This week, I have been struggling to manage my time efficiently. Despite my plan of working on each assignment a little every day until completion, I have been failing miserably. With multiple major assignments due at the same time, it seems that it would be better to dedicate my time to finishing one assignment at a time instead of trying to work on all of them simultaneously.
I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I am doing my best not to panic. It seems like I am experiencing similar feelings to those I had at the start of the semester. The baby getting sick set me back so much but my plan to get ahead would work. It didn't.
It's currently 11pm and I'm feeling stressed about upcoming assignments that I'm worried I won't be able to complete on time. Would anyone be able to share any tips or advice? Thank you.
Personally, I identified when I was the most productive during the day and how I could enhance my productivity. Here is what I learned from my personal experience:
ReplyDelete- I am more productive in the early morning, so I get up early and brainstorm the most demanding tasks at that time; I'm giving myself concrete directions and realistic deadlines for the rest of the day
- I cannot focus on one single task for hours. I need to chunk every task and switch from one task to the next so I can altenate more demanding and less demanding tasks to give my brain a break and maintain my productivity
- I am reflecting on past experiences where I felt overwhelmed: I frequently feel overwhelmed by all the things I have to do, but I have learned that I often do more than I should to meet the requirements, so I lowered my own expectations (not too much, but still, I decreased them significantly). For our FSU courses, I stick to the evaluation criteria, which helps me set realistic expectations to myself.
- I manage personal time to disconnect from work and studies; even 30 minutes are tremendously helpful and very well appreciated.
I understand a 100% what you feel, and I am confident we are several sharing your concerns and anxiety in this class. But I'm confident you will do great! You're a valuable player in our class :-). If you want some feedback on anything, feel free to send me an email. I have planned my week so I can have some time this weekend for the unexpected ;-); so I'll be glad to help :-).
But you got this, I have no doubt!
Hey DoubleM - I feel you! I think the nature of our class and being able to participate in so many channels can be overwhelming. I had to take a break from Twitter and say "nope, not this week."
ReplyDeleteInstead, I'm going to hop in on blogs and take my time to reconnect with everyone's thoughts and ideas in a way that makes me feel motivated. This motivation keeps me moving on to the next thing.
Also, reward yourself! You're deserving of breaks, goodies, and positive self-talk when you accomplish small things. Blogged? Go you!! Get a drink at Starbucks! Come back and knock another one out with your new found energy (or caffeine!)
And honestly, there's nothing wrong with asking for help. Need help with the little one? I'm sure there's someone who loves you and wants you to succeed who will help out for an hour or two while you meet your next milestone.
We've only got a little bit more to go! You've got this; I've got this! We've all got this!!