Assignment 2: Before the 9
Oct session, write a paragraph in which you reflect on
the time management goals you set on 19/20 Sept. In your paragraph,
include whether or not you met your goals, any problems you had, any successes
you had, and anything you learned. Also include an updated version of
your goals based on your experience.
We had a few classes about time management, and I think they were very useful. The results of the tests we took showed me I could manage my time fairly well, but I still have a lot to improve. I already use to do lists, and plan my time (though I usually do it as a form of procrastination rather than actually helping me plan my time- I'm working on that). I also "broke" down the work into pieces, so instead of doing one big assignment, I did a few things everyday and it made it look more possible and achievable.
We had several things to do the past week, so I tried using some of the skills we talked about in class. One of them was rewarding myself. It actually worked! I was surprised on how easily I could be manipulated by myself. We had to write an essay for BHG, and I told myself that if I wrote half of it, I could finish reading the book I was reading at the time- it worked. The next day I said that if I finished the essay, I could start reading the sequel. It worked just as well. Also for BHG we had to research on a topic of our choice and then write another essay about it. The rewarding system proved itself effective again.
Another thing I noticed during class that I need to work on is being more flexible. I always schedule my time to the very last detail, so if something comes up I usually get late with all of my assignments. I usually didn't do homework during the evenings, only the afternoons, for many reasons, but once I accepted I wouldn't have time to get everything done in the afternoons and started doing things at night, it suddenly became a lot easier and less stressful to finish everything I had to.
But the hardest thing to do is conquer procrastination, definitely. I think I am a good procrastinator, because I hide my procrastination in doing work. I tell myself I am "planning my time" but I spend way too much time doing that, to the point that I could have done half of the things I had to do in the first place, if I had started on time. I am trying to overcome that, but it's not easy. Since I have the "I'm planning my time" excuse, it's easier to fool myself. For this I am putting another learned skill in practice, trying to do the right thing at the right time.
There are some homework assignments that I really don't want to do, so I work on the not-so-bad assignments before, even if I would have more time to do them than the ones I really don't want to do. I think that is a general rule, when we have to study, even the most absurd things become more acceptable to do than actual studying.
Overall, I think I met my goals, but I still have a lot to work on. I think these following weeks will be very busy as well, and that will give me time to work on my time management skills too.
