As I am a full time teacher, mom of three, wife, blogger, and small business owner, every minute of my day is GO! GO! GO! For a long time, I was feeling extremely overwhelmed with everything that needed to be accomplished during any particular day. That resulted in me procrastinating BIG TIME and either leaving things to be completed at the last minute (often poorly or completely forgotten, I might add) or just pushing those things to the back of my mind thinking that I will just get to them tomorrow.
Those tomorrows would come and I would always have an overwhelming feeling of knowing that not only did I have those non-finished things to do, but I also had new things to complete on top of that. It became a vicious cycle of procrastination, demoralization, lack of motivation, and sometimes even panic.
As work and life responsibilities started to pile up, I realized that continuing in this way was going to affect not only my life, but the lives of my family members and students. I needed something to change – both mentally and behaviourally. I thought about my teaching methods, and how when a student becomes overwhelmed with a task, I break it down into easier steps for him/ her. Surely that approach could work for me?
The concept is quite simple and I think it is the simplicity that works for me. To begin, I made a list in my head of the three things I wanted to accomplish during the day. I then assigned myself a chunk of 60 minutes where I committed myself to getting those three things completed. Just like I do for some of my students, I set myself a timer, blasted some good music, and got to work. And you know what? It actually worked! I was able to finish those three tasks and had some extra time to spare!
The idea of time chunking plays an important role in my life. I now use time chunking for everything. If I have to clean the kitchen, I use time chunking. If I have to correct math situational problems, I use time chunking. If I have to plan for a substitute, I use time chunking. If I have to fold laundry that is piling up, I use time chunking. Knowing that I have a set period of time devoted to doing these things I HAVE to do, I am more concentrated and motivated to get the job done.
What happens if I don’t get my task(s) done within my time chunk? NOTHING. I decide if I want to continue to work or if I need a break. Knowing that I have devoted 60 minutes to knocking items off my to-do list is so much more satisfying than not starting my to-do list in the first place.
I have been time chunking for awhile now and it really has helped me to stay on task and focussed, especially when it comes to having to do things I don’t particularly like doing. If you are thinking about giving it a try, these three tips might just help you out!
- If you are uncomfortable with 60 minutes to start, lower your time. Just like your students, the more you practice time chunking, the more your stamina will build!
- In the beginning, keep the items on your to-do list manageable. Small gains build confidence and motivation.
- If you are ready to commit to larger projects that you need to tackle, concentrate on getting those items off your to-do list over longer periods of time. Commit to working on them for a chunk of time each day and set a goal for when you want to have them finished. We tell our students that studying for a little bit each day is much more effective than cramming it all in the night before.
If you have any questions about time chunking or want more information about how I time chunk my time, please feel free to comment below!
Tabitha Duffey says
Thank you for sharing this. Your first three paragraphs basically describe me and the chunking may help. It is also an important reminder that students struggle with task completion when the tack seems overwhelming and how chunking could help.