The two articles I read tackled two different aspects of time management that I think was challenging me in my own life. Seeing the problems, along with the solutions, laid out so simply gives me the motivation to try the techniques not only with schoolwork, but with other things I want to improve upon. The first article, The Important Habit of Just Starting by Jory Mackay, points out that most of procrastination comes from a lack of being able to practice long-term gratification. Mackay points out that "the fear of starting is often so much less than the pain of actually working", although our brains try to convince us that the opposite is true. If one can get over the hump of actually starting, momentum will take over and we end up looking at ways to finish. The second article I read was Eat the Frogs First Thing in the Morning by Thomas Oppong. It was inspired by Mark Twain's quote, "If your job is to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the BIGGEST one first". Oppong describes ways to prioritize different tasks based on need and motivation, and instructs readers to perform the most dreaded task first thing in the morning. Both articles have inspired me to try working out in the morning, something I've always wanted to try but lacked the motivation for. This gives me more time in the evening to focus on school and make healthier choices throughout the day. I'm sure it will be difficult, but people always say that the first three days are the hardest, and if you can complete those, the rest will follow. Hopefully by revisiting these techniques, I can keep the momentum going and have a productive semester.
Eat the frog; source: Monday Blog
Hi Moriah!
ReplyDeleteI read someone else's blog post about the "Eating Frogs" article and I think it's interesting to see two people's different perspectives on it. I love how optimistic and determined you are about time management strategies this semester. It's neat that you focused on how you think these strategies can help you in your own life. I think lots of times I feel inspired while reading articles like these, but then my motivation quickly fades away. I hope you've been more successful!