Easy ways to manage assignments and projects and still have time left over for everything else

What motivates some people to study and others to bunk off is often a mystery. So, the first thing we all need to remember is this - we have no control over anyone else, the only person we have any control over is us.

So, are you the kind of person who does what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it, or do you find all sorts of other things to do instead? It's also interesting, there are times when we procrastinate even though we know we have things we need to do - and who cares about the consequences! And other times we are on top of our workload and can do more. It happens, it's normal.

No matter what your age, or what stage you are at in your life, the problem is the same. It's just the circumstances that are different.

So if you are a parent of school age people, bear in mind that you (we) are not perfect and neither will they be. And if you are a school aged person, bear in mind that your parents have been there and tried to wiggle out of their assignments just as much as you might think about trying to do.

Ultimately it's up to you.

But there are ways to manage your assignments and projects:

Projects and assignment can seem daunting when you receive the information from your lecturer / teacher. Where do you start and how are you supposed to complete all that by the end of the year?

• Break down the task into manageable pieces
• Assign each piece a time slot in your current calendar
• When the time comes to work on the project item, stop doing whatever else you are doing and spend the allocated time on your project. It doesn’t matter what the project is, it can be an assignment for your homework, or a major research piece for your dissertation. The principles are basically the same.
• Understand what the outcome needs to be, and
• Break down the task so that the “project” can be completed in the specified time frame.

Of course it does depend on what the project is as to how long it is going to take to complete it. But for complex projects there are usually stages that can be completed as isolated assignments and tasks. Each of these completed assignments build up to complete the major project.

For instance, a student needs to gain a particular mark or percentage in order to pass a course of study. In order to do that, students must complete small assignments and projects throughout the semester. Individually these assignments and projects comprise only a small percentage of the final years mark. However, together, they make up the final mark. On their own, the small assignments may not seem like very much – together they can make the difference between a pass and a fail.

Understand what your final outcome should be by defining your overall project. Break down the project into assignments that can be completed within a very small and specified time frame. Complete each one and build upon your knowledge, skills and abilities to reach your project goal.

Small steps completed over time equals completion of major projects.