Issue link: http://ncumarketing.uberflip.com/i/889209
Overspending Time on a Task Spending too much time on a task is one of my biggest problems. Have you ever been grading a signature assignment that has multiple writing errors and conceptualization problems, only to find that suddenly an hour has gone by and you are not finished with your feedback? This can then spiral further when you get frustrated that you are now behind on the rest of your day. Consider some of the following ideas to prevent giving too much time to a task: • Know how long a task should take and plan the appropriate amount of time into your day for it. This means you must be realistic. Being too optimistic about how quickly you can get something done only sets yourself up for failure. • After determining how long it takes to complete a task, set a timer with an alarm to hold you accountable to completing it on time. • Accept that feedback is not always perfect and you simply don't have time to address every issue in a student's paper. Doing so also can be overwhelming and discouraging for a student, so just stay focused on a couple major areas of feedback. • Monitor emotional derailment. As an instructor, sometimes my emotions can be disrupting. While I often experience excitement, pride, and satisfaction as an instructor, sometimes I also feel frustrated, angry, or overwhelmed in response to an email or while I'm giving feedback. Regardless of which emotion you are experiencing, when they are intense, they can cause you to spend too much time thinking about an interaction, assignment, or other issue. Make sure to be aware of your emotions. Label them, validate them, and acknowledge when they are delaying completion of a task. You might decide this is when you need a break, or that you simply need to move on to the next item on your to-do list regardless of the emotion being there. Low Motivation Many people react more to external pressures, such as deadlines for returning feedback or expectations from colleagues. While internal motivation can be easy for activities that we really enjoy, it is more difficult to motivate yourself to do tasks that seem less important or interesting to us. This means that sometimes you might delay completion of an activity until the external pressure is high enough to motivate you, which can result in procrastination and unnecessary stress. As a result, here are some ideas for responding to low motivation: • Complete small tasks right away, such as responding to emails, rather than avoiding them by saying you'll get to it later. • When motivation is low, do easier tasks like grading discussion posts, as opposed to grading signature assignments. I find that once I get started on smaller tasks, it's easier to jump to larger ones. • Commit to completing a small part of a task, getting ready to start the task, or only working on the task for a specified amount of time. You might learn that just getting started on a small piece helps you more easily move into finishing the task (Tuckman, 2012). • Remind yourself of the benefits of completing something! Create rewards for accomplishing small tasks and label your values that underlie why it's important for you to get something done (Harris, 2008). In closing, keep in mind that there are basic things you can do to create a context of optimal executive functioning! Engage in self-care, get enough sleep, and make sure you are exercising and eating healthy (Tuckman, 2012). Get creative with reminders. When you need to remember something, post a note on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator, or send yourself an email. Everyone will have a different strategy that works for them, so if one of these ideas isn't the right fit for you, I encourage you to keep engaging in a trial and error process until you find the best one! References Anderson, J. N. (2017). Leechblock. Retrieved from http://www.proginosko.com/leechblock/ Harris, R. (2008). The happiness trap: How to stop struggling and start living. Boston, MA: Trumpeter Books. Tuckman, A. (2012). Understand your brain, get more done: The ADHD executive functions workbook. Plantation, FL: Specialty Press, Inc. TIPS TIPS