track and organized. It also kept me from stressing out.

Both "Divide By 4" and "Target Planner" laid out an organized plan of what I had to do for each of my classes. Like I said earlier, as a kinesthetic and visual learner I learn best when I can see and do, and both of these strategies combine a visual aspect with an active aspect (active being the actually creating of test questions, note cards, the target planner, etc.) I think both of these strategies work, and I look forward to using them these last few weeks of school as we prepare for finals!