where kris answers questions/asks/messages about a whole bunch of helpful things, but mostly stuff about (1) study skills, (2) organization, and (3) time management. all questions are welcome. ✍
This may sound a little weird, but do you have a day planner or agenda that you use to help with time management? If so, would you mind dropping a link? If you don't use one, do you create a visual chart or something? I really liked your posts on time management and it's something I really need to improve on. The only reason I ask is b/c I'm want to prepare myself for when I go back to uni in the fall.
whoops this is WICKED LATE, hope everything is going well, SORRY SORRY SORRY. D: D: D: D: and hey, questions about planners are DEFINITELY NEVER WEIRD, planners are awesome, I TOTALLY GET IT.
i answered this around a year ago on @kris-advice, but my planner tactics are actually currently in the process of changing, haha. i still keep to my old strategies (see below), but now i am also adding a new layer of organization, too. i will get to that in a minute.
in the meantime, here are some previous posts about my current planner strategies, with links and even some visual images:
now, in addition to my everyday-use (month-at-a-glance) gorgeously colorful planner from paper source, i also have made a valiant effort to start utilizing google calendar as well. i’ve tried and started and stopped with the digital agendas and planners so many times, but have always drifted away from using them after a bit because i cherish having a tangible planner. the thing is, my new schedule doesn’t really jive as well with carrying around a beat-up calendar book anymore (i.e. coaching a group of beginner kayakers), so i am reaching a compromise:
google calendar: for daily outlook, updating last-minute changes (especially when my actual planner is not on hand), and double-checking immediate or short-term availability, knowing what the next day or next three, four days will bring by glancing at a small phone screen
paper source booklet planner: month-at-a-glance, long-term planning, looking for patterns and overall availability, knowing what the next few weeks will bring just by looking at a single page spread
i keep both of them in sync and updated and matching as often as possible, at least once a day! my schedule changes constantly, so it’s a bit of upkeep, but it’s really not much work at all to make sure the two strategies match. i really appreciate and value having both resources to keep on track of everything, so this will probably be my means of organization for a little while yet. 👍🏼
glad the previous posts were helpful! i hope you will find these resources helpful too, or at least will be motivated to look into other options that are a better fit for you! if you find any others, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. 👊🏼👊🏼
9.6.16+10:45am // sneak peek of the new office/study space! moving in has been so crazy so i haven’t been active much, but i hope everyone is starting off the semester well so far. keep it up!
Do you have any advice for making a broad/vague thesis more specific?
it really depends on the assertion you are trying to make! do you have an example? send it over!
if a thesis is too broad or too wishy-washy, it’s possible that the writer simply hasn’t hammered down the exact nature of their argument/assertion yet.
in essence, though:
pick a standpoint, state it clearly, and then defend it with appropriate evidence.
An English professor friend of mine was asked by one of her students how she knows what an A paper is, and my friend said, 'With an A paper, I just read it.' She doesn’t have to stop to puzzle out meaning, or fix confusing syntax; she’s not drawn out of her reading experience by mistaken claims about the subject material; she’s not monitoring herself reading the paper as she reads the paper. It’s the zipless read.
Deborah Stevenson
(2006). Finding literary goodness in a pluralistic world. Horn Book Magazine, 82(5), 515.
I've been trying to follow you advice on studying/time management. I've found out what works for me but I have a question--do you believe in a break day? Or is that too much of a break? I've been studying non-stop (okay, that's a lie, I gave myself 2 hrs to talk to family/watch a few eps of atla as a reward) and I've been wondering. Also, for beginner runners, would you recommend joining a running club to start out? If there's no club available, is it just better to start off walking?
hell yeah, i believe in break days!!
BREAK DAYS:
every semester is different.
there was one semester during my sophomore year of undergrad in which there was only ONE SINGLE DAY of the entire term when i did not do a single task of homework. (it was the day after i submitted an extensive 40-page research paper. it was, like, an event amongst my friend circle.) part of the reason why i only gave myself a single day was because my final project required THIRTY MINIMUM PAGES of high-quality content and evidence, and for my sophomore self there was really no way to divide that kind of workload evenly over the course of three months without spreading it nice and thin and long-term. (i still had three other classes to worry about that semester, no less!!)
this semester, it’s turning out that every single friday is my break day. most of my assignments are typically due on either a thursday or a sunday, and it’s just how my schedule allows me to break down the task-load. per my current course schedule, my typical week looks something like this:
sundays | planning and organization; creating task schedules (due dates and task dates) for which tasks MUST be completed and on which day; weekly foundational tasks (i.e. reading one or two chapters)
mondays, tuesdays | complete all readings assigned for week; watch all videos, lectures, and multimedia; basically just familiarize myself with any resources the professor has recommended/required
mondays, tuesdays, wednesdays | attack tasks as needed; write, proofread, and eventually post all discussion board entries and responses, article critiques, journal reflections; create outlines for any smaller-scale papers, compile supporting evidence into said outlines, begin citing the appropriate references from my collection of notes
thursdays | final proofreading, responses, and completion of any remaining tasks or assignments due for this evening; submit final drafts of papers; re-check assigned tasks, both for tonight and for end-of-weekend
fridays | break.
