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Suck It Up
Nov. 14th, 2007 09:24 amSo I really really really really hate filling out paperwork for grad school. However, a new idea, '3 Projects A Day', is helping me so I thought I might mention it here for anyone who has several 'projects' or a long to do list they need to complete. It's pretty simple. At the beginning of each day, you sit down, look at the major projects on your to do list, and then pick three or two, the number is unimportant as long as it's hopefully more than one ^_~, and then you take that day to work on them. You work as much and as hard as you can to kill them d-e-d dead! Realistically you are not going to completely finish the project off, but it's better to seriously wound it, then let it flit around tormenting you, popping up on your to do list over and over again.
The problem with big projects is that 'you don't wanna do em', which is why this is a nice technique. Your project list targets exactly what you do not want to do, and aside from the initial feet stamping stage, and actually accomplishing something will help you eliminate the stress and worry you've been feeling about the project.
Your Project List should look something like this:
1. Project 1
2. Project 2
3. Project 3
Bank:
All the daily tasks you need to complete.
Daily tasks that you have to do more than twice a week do not count as projects, they are the flotsam and the jetsam which you must include in some part of your day and they get placed in the bank. So if you have five hours to do work, perhaps you work on each project for 11/2 hours and then you spend 2 hours on the bank (this of course depends on the number/ time needed for daily tasks). But the 11/2 you set aside for the project is set aside for the project. You do not do anything else during that time.
It's a simple idea, right?
Also, it's recommended to keep a little log of what projects you tackle each day, so you can see what you still need to work on. That way if you need to spend more time beheading and dispatching a big problem you can give it another day. Also, your log will engender feelings of accomplishment with you - it should (hopefully) be a list of big achievements for you.
Why three projects? Because if you have just one project then you feel intimidated and scared. If you have two or three (or more) then you are less likely to build it up in your head, and you will not get as bored as you might get if you were only working on one big project.
Anywho, I find it's helping me. I worked on grad school stuff last night, not because I wanted to, but because it is a 'project' that I am dying to kill ded.
Book recommendation of the day: <i>What's A Ghoul To Do</i> by Victoria Laurie. A modern day ghost buster. Fun Fun!
The problem with big projects is that 'you don't wanna do em', which is why this is a nice technique. Your project list targets exactly what you do not want to do, and aside from the initial feet stamping stage, and actually accomplishing something will help you eliminate the stress and worry you've been feeling about the project.
Your Project List should look something like this:
1. Project 1
2. Project 2
3. Project 3
Bank:
All the daily tasks you need to complete.
Daily tasks that you have to do more than twice a week do not count as projects, they are the flotsam and the jetsam which you must include in some part of your day and they get placed in the bank. So if you have five hours to do work, perhaps you work on each project for 11/2 hours and then you spend 2 hours on the bank (this of course depends on the number/ time needed for daily tasks). But the 11/2 you set aside for the project is set aside for the project. You do not do anything else during that time.
It's a simple idea, right?
Also, it's recommended to keep a little log of what projects you tackle each day, so you can see what you still need to work on. That way if you need to spend more time beheading and dispatching a big problem you can give it another day. Also, your log will engender feelings of accomplishment with you - it should (hopefully) be a list of big achievements for you.
Why three projects? Because if you have just one project then you feel intimidated and scared. If you have two or three (or more) then you are less likely to build it up in your head, and you will not get as bored as you might get if you were only working on one big project.
Anywho, I find it's helping me. I worked on grad school stuff last night, not because I wanted to, but because it is a 'project' that I am dying to kill ded.
Book recommendation of the day: <i>What's A Ghoul To Do</i> by Victoria Laurie. A modern day ghost buster. Fun Fun!
