A little reward can go a long way when you're trying to finish that thesis, major research paper, or dissertation. I believe very strongly that you should take the time to identify goals and milestones, as well as the rewards that go along with them. If you celebrate your accomplishments, you're more likely to have accomplishments.
The key to setting rewards is to be sure they match the task at hand. If you write one sentence, you probably haven't earned an Ice Road Truckers marathon. But if you've read a 20-page academic article filled with jargon, I'd say you deserve a coffee break with an episode of Scandal on Netflix.
For writing, I think it's useful to have rewards at several levels. For example, for every five pages written, you might enjoy a movie or a few chapters from a novel (or coffee or whatever else motivates you). For every chapter completed, you might treat yourself to lunch or supper at a favourite restaurant with a friend. And when you complete the draft, why not enjoy a spa day followed by dinner at your favourite Indian restaurant with a bottle of Wolf Blass Brown Label! (I know I certainly did when I submitted my dissertation for examination!)
These rewards can be used in the research or data collection stage as well. Set your tasks for the day, block the time to do them, and when you've completed them, enjoy the reward you've identified. Got a stack of articles to read for a literature review? Read an article, watch an episode of Community, read another article, watch an episode of Community, read yet another article...
You get the picture: reward yourself. But remember that you can't have the reward until you've reached the milestone!
Showing posts with label task list. Show all posts
Showing posts with label task list. Show all posts
Tasks Take Time
How long have you had that To Do list? Have you managed to scratch anything off it? Or does it just keep getting longer?
While it's true that making a list of the things you need to do is an important starting point when attempting to better manage your time to achieve your goals, most people miss the critical next step: blocking time in your schedule to actually do one of those tasks. Without a dedicated time for a task, especially if it is a significant one like conducting a literature search or transcribing an interview, it easily becomes something that floats from one day to the next, haunting you like a ghost. Should you call Ghostbusters? You could, but they wouldn't be much help.
Instead, try sitting down with your task list. Identify which tasks are quick and easy, and which ones will require more time or are likely to be more difficult. If anything can be accomplished immediately (make a hair appointment), then do it. For everything else, book time your schedule -- and be realistic about just how much time you need.
For example, I recently was discussing writing with a colleague who wanted to revise a paper for publication. In addition to addressing the reviewers' comments, she needed to transition her citation style from one (say, Chicago) to another (say, APA). Because she was unfamiliar with the new style required, and because online guides are often incomplete, she needed to obtain a paper or electronic copy of the complete citation style guide. Now, this may seem like a simple task, but weeks had passed and she still hadn't obtained it. I suggested that she book time in her schedule to either borrow or purchase the guide. The library option would probably take 15 minutes some day that she was on campus, while the purchase options could range from 5 minutes for an online vendor to 45 minutes if she went to the mall. If she committed the time in her schedule to "just do" the task, not only would she complete it (which brings its own sense of accomplishment), but she would also get rid of that ghost that was haunting her (at least temporarily).
You see, when we carry these incomplete tasks around with us, they take up mental space and they often result in feelings of guilt or inadequacy. But if you systematically tackle them, one at a time, you gain the upper hand, you gain control, and you feel better.
And when you do complete each task, remember to congratulate and reward yourself for a job well done.
While it's true that making a list of the things you need to do is an important starting point when attempting to better manage your time to achieve your goals, most people miss the critical next step: blocking time in your schedule to actually do one of those tasks. Without a dedicated time for a task, especially if it is a significant one like conducting a literature search or transcribing an interview, it easily becomes something that floats from one day to the next, haunting you like a ghost. Should you call Ghostbusters? You could, but they wouldn't be much help.
Instead, try sitting down with your task list. Identify which tasks are quick and easy, and which ones will require more time or are likely to be more difficult. If anything can be accomplished immediately (make a hair appointment), then do it. For everything else, book time your schedule -- and be realistic about just how much time you need.
For example, I recently was discussing writing with a colleague who wanted to revise a paper for publication. In addition to addressing the reviewers' comments, she needed to transition her citation style from one (say, Chicago) to another (say, APA). Because she was unfamiliar with the new style required, and because online guides are often incomplete, she needed to obtain a paper or electronic copy of the complete citation style guide. Now, this may seem like a simple task, but weeks had passed and she still hadn't obtained it. I suggested that she book time in her schedule to either borrow or purchase the guide. The library option would probably take 15 minutes some day that she was on campus, while the purchase options could range from 5 minutes for an online vendor to 45 minutes if she went to the mall. If she committed the time in her schedule to "just do" the task, not only would she complete it (which brings its own sense of accomplishment), but she would also get rid of that ghost that was haunting her (at least temporarily).
You see, when we carry these incomplete tasks around with us, they take up mental space and they often result in feelings of guilt or inadequacy. But if you systematically tackle them, one at a time, you gain the upper hand, you gain control, and you feel better.
And when you do complete each task, remember to congratulate and reward yourself for a job well done.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)