How to get my work done?

[jazz!]

I'm currently taking four classes through dual enrollment as well as four online classes. There are also other things I'd like to do (Latin, Italian, programming, etc). The problem is that I'm spending most of my time doing nothing until Thursday when I start panicking that all my work is due the following day. I'd really appreciate the advice of the hive on how I should pull it together. I'm a junior, if that makes a difference. :001_smile:

[iluvmy4blessings]

Are you having anytime for extracurricular activities? I know that's important too and you seem so busy!!

[jazz!]

I don't spend much time on extra-curricular activities, but they aren't valued as much in terms of college admissions in the country I live in. In the time I'm not doing work, I'm spending time with my boyfriend and I will be starting to run soon too which will hopefully give me more of a stress relief. I'm having a combination of family and money problems at the minute so I am stressed but I can't say that that's the reason for me not doing the work as I've been like this in the past even without the stress.

 

The first week, I managed all of the work last minute but last week leaving it 'til the last minute meant I was overloaded at the end of the week. I don't know quite how to force myself to sit down and work on stuff. :confused:

[CherylG]

Hopefully your boyfriend supports your education and needs to study, too! Do 30 minutes a day at first...if you really are leaving everything until Thursday night. I have a junior and freshman...and have graduated two from high school. Learning to discipline yourself is the greatest thing you can give yourself...that discipline will go with you for ever. No one can make you study-like no one can make you brush your teeth at your age, but when you get to be my age, you'll be glad you did!!

 

Go for it, girlie!! It's your future.

 

God bless you.

Cheryl

[jazz!]

Thank you for your reply, Cheryl. He definately does support it and is fine with me studying while he's here. I just feel guilty about it if I do most of the time. If I leave it 'til last minute though, I do do work while he's here. He stayed awake (playing video games... sigh! :D) and let me sleep for a few hours the other day and forced me to get up for my online math class. (I live in the wrong time zone for it so I have to get up at 2am.) So he's definately very good about it all.

 

I know that I need to learn to discipline myself. I want to go to a very rigorous college in the future that's going to demand a lot of me and I'm hoping to go as far as getting a PhD in the future so I'll definately need to learn to have some discipline.

 

I'm thinking of bribing myself and setting a timer so I have to work for the same amount of time as a show I want to watch before I can watch it. An hour of work, for an hour-long show, etc. I'm not sure if I'll even be able to stick to that, though...

[jazz!]

I just wanted to add something. I haven't been turning up to my dual enrollment classes. I may have been unenrolled by now. I'm trying to get myself into gear to go tommorow but it reminds me so much of school that it's stressing me out. :001_unsure:

[regentrude]

Your workload is too big. Period.

Four dual enrollment classes is what college students take as a full load. Two hours out of class per hour. Add four online classes with similar workload, and it is not doable anymore.

 

Could you tell us a little more about yourself? If we have new people turning up with question like this, it would be nice to hear a few more details to put things into context.

[jazz!]

They're not college classes. Sorry, I should have explained better. They're high school classes. I honestly don't think I have too much work on my plate. I managed to pull it off last minute but I don't want the stress of it and I don't think I'm getting everything I could out of my classes because of it.

 

I'm not sure quite what you'd like to know about me. I've been a little vague on purpose to keep my identity somewhat private if that's what's making you a little suspicious. :001_smile:

[iluvmy4blessings]

Your workload is too big. Period.

Four dual enrollment classes is what college students take as a full load. Two hours out of class per hour. Add four online classes with similar workload, and it is not doable anymore.

 

Could you tell us a little more about yourself? If we have new people turning up with question like this, it would be nice to hear a few more details to put things into context.

 

I agree that you have a tough course load. It's no wonder you are overwhelmed! Maybe you should just drop back on the amount and then you will be able to focus more. For me personally, I get things done best when I go to bed early and get up early. If I don't get it done in the morning, I don't get it done!! Plus if you get up and get it finished then you have the rest of the day free!

[regentrude]

They're not college classes. Sorry, I should have explained better. They're high school classes. I honestly don't think I have too much work on my plate. I managed to pull it off last minute but I don't want the stress of it and I don't think I'm getting everything I could out of my classes because of it.

 

OK, I assumed college because that is what the term dual enrollment usually means.

 

You need to get yourself a schedule.

I would ditch the 2am online class - I can not imagine this being effective. Staying up that long, you would be tired- waking up at 2am for a class, not good either. Find a class in your time zone, or switch to an online class that does not require simultaneous presence.

Then set a wakeup time. get up and work.

View school as your full time job.

