All 3 entries tagged P7 Organizing Yourself And Your Time

Final entry for P7

Follow-up to Organizing ourselves and our time from A way of growing; my choice to learn

Deadline for final entry? 18th January 2011. Date of submitted entry? 21st January 2011. Not a very good reflection of the program. But again like the last time, I was prioritizing my other assignments before this entry. Admittedly I was in a sleep-deprived-induced coma since my last assignment was handed in on the 17th January but I think that was pretty justified. Then again, this exercise is not about finding excuses.

However, in the time I was given to implement the goals of the program, I think that I did a pretty good job. I did utilize the SMART methodology to clarify out objectives, and I clearly prioritized more urgent assignments ahead of others. The tools of macro and micro planning were really helpful, particularly since I have many applications deadlines and I prioritized which applications that I needed to start first. I was however partially successful with dealing with my time-stealers. They're addictive and I've managed to drop a couple of tv shows, but I still have quite a number. I was only fortunate that they have a season break that's long enough for me to catch up on my work. This is not a good thing and I should stop watching tv unless I deserve a good break.

Looking back this program really helped me to step back and look at the big picture: I had problems balancing my schedules, and a main source of this problem would be my addiction to television because of my preference for fictitious distractions as opposed to the current weight-bearing reality. Interestingly though, for a point in time I actually did stop watching TV but I got caught up with shopping and scoring for sales. I guess the real problem wasn't television - it's my need to distract myself in any way possible. This is not good because it stands in my way of completing my tasks and studying.

That is why I have learnt to adopt this approach where basically since I've made my own bed I'm going to sleep in it. Only I can change myself, and only I can stop this from spiralling out of control. I need to stop thinking in miracles that will save me from my own laziness. There is a reason why I need this workshop and it's to organize my time. And the only way I can do that is to plainly stop being lazy or constantly trying to distract myself. This will be my fight and my fight alone.

: 21 Jan 2011 03:12 |  Tags: P7 Organizing Yourself And Your Time |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The follow up on P7

Follow-up to Organizing ourselves and our time from A way of growing; my choice to learn

So far I have been relatively successful. Sure, there were a few hiccups where I had other priorities, such as bringing my parents to the airport,  but overall I have been pretty okay. I tried stopping my habit of watching tv, which was really hard, because I need at least one lovable episode of The Big Bang Theory to wake me up in the morning. Good God, I am so addicted...but at least I've cut it down to only watching when I've completed a task.

Anyways, the micro and macro planning tool does work. I have listed out the tasks that I need to do, and I have prioritized my academic tasks over other tasks. And if I don't feel up to the 'major league' tasks, I'll just do the minor tasks, so in the end my day hasn't really gone to waste. I know that this is not really the aim of the micro and macro planning (it's to help you prioritize your assignments) but it's pretty niffy.

: 22 Dec 2010 23:32 |  Tags: P7 Organizing Yourself And Your Time |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Organizing ourselves and our time

Considering that I’ve just only managed to submit this article in lieu of my new dateline (13^th December 2010), this does not bode well as to how I’m utilizing this time-management workshop. But since I was prioritizing my other assignments before this project, I think that my last-minute attempt at publishing my evaluation of the workshop is pretty justified.

This workshop is about considering the basic time management tools and skills, where we were taught about the different types of planning (from lifetime to micro-planning), the mayonnaise message (which is about how we need to balance everything, from our family to our workplace obligations), SMART (which is an acronym for clarifying our objectives), prioritisation, scheduling and finally, determining our time-stealers and, finally, adjusting our attitudes towards our obligations. Although this workshop is reminiscent of what my mom used to tell me, and what my teachers used to scream about at my class, it really helped me to step back and view the big picture.

As an active member of different societies and a law student, I have quite a lot of workload to balance with. My diary is one of my best time-management tools because it helps me remember all of the deadlines that I have. However, recently I’ve realized that I don’t always update it. And I thought back hard as to why it always seem that I don’t have time for anything. And the obvious answer is TV – I love watching TV. It’s a great distraction from the reality of pain, stress and pressure. But after one awesome show, I needed to watch another. I crave that mindless entertainment which makes me feel the senseless bliss that reality can rarely bring me. It’s indeed a drug that I can’t get rid of so easily. I’ve already gotten rid of like, thirteen shows. But it’s not enough. I need to stop trying to watch it once it comes out (which is roughly 3 a.m. UK time) I need to prioritize. That’s why I have utilized the workshop tools a la macro-planning, where I have listed the numerous deadlines that I have. Every time I look at it, I feel the rush of adrenaline. I’ve learned to not fight the fear and dread of looming deadlines. I embrace it. The adrenaline it gives me is a form of survival instinct, where every nerve of me is telling me to get off my lazy ass and run, and get on with my assignments.

In short, from this workshop, I plan to use the tools of macro and micro planning to set my head straight. I still have my doubts about lifetime planning because honestly, I don’t know where I want to go for in life. I want to be as flexible as possible. But of course, I did key in the important dates such as my exam times and dates when I have to move out of my house etc.

: 13 Dec 2010 16:50 |  Tags: P7 Organizing Yourself And Your Time |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem