Stress Management

TECH Entry 9

            This week, the strategies I used to help me out with my classes were the “Stress Diagram” and “A Day at a Time” stress management strategies in order to help me out with my homework that I have to do over break.

I used the “Stress Diagram” strategy for all my classes that assigned work over the break—which would be IST 195, REL 205, HST 231, and WRT 105—in a surprisingly successful attempt to manage my stress levels.  It worked so well because for me, I need a controlled environment when doing my work in order to be productive; and without it, I tend to just run in circles and have a hard time even getting work done.

The other strategy I used was the “A Day at a Time” strategy, and I used it in tandem with the “Stress Diagram” strategy with considerable success in that I used it to give myself a list of the stress factors that were persisting and needing to be eliminated.  It also gave me attention to which factors were more problematic because of the fact that I was having trouble getting rid of them.  This strategy worked well for me because I need a constant reminder of things that need to be taken care of in order to even get things accomplished, so having this on-going list of things that are causing stress enabled me to focus on what they were and get rid of them effectively in a faster fashion than if I had not used the strategy.

Time Wasters & More

TECH Entry 8

            This week, the strategies I used to help myself out with my classes were the “X Minute Reading” and “Time Wasters” reading and anti-procrastination strategies to help make sure that I get all the work that I have due this last week before break done.

I used the “X Minute Reading” strategy for my HST 231 class because the readings in it at the moment are very difficult to understand and are also quite lengthy.  And I found this strategy to be so helpful because it is really tailored to mold the user’s individual learning methods.  I have a hard time staying focused on lengthy and involved readings, but by using this strategy I could break it up into smaller sections and then at the end of each I summarized what I learned and reviewed that information, took a short break to clear my head, and then got back to the reading after quickly reviewing the previous material.  And the reward function of this strategy did wonders to motivate me to complete the reading so I could utilize it.

The other strategy, “Time Wasters,” I used for all my classes and it helped me to stop procrastinating today and get started on my work because it showed me that I really did not have time to waste any time at all.  It clearly listed what I was doing to procrastinate as well as the tasks I was trying to avoid having to do, which for me, was really helpful because I need to see the reminder in order for the reality to set in.  And the reality was that I was procrastinating and wasting valuable time that I really could not afford to waste.  Both strategies worked very well.

Motivation

TECH Entry 7

            This week, the strategies I used to help myself out with my classes were the “Exploring Rewards” and “Weighing Consequences” motivation strategies in order to kick myself into gear so I can get my work done for all my classes (IST 195, CLS105, REL 205, HST 231, WRT 105) for these last two weeks before break.

I used the “Exploring Rewards” strategy to give myself a physical list of rewards I intended to give myself if I could get my everyday work done ahead of time before it was even due.  And this worked well for me because given the way I am I tend to forget things pretty easily and end up just getting tunnel-vision on my work and forget to take breaks and just relax.  I did not really like the way it was set up with how it listed the categories for rewards so I changed the wording and filled it in with my rewards.

The other strategy I used, “Weighing Consequences,” was a great tool in my opinion because it lists a very plain and simple approach for work that needs to get done but does not have a lot of appeal for getting accomplished; and for me, that happens to apply to a lot of my work.  I used this strategy to smack myself in the face about how I was planning on completing the major assignment that I have due in each of my five classes the week before break; and it worked really, really well in helping me to organize my time which I am normally not very good at.

Problem Solving: One Step at a Time

            This week, the strategy I used to help me out was the “One Step at a Time” problem solving strategy; and I used it successfully in two very different ways.  The first way I used it was specifically for HST 231 to outline the individual steps I would need to take to write a research paper due the next morning in class that I had started but was far from finishing.  Using the strategy like this helped me to write the paper with a calm mind and enabled me to not just finish it, but to write it with clarity and stay focused on what was expected of the assignment and how it was going to be graded.  My reasoning for using this strategy in this way was because it clearly showed me what I needed to do and in what order, reminded myself what would happen if I failed to finish it, and made it clear that I had to get it done.

            The other way I am using it is by applying the strategy collectively for REL 205, CLS 105, and IST 195 to keep myself guided and on track over the course of twelve days to finish work that will be due in sixteen days.  The reason I am working so far out in the future is because my girlfriend from back home is coming out to visit and will be staying with me for four days.  The thinking is that the less work I have to do for the week following her visit, the more time I can spend with her; and using the “One Step at a Time” strategy functions as a reminder for why I should spend the extra effort to work overtime.  A second function of using the strategy like this is that it lists the different steps I need to take in order to successfully meet my goal.  Another bonus for using the strategy this way is that it plays to the fundamentals of my work ethic: minimizing stress levels.

Fritter Finder

            This week, the strategy I used to help me with my classes (IST195, CLS105, REL205, WRT105, HST231) and workload was the Fritter Finder.  Or rather, a variation of this tool since I found that I couldn't fit enough information into the Fritter Finder and still easily make sense of it.  I also didn't like the way it works because it was too difficult to edit the information on it if I needed to after I created it.  So instead of using the online time management resource, I used the iCalendar application on my laptop to do the same thing in a fashion that better suited me.

iCalendar allows for easy display of events

The great thing about the iCalendar application is that it allows you to not only input whatever you want into whatever time, but it lets you input as much information as you need and enough ways to remind yourself about the events and things you need to remember to take care of.

iCalendar has full customization options

 It is really a great tool for anybody that needs that little bit of extra help to keep him or herself on track.  The only drawback to the iCalendar is that, while it is available on every Macintosh Operating System, it is not available to Windows users.