The Power of Daily Action

While thinking about the midterm exams and projects that were coming up this week, I didn’t think I would be able to get everything done on time. I thought I wouldn’t have control of my life, like everything was going to be all over the place. I was too short on time. This is a common feeling that most college students experience. How can we fit it all in and excel at our studies?

In the midst of all the stress, I found myself planning out my week on Saturday.  I realized how powerful daily action is; doing a little something every day definitely gives satisfaction at the end of the day.

I approached the week proactively.  I did not think about the amount of work I had to do, but about how I would break it down into small pieces and accomplish them one step at a time. I used the A, B, C, D, E method proposed by Paul Puckridge in his article “The Power of Using a Daily Action List.”

“A” for Action it now: Things I had to do right away; otherwise, they would have fallen behind the deadline.

“B” for Better do it: Things that were still important, but not as urgent as A tasks.

“C” for Could do it: If A and B tasks were all completed, I could have still found things to do in “C” section (not C section, but….you see what I mean).

“D” for Delegate it: Those are the things that somebody else could have taken care of for me.

“E” for Eliminate it: I didn’t really have that section in my list because I figured out that everything that was not listed wasn’t important, therefore, can be eliminated.

This framework really helps me organize the week. Once the middle of the week hits,  I’m already in the “C” section where all “A” and “B” tasks have already been completed. Planning early means you’ll have less to do later; it really makes life less stressful.