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Procrastination
is one of the biggest problems in managing time effectively.
How can you avoid it?
Look
at the following "time takers" and "fighting
tactics:"
- Visualize
the benefits of finishing
- Develop
a clear mental picture of the completed task
and how you will feel at the time. Maintain
focus on the end result, not just the process.
Remind yourself how good you will feel when
you are finished.
- Ask
for help - DELEGATE
- Whenever
possible, ask for help. As an RA, you are not
only a Resident Assistant, you are a Referral
Agent. Sometimes your most effective
role is in referring a resident to someone else
who can better serve them.
- Perfectionism
- People
delay because they want the project to be perfect
- Set
deadlines for yourself, and tell others your
deadlines, so they can check up on you.
- Sometimes
perfectionism can be a time taker. Maintain
high standards, but realize that sometimes 80%
for you may be 100% for someone else. (For example,
you may need to straighten you room up before
you study, but you probably don't need to scrub
the toilet with your toothbrush)
- Unpleasant
Tasks
- Most
of the time, tasks which seem unpleasant are
not as bad as they appear. Focus on these tasks
first. Give yourself a reward for doing them.
- Break
it down!
- Take
a task and break it into smaller, more manageable
tasks, then...
- DO
SOMETHING
- Simply
start working on SOMETHING on your list, or
you will never get done with ANYTHING!
- Say
NO!
- "NO"
is one of the simplest words in the English
language, yet, it is often very difficult to
say, especially for student leaders!
- We
say yes because we want to please people, but
sometimes it is important to know when to say
no.
- Know
your limits. Don't take on too much.
- Make
sure you know exactly what is being asked of
you.
- You
have a right to say no! Others may take advantage
of you if you don't.
- Ask
what the priority is before you say yes.
- Distractions
(Quadrant III)
- Avoid
distractions whenever possible.
- Identify
your most effective times and locations to be
productive, and stick to them!
- Schedule
social time! (This is a rock!) Sometimes it
can feel awkward "scheduling" a social
time, but remember, you aren't just "penciling
your friend in," you are "penciling
everything else out!"
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Do
something!
