1.7: Putting It All Together
Learning Objectives
At the end of this section, the learner will:
- Look at to-dos/tasks ahead daily, weekly, and monthly.
- Proactively navigate scheduling conflicts.
putting it all together
Congratulations! You are now organized and ready to achieve your goals. All that you need to do now to meet your goals is to stay on top of what is happening with your calendar and to-dos/tasks. Follow these tips to stay on track.
Check your calendar and to-dos/tasks:
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Monthly
- Keep your calendar and to-dos/tasks up to date throughout the year so that you can see conflicts before they become emergent.
- Where conflicts exist, make adjustments so that the priority items are tended to first.
- When conflicts cannot be resolved, you will have to make decisions about what is most important to you. Sometimes that may mean you have to put personal items on hold to tend to academic responsibilities. Others, you might spend less time on coursework.
- If conflicts exist in your preparation of coursework like assignments and exams, remember to look at the weighted average for each as a percentage of your total grade. This will clue you into which one should get the most attention. If you add those weighted percentages in your title or subject line on your calendar and to-dos/task lists as suggested earlier in this chapter, you will be able to see this without referring back to your course documents.
- As always, reach out to your instructor for support early if you need help!
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Weekly
- Choose a day each week that you will review your calendar and to-dos/tasks.
- Make a plan to address these items prior to the start of the next week.
- If something was added to your schedule that does not fit, see if you can move anything that is not a top priority to the next week(s). If you cannot resolve the conflict, reach out right away to anyone that is affected and work toward a solution. This includes your instructor(s).
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Morning
- This will help create a focus for your day.
- Make a to-list for the day and address the items based on the priority you assign each one.
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Evening
- Recap your day by reviewing your accomplishments for the day! Doing so will keep you motivated as you will be able to see progress toward your goals incrementally.
- Review what is coming for the next day sometime before you go to bed. Your brain will continue to work while you sleep. Clearing out your mind by gaining an understanding of the next steps will help your sleep be more restful, setting you up for success tomorrow.
activity 2.7: REFLECTIVE ExERCISE
Reflecting on Your Goals
- Write down 10 things you did yesterday on one piece of paper.
- On the second piece of paper, write down 5 things you expect to complete in the next two weeks.
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Look at the two lists next to one another. Mark items from the first list that relate to those on the second list.
- Did you spend time working toward your goal?
- If not, why?
- What adjustments can you make to achieve the items on the second list?