My life is filled with many challenges. The biggest challenge in my life would be time management. I spend way too much time on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. I always get distracted on Facebook when I am trying to do my homework. I know a simple solution to my problem would be to just not get on Facebook, but it is easier said than done. Even if I say that I am going to just “check” my Facebook, I still end up spending too much time on the social network. It is the same way with Twitter and my phone. My cell phone is a huge problem when it comes to time management. I know that when I am texting, I cannot give my piano or my homework the attention that it needs. My senior year in high school was a rude awakening for me when it came to texting. I had the opportunity to perform my own senior recital which meant that I had to practice numerous hours a day. I had to learn that if I turned my cell phone and computer off, I would get a lot more accomplished than if I had them on. Since I started college, I have fallen back into the habit of texting and getting on Facebook when I should be studying. I really need to buckle down, focus, and know that once I get my homework finished, then I can get on Facebook.
Another time management issue for me is trying to juggle family responsibilities and a social life. College is all about finding where you belong and making new friends which is hard to do when you have tons of homework to get done. College is so different from high school. When I was in high school, I had every day organized and planned out. I pretty much did the same thing every day so it was easy to make a schedule. College is still so new and unknown that I am not sure how to organize my day yet. Unlike high school, most things are done over email which is still confusing to me because I feel unorganized when I get homework assignments at different times.
I have recently learned that if I make a list of goals then I am more likely to focus on achieving those goals rather than getting on Facebook or Twitter. I also think it is helpful if I actually plan out when I am going to practice and when I am going to do my homework. I have found that making lists really help me focus on what needs to get accomplished. My advice to others would be to not let social media be a distraction. Get everything finished that you need to get done first, and then use social media. It will be worth it in the end!
Exactly! You seem to be making some progress in working out solutions to your challenges. For instance, using FB as a reward AFTER you practice for a certain amount of time is a great idea. (You could even lock your phone in your locker while you practiced if you needed to.) And yes, you really do have to schedule out when to study and practice. We'll be working on that on Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteTexting has always been a huge problem for me so I completely understand where you are coming from. Even in the practice rooms, I go to get a drink of water, no where near the piano of course, and I have this overwhelming urge to check me phone for messages. I have really had to buckle down and stop interrupting my practice time. I know that if I take time to text, that is valuable practice time I can't get back, and that text to my mother can wait a while. You and I are very similar when it comes to our family obligations, and going home can sometimes interfere with school work. I have noticed however, that having a separate life at school and at home, helps with the work load. Before I leave on fridays I make sure that I have all of my work done so I won't have to interrupt family time. Like I said in my blog, it's a balance.
ReplyDeleteMegan, all of the distractions that you listed in the begining are also huge problems for me in terms of going on the computer to actually do an assignment and then end up on facebook or texting someone on my phone. I totally agree with taking time to get things done. To even try to do them without our regular day to day wants; facebook, texting ect.
ReplyDeleteFor a really long time, I had lots of problems with technology taking over my attention. My sophomore and junior years of high school, I would spend hours talking to my then boyfriend on Skype, watching videos on YouTube, wasting time on Facebook... it took a long time for me to snap out of it and learn to turn the computer off when there was homework to be done. I think we all have days sometimes when we just have to give ourselves a break and enjoy our technology, but you're definitely right in the fact that a lot more gets done if we can turn off the cell phone and stop texting. Sometimes it's just what you have to do. I'm really glad that you're working to fight those distractions and I hope that you are able to find a good schedule for yourself soon.
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