saturdays | homework dates!! i make an event out of going out with a friend to do homework in a more casual setting at a new location. i explore new study spots and go haunt old favorites. if my friend is chatty, i plan ahead and usually use this time to do a bit more house-keeping and administrative upkeep. if my friend can focus as well as i can, i settle in for a long day of hardcore work with the added perk of not having to pack up all of my shit for protection’s sake every time i need a coffee refill. after we grab lunch, i usually march onto another location, break up the day, see some new scenery, spend some time outside, get myself a nice cup of hot tea, and get back to work until i finish. i try to have all of the assignments due for sunday done by saturday afternoon! sunday is forward-thinking and relaxation—no rushing to complete assignments, if i can help it. ;)
total # of hours spent on homework:
sundays—thursdays: maybe 2-4 each daysaturdays: sometimes 6-10 hours
before you let the numbers scare you, please please remember:
i am a graduate student who is required to read, analyze, and synthesize an incredible amount of text. my program specifically states that all enrolled students should be prepared and willing to commit at least 30 weekly hours to their coursework.
i am also an incredibly metacognitive student who has been in school for 20+ years. my academic endurance is HELLA STRONG. i live by the “work smarter, not harder” philosophy. i am also a perfectionist. I take a GREAT DEAL OF PRIDE in submitting high-quality work. my goal is to graduate with a master’s with a 4.0 QPA.
i am a writer in many contexts, and i happen to be in a program that requires thoughtful, expert, scholarly writing that is indicative of a graduate level.
all of these things contribute to the amount of time, energy, and effort i expend through my coursework! every program, every semester, every student is different. this is just me. ;)
RUNNING:
as for running, i say go for both! some days, you really benefit from that extra push of social support and learning. other days, you could really just use a stress-breaking run of setting your own pace and enjoying your peace of mind.
look up couch-to-5k plans to see what they recommend! even if you don’t think you’re ready for a 5k just yet, they usually provide a lot of scientific guidelines and helpful tips on how to get motivated and disciplined. (you should really at least consider thinking about one as a long-term future goal because they really add a whole new level of enjoyment and LIFE EXPERIENCE to running!!)
when my best friend started training for her first half-marathon last year, she relied a lot on the walk-jog strategy until she got her endurance and mileage up. she had to train herself on how to measure her breathing, how to improve her form, and how to stay mentally strong! it takes practice and it comes with experience! ;) set goals, be realistic, pump yourself up, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY, and have fun!! :)
fun fact: i have a google spreadsheet filled with tabs from all of the various networks in my professional and personal life.
within each tab, i have columns detailing tidbits of information from various colleagues, friends, and previous co-workers. (i don’t have all of my contacts—just those that i find can be harder to keep in touch with.) in these columns, i include: names, our mode/terms of connection, the date of our last contact (also how that contact was communicated: in-person, via e-mail, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), and the subject of our most recent communication.
this helps me keep in touch with people, as well as stay on top of developing professional trends and updates. it’s also a helpful resource for keeping other potential resources at the forefront of my mind! (new connections are easier to form if i remember where the links are.)
keeping in touch with people takes work! it helps me to have a bit of simple organization to help keep professional relationships strong. :)
the 17 month calendar booklet from paper source is my absolute favorite! this tiny, cute, quick-at-a-glance monthly calendar has been an annual purchase of mine for the last four years. ♥
when i was in college, i used to just download microsoft word templates for monthly calendars and print them out. i do best with tangible hard copies, rather than online formats, but i saved good money by just making my own on the computer for a few years. now that i have the flexibility to splurge a bit more, this is my favorite find.
(when i was in college, i would also make my weekly schedule by hand. i would tape two or three pieces of blank printer paper together, and go to town with a ruler, pencil, and a whole package of markers.)
i work best with:
monthly calendars
legal pads/large spiral notebooks for to-do lists
i’ve experimented with weekly calendars and agendas, but they just don’t work for me. i need to see the whole layout of a month all at once–same with my to-do list! my tasks are categorized and broken down according to priority/urgency level to help keep me focused on the most important pieces first, but i’m the kind of person who really needs to keep sight of everything all at once.
(that sometimes freaks people out, haha. people will look at my agenda and be like, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO YOURSELF THAT IS SO MUCH SHIT TO DO HOW DO YOU COPE” (and that’s an entirely different answer altogether) but a lot of the time i can easily point out that lots of people do the same number of tasks, but just break down their lists onto a weekly or daily basis.)
it all depends on how you like to look at things! ♥
Do you have any advice for becoming better at self-discipline?
i’m no expert, but i can share a few tips!
set goals. i will never forget the day my sixth grade gym teacher taught a lesson on goal-setting. (S = specific, M = measurable, A = accountable, R = realistic, T = time-bound.) i love setting all sorts of goals, but if you’re just starting out, choose one or two, and stick to them. AND. give yourself enough time. a goal is a plan. treat it with respect!
keep visible reminders of what you want or need to do. when i go for my long runs in the early morning, i keep my sneakers on the floor near my bed, right where i step down. i’ve marked my special event for this weekend in bright colors as a reminder to myself that i need to have all my assignments done early, so i’m not stressing later. if i buy junk food at all, i keep it hidden under healthier snacks and treats. on that note:
self-discipline is not all sacrifice. to me, it’s about knowing when, and how much. i eat my fair share (and then some) of my reese’s ice cream, but i don’t go overboard—whatever that means for the day in question. i let myself drink a lot of wine, but not the night before a big race. i let myself take frequent study breaks (some “productive,” some not), but not too many, and not for too long. i’ve been able to establish these study skills and behavioral patterns over years or practice, so my mind and body are both pretty familiar with what they need.
don’t be too hard on yourself. be firm, and be honest, but don’t get down on yourself too harshly. you’re human. HOWEVER. make sure you pick yourself right back up and get your sorry rear in gear to dive right back into whatever it is you’re doing with a positive attitude. (remember: small steps, simple rewards, build momentum. THEN you tackle the bigger stuff.)