[beachnut]

I'm a big fan of scheduling things to help with prioritizing and self-discipline. I would set up regular blocks of time to work on each class (whenever you have free time and whenever you're most alert/motivated), and space them out throughout the week. Build in time for small rewards along the way.

 

It depends on how predictable your work load is for each class, but say, for example, you schedule every Monday from 1pm-3pm to work on math. If you give a great effort & get a lot done during that time, at 3pm, treat yourself to something...exercise to help manage stress...a favorite cup of tea and a magazine...a walk with your boyfriend...a candlelit bubble bath...texting or calling a friend...whatever works for you. Then Tuesday from 2pm-5pm, you schedule work time for your English assignments and build in another reward when you're done. And, if you don't like to work on one subject at a time, then just schedule blocks of time and work on a variety of subjects.

 

The point is, if you don't schedule it, it doesn't happen at all or it happens at the last minute and you're rushed, overwhelmed and performance/results often end up less than you're capable of. (That's how I am with exercise. If I don't plan a morning workout and then try to work out later in the day, life just sort of takes over and I end up not working out at all. If it's written down, it's like an appointment that you don't want to break.)

 

Find whatever works for you. Perhaps using a student planner would help with the scheduling. Perhaps making yourself accountable to someone else -- your boyfriend, a fellow classmate, etc. -- would also help.

 

Good luck, whatever you choose!

[jazz!]

Thank you both for your replies. :001_smile:

 

I don't really want to drop the online class. I know it's not at all practical but it is only once a week. If it turns out that it isn't any more useful to me to be actually at the lecture compared to just reading the transcripts later on, then I can do that instead or I can do that on weeks where I'm just too swamped.

 

I think the scheduling and rewards are definately a good idea. I also liked the idea of accountability. I've promised a friend I'll go into class tommorow and because I have, I know I'll do it. I think I'm going to make weekly checklists and put them on my noticeboard rather than in my folders so my boyfriend can see them and he'll inebvitably nag me.

 

Thank you so much for the advice! I'll check in again to let you all know how it works out. Purely from the motivation of reading these replies I've gotten through one short essay! I'm so pleased with myself it's silly. :tongue_smilie:

[AK_Mom4]

What works here is for DD17 to have a set time when she does her work. She programs her phone to go off 15 minutes before she is supposed to begin and she spends the time before starting getting all her materials together. It's easy to get distracted with online classes and not bother to keep up. Having a set location and set time to work on them each day is what works here.

[jazz!]

Thank you so much everyone. I'm about to relocate to a different area of the house to study and will be setting a timer so I get a reward of either playing a game or watching TV for the same amount of time as I study. I've just come up with the idea of saving the time up until tonight too. This is another week where everything has been left until last minute and I still have some stuff from last week due to it's going to be a long day but hopefully, by Monday, I'll be fully caught up and well on my way through next week's work. :001_smile:

[Grace]

I hope I don't come across as non-supportive because that is not my intention! You are a 16 year old child! I may be wrong, but you are required by law to "do" school. And where are your parents? You mentioned you are having "family" problems. I applaud you for taking your education serious even amongst the stress you are presently under. And you obviously see the importance in it or you wouldn't be asking.

 

If you are not doing school during the day, what are you doing? If you are unable to do school because your home or parents do not make it feasible, then I suggest to get up and go to library or somewhere else for you to complete your work.

If you are just procrastinating, then you need to sit with a planner and schedule out your week and "just do it". You have stated you don't feel the work load is too much for you so then why do you put it off to the last minute? If your boyfriend is still at your house at 2am, that tells me you may be staying up too late. If he is supportive as you say, then he will understand that you can only see each other after your work is done and must leave at a reasonable time on school nights. And does he not have homework too.

 

Again, don't mean to sound non-supportive. It sounds like you have taken on college classes at 16 without a lot of parental support. Many first time college students are not ready for this responsibility at 18 years old. I am sorry but you are just going to have to grow up faster than most and realize what needs to be done.

I am not a big fan of "study for an hour so I can watch tv for an hour". We all know how time slips away with TV time and computer time. If you need a "reward" system or a timer-system then it is a 15 minute break and back to work. Watch tv or computer games when your school day is finished. My teenagers do not "feel" like doing school either but it is not an option.

 

And why would you not go to your classes? It feels like school because it is school! If you want a PhD you will need to attend classes (which is school).

 

I truly hope that your home situtation improves and you find the balance that you need. I would hate for my 16 year old daughter to have the responsibility to school herself. Hugs to you.

 

Grace

Edited September 16, 2011 by Grace