I want to start this off on a pessimistic note. I don't like New
Years Resolutions. I never hear people in November or December
talking about how their lives are better because of their
resolutions. If anything it's “You know that thing I wanted to do
this year that I didn't? Well next year I will get it done!” I
think we forget that projects, goals, and resolutions get done in
short term steps and not in long term hopes.
So, I'm sorry, this post is going to join in the cascade of “Good and Bad Ideas for New Years Resolutions” blog posts and articles.
I have on my desk between me and the computer monitor, a few index cards. Even though books, pens, and papers crowd this space, I always make sure I can see them.. They are my to-do lists and goals.
This started a few months ago. Every night, I make a to-do list of the things that I need to do everyday: exercising,personal reading, and household tasks (I miss dishwashers). After these, I have the MITs – Most Important Tasks. Grading, writing, course development go in here – stuff that has to get done. Then secondary: stuff that I'd like to get done or I could get a head start on, or even just projects I'm working on but didn't think I'd have time to deal with that day. I write a new one of these every night on an index card and leave it on my desk. If I'm spending most of the day away from my study, I tuck it in my wallet and take it with me.
But this is just one of the cards. The other is the weekly goals. These I categorize by project. I identify the different classes I teach and what I'll have to get done for them for that week, like writing quizzes and grading assignments, what books I'm reading and how much I want to have done, and whatever research I'm working on. It's basically stuff I know I need to get done this week.
When I write my daily to-do lists, I refer back to the weekly one. When I write the weekly one, I refer back to my monthly goals, which I have started keeping on my computer where I can keep a closer look at what I'm doing and when it gets done. Alongside the monthly goals are the quarterly ones, which includes 12 blog posts – one for each week of January, February, and March.
I'm not comfortable with year-long goals. Maybe I'll get there, but things change too quickly and too easily. This time last year, I never would have put “Start a Composition Blog” on a list of New Years Resolutions, or, more personally, “Get accepted to a research conference” or “Submit a scholarly article for publication,” nor “Start online teaching.” But each of those has happened. When I got a second teaching job, I had to, for a time, put my personal research on the shelf as I underwent training and preparation to teach in a different environment for a new institution. Because I take things one day at a time, I can keep track of what I need to do, what's really important, and what I need to do with my time.
Don't forget the short term when dealing with the long term. Maybe your resolution is to get straight A's. That's a wonderful goal, but it doesn't have any planning or action. Figure out what you need to do in the short term to do your best at achieving long term goals and do it regularly. Keep track of your assignments, classes, readings, and get them in on time and you may discover those A's are more work than you expected, but it's spread out over more time and with more focus.
Happy New Year and I wish you well in your endeavors, whether they be personal, professional, or academic.
So, I'm sorry, this post is going to join in the cascade of “Good and Bad Ideas for New Years Resolutions” blog posts and articles.
I have on my desk between me and the computer monitor, a few index cards. Even though books, pens, and papers crowd this space, I always make sure I can see them.. They are my to-do lists and goals.
This started a few months ago. Every night, I make a to-do list of the things that I need to do everyday: exercising,personal reading, and household tasks (I miss dishwashers). After these, I have the MITs – Most Important Tasks. Grading, writing, course development go in here – stuff that has to get done. Then secondary: stuff that I'd like to get done or I could get a head start on, or even just projects I'm working on but didn't think I'd have time to deal with that day. I write a new one of these every night on an index card and leave it on my desk. If I'm spending most of the day away from my study, I tuck it in my wallet and take it with me.
But this is just one of the cards. The other is the weekly goals. These I categorize by project. I identify the different classes I teach and what I'll have to get done for them for that week, like writing quizzes and grading assignments, what books I'm reading and how much I want to have done, and whatever research I'm working on. It's basically stuff I know I need to get done this week.
When I write my daily to-do lists, I refer back to the weekly one. When I write the weekly one, I refer back to my monthly goals, which I have started keeping on my computer where I can keep a closer look at what I'm doing and when it gets done. Alongside the monthly goals are the quarterly ones, which includes 12 blog posts – one for each week of January, February, and March.
I'm not comfortable with year-long goals. Maybe I'll get there, but things change too quickly and too easily. This time last year, I never would have put “Start a Composition Blog” on a list of New Years Resolutions, or, more personally, “Get accepted to a research conference” or “Submit a scholarly article for publication,” nor “Start online teaching.” But each of those has happened. When I got a second teaching job, I had to, for a time, put my personal research on the shelf as I underwent training and preparation to teach in a different environment for a new institution. Because I take things one day at a time, I can keep track of what I need to do, what's really important, and what I need to do with my time.
Don't forget the short term when dealing with the long term. Maybe your resolution is to get straight A's. That's a wonderful goal, but it doesn't have any planning or action. Figure out what you need to do in the short term to do your best at achieving long term goals and do it regularly. Keep track of your assignments, classes, readings, and get them in on time and you may discover those A's are more work than you expected, but it's spread out over more time and with more focus.
Happy New Year and I wish you well in your endeavors, whether they be personal, professional, or academic.
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