“Time management is an oxymoron. Time is beyond our control, and the clock keeps ticking regardless of how we lead our lives. Priority management is the answer to maximizing the time we have.” ~ John C. Maxwell
The formula to dealing with a million deadlines...
Dealing with a million deadlines = Time Management in the MYP = Priority Management
That’s right, priority management! Priority management is key to dealing with a million deadlines. Not just in the MYP. Everywhere!
This is the thing about the IB. Their objective is to inculcate the basic skills of life in a learner. Whatever you learn in the PYP will have some value in the MYP, whatever you learn in the MYP will have some value in DP. But guess what? Whatever you learn in the PYP will have significant value in your life.
Now we’re side tracking. Let’s get back to what we were really here to talk about. Priority management.
The first question that clicks in our minds is ‘what is priority management?’ Well, it’s a management system which helps me and you organize our daily (or monthly or bimonthly or annual) tasks in terms of their importance. Priority management enables you to make informed decisions based on your analysis and opinions of your tasks’ respective levels of importance. What’s more? It teaches you to stand by your decisions no matter what the consequences (ATLs – critical-thinking skills and self-management skills).
Now let me tell you this. Out of what I have learnt, it is very easy to make the schedule for a day and set all these timings which you aim to follow (or at least think you will follow). I will introduce you to two more components that you need in order to make this work out. Discipline and Motivation.
I am not side tracking - this is important.
You need to have discipline and motivation in order to follow through with the tasks you have. You need to have it in you to do them well and on time.
Early mornings are the best time to be motivated - at least for me. Times of peak motivation vary from person to person. At least for me, the time when you start your day is the best time. This is the time that you are actually willing to follow through with your aim and vision for the day. Start your day early in the morning by having a physical workout. Think about what you have to do, irrespective of whether you like it or not.
This is where preparing a schedule comes in.
So let’s say this is my schedule for today:
- School (0800 hrs – 1500 hrs)
- Break after school (1500 hrs – 1700 hrs)
- Time to get my homework done (1700 hrs – 2200 hrs).
Homework time
So what do I have for the next two days?
(In order to keep on track with your tasks, it is important to think about what you have to do for tomorrow and the day after. This way, you minimize the chance of leaving everything to the last minute, and getting bogged down. However, this does not apply to long-term assignments).
Physics Lab Report (due tomorrow)
Biology Essay (due day after)
History Essay (due tomorrow)
Mathematics (Exercise 6B – pages 56-68 – Qs 1-8, 14-22) (due day after)
Service Reflection (due day after)
Quite a lot of tasks... How do I get them done?
Now, in the five hours that you have designated for work, you need to maintain the discipline of working and not messing around. You also need to be motivated to work, irrespective of whether you like it or not. A lot of us have the tendency to procrastinate. I do too. Everybody does. This is something that you need to try to get rid of (even if you don’t succeed). If the tendency to procrastinate is at its peak, there’s no way you’ll be able to produce quality assignments on time.
So if I were required to do the above mentioned work, I would use the first three hours undisturbed to complete my Physics Lab Report and History Essay – this includes writing them, editing them, and submitting them on the infamous system called ManageBac.
Take a twenty minute break (walking around, lying down in bed; etc. Just make sure you don’t go to sleep!). After this, I would focus on getting something which is not that important out of the way. This is so that I can focus on the important things tomorrow.
Looking back at my experience, I would go with the service reflection and some of the math questions - math being a subject which I actually like :) .
By 2200 hrs, I would make sure that I am done with the service reflection (done and submitted) and most of the math questions. If I have the energy and time, I can do more.
Apply the same procedure every day and you should do fine.
Let’s face it. We have the ability to complete all our daily assignments (most of the time, it’s just too much but we have to do it). It is procrastination that brings us down.
You have to remember that the steps to producing a quality assignment include the need to focus on one task at a time.
“If you start focusing on the next job, then you’re probably not going to do the one you have very well.” ~ Admiral William H. McRaven
I would like to end with this - everybody needs a break.
We are not robots. And even if you consider yourself one, robots also need to be recharged.
It is not good to be like this 24/7.
And it is also not good to be like this 24/7.
So power through, and you’ll make it through MYP, or DP, or whatever it is that you’re doing in life.
GOOD LUCK WITH THE MYP! YOU WILL DO GREAT
About the author
Mir Sulaiman Khan is a 16-year-old IB student currently in his first year of the Diploma Programme. He has gone through both the Primary Years Programme and the Middle Years Programme. He scored a 40 out of a possible 56 in the MYP. His interests include music (playing musical instruments) and sports (playing football and basketball).
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