Staying on task is a skill that is extremely challenging for me. Sometimes after class I will walk home with a list in my head of phone calls that I need to make, articles that I need to read, homework that I need to do, chores that need to be done or emails that need to be sent. I can be so pumped to be productive until I walk in the door, sit down at my computer and start reading blogs, watching youtube videos and looking at those damn lolcats.

I know that this is a weakness of mine, so in my ongoing attempts to better myself, I have decided to work on my ability to stay on task. I remember in 1st grade my teacher; Miss. Heartly would hand out sheets of paper with blank bubbles that we would fill in when she told us we were on task. At the end of the week the person with the most filled in bubbles would get a prize. Every week I tried my hardest, and even cheated a few bubbles, but I never won that prize.

• STAY AWAY FROM THE INTERNET. Turn off your computer and give the power cord to your BFF. It is so hard for me to do, but when I need to do school work that involves a lot of textbook reading, shutting down my system is the best way to go. Suck it up and power down.

• Make a list. This is my go to motivator. My amazing friend Jen bought me a memo block (it’s my favorite color!) for my birthday a few years ago and ever since then I use it just about every day. I make lists about EVERYTHING. Pending homework, when bills are due, what I’m hunting for at the thrift store, what food I need to buy this week, which foods I need to stop buying, (Nutella) what I’m buying/making everyone for the holidays, what I want for my birthday, what buildings my classes are in, what textbooks I need to buy, which library books I want to check out, ideas for JWO events, etc. I LOVE LISTS and you should too!

• Take breaks. When you are dedicated to getting things done, you may get tired out. Put down the novel you put off reading until the day before it’s due and take a 5-minute breather outside. Have a starring contest with the creepers that live across the street. When you feel adequately refreshed and creeped out, return to your reading. You will have renewed enthusiasm and motivation for the last 400 pages.

• Keep friends around. This one sounds kinda crazy, I know, but trust me. If I have a test to study for I invite Aaron over for a study date. If he is here sitting in my room with me, I will pay more attention to my studies than anything else. Or if Allison is on the couch studying, I will sit with her and study. When I try to study alone my subconscious thinks that it’s all right for my mind to stray. If someone is there, I think that I will be caught gazing at the lolcats, so I stay on task. I think it goes back to my mom making sure that I finish my homework by hovering. It’s odd, I’m odd, it works, whatev.

• Reward yourself. After you have completed everything you needed to do reward yourself however you see fit. After I have written 3 amazing term papers I take the boy out to a movie. If I finish my weekly reading early, I spend my time before class watching Food Network. If I have finished all of my laundry and taken out the trash I let Aaron take me out for some delishas DQ. Little things that make my life better.