Back to School for GrownUps

So …step #1 was to Take Stock .

Step #2 was to Evaluate - Resources .

And now we are onto evaluating PRIORITIES.

Got your list in front of you? You DID make a list right? Good for you - want a sticker? If so, send me an email with your address and I will be happy to send you one

Alright…so today we are looking at your priorities. How long is your list?

Does it include everything you’re trying to juggle right now?

• Good… now chop it. Seriously - I want you to go through it and cross off everything that nobody else but you cares about. If no one is going to get hurt if it isn’t done, and it’s not going to cost you anything, cross it off.

There…doesn’t that feel better?

• Now… go through your list again and put a star beside the 3 most important/pressing things. Nope… not 5, or 10, or 20… just the top 3.
• And find the 3 that can wait the longest too…. mark them somehow also…. a triangle or a line or whatever turns your crank.
• Now…. with the rest, if there are any (and if there are, are you SURE you can’t dump a few more?) … those you are going to look at one at a time and ask yourself - and answer honestly, of course - if you really have to be the one to do it.
• Is there anyone on your resource list that might be able to help with it?
• If so, take a minute and ask them if they’d mind. Worst that can happen is they say no. And if they do, it stays on your list and you do it when you get to it.

Ok…once you’ve cleared off whatever can be delegated….

• The next step is to look for any that you could do right NOW and DO THEM. Don’t forget to cross them off.
• With the stuff that’s left over, go through and make note of the date they have to be done BY.
• Oh - and if any of them are great BIG things (like a 20 page essay for example) - break it down into steps and figure out when the steps should be done by (for your SANITY if not for actual due dates).
• Once you’ve done all that, hopefully your list will be becoming more managable and you’ll be able to really PRIORITIZE it …. as in put things in order of PRIORITY.

The things that are time sensitive but not IMMEDIATE don’t count when you’re feeling overwhelmed …. you write those down in your datebook and try to plan when you’re going to do them. It will feel better, honest.

One of the biggest reasons we non-traditional students get overwhelmed is because we (and I am including myself cuz I do it very well, ask Steph , she’ll tell ya) tend to get fussed about everything that we know that has to be done ~whenever~ ….rather than focusing on what needs to be done RIGHT NOW.

To do lists - especially ones that you update frequently - can be a lifesaver… but you have to keep up with them in order for them to help ….  and that can be tough even for those of us who are fortunate enough to have all the toys …..I loves my Blackberry and my laptop(s) ….but even the Blackberry doesn’t do me a damn bit of good if I don’t put the stuff that needs doing IN IT so that I can worry less and function more.

I’m not quite done going on about priorities…but this will have to do for now, cuz I have one more blog to write, a textbook to consult, and I need to get to BED…I teach early tomorrow

More next time.

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