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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!