Dealing With Crunch Time:  Task Identification and Management Will Save You Every Time

Susan Smith Nash, Ph.D.

Crunch time comes and goes many times in a single term.  Sometimes you're faced with term papers.  At other times, you're faced with tests and portfolios.  At the same time, you may be earning credit through exame, which can include CLEP, exit exams, and placement exams.

What is crunch time? What does it look like?  You probably already know.  It's the time in the semester -- perhaps in the beginning, when you have to pass a placement exam in order to be able to stay in a program.  It can be a time when all your quizzes, papers, and presentations seem to occur at the same time. Or, it could be the traditional "crunch times" of mid-terms and final exams.

The key to success has to do with succeeding at the tasks that you must do in order to make it to the end of the course.  You may think that success has to do with achieving the outcomes, and conquering course goals.  That's true enough.  But, if you haven't determined what you need to do to get there -- the tasks you'll need to complete -- you'll get about halfway to the ultimate outcomes, and then will be totally stuck in a hopeless morasse and will have no time to extricate yourself.

The Key:  Task Identification:  The first thing to do -- after taking a deep breath, and reassuring yourself that you can succeed -- is to remind yourself that the key to success is to tackle parts rather than the whole thing all at once.  So, make a list of what you need to do.  Then, print out your syllabus, your assignments, and your calendar.  Keep those items at hand as you look at the following questions and answer them to your own satisfaction:

• Task overview:  What are the tasks you must do.  In a few words, list the items you must do, and the things you'll need to do in order to accomplish the task. For example, if you must write a response to a reading, be sure to do the reading. Practice active reading -- take notes, and relate the reading to the work you'll need to do.
  
  
• Task breakdowns:  Be sure to list the steps you'll need to do in order to accomplish your task.  If you have to write a research paper, be sure to build in time to do an adequate job of online research in the virtual library. 
  
  
• How much must you do?  How much requires collaboration?  What kind of paper do you have to write?  What is the word count? Do you have to put it in a particular style?  Be sure to keep that in mind. If you're required to collaborate with a classmate, or complete a peer review, be sure to keep that in mind as well.
  
  
• Identify outcomes / required work:  What are the outcomes that are required?  Are you expected to be able to list, detail, or explain items in the unit? Be sure to keep those in mind because they are key elements as you study for your exam.
  
  
• Estimating the time required:  Make an honest assessment of the time that will be required.  Avoid putting yourself in a situation that will be filled with distractions.  Do you have problems resisting surfing the net as you do your online course? If so, download the items you need and go to a wifi-free zone or otherwise Internet-less place.  Be sure to keep your focus on the work.  Do whatever you have to do to maintain your concentration.
  
  
• Planning time:  Keep in mind that you'll need to incorporate some planning time before you start working on your paper or assignments.  If you do not build in planning time, you'll be very sorry later -- you may have to redo sections, or may be running down the wrong path.
  
  
• Inventory information needs:  Sketch out your information needs.   Make a quick inventory, or list of "must-have" -- will you need to obtain research statistics?  Will you need to build an annotated bibliography?  Do you need case studies?  Statistics?  If you know what you need, you'll save time.  You'll go to the right databases and the right sources, rather than wasting time.
  
  
• Gather needed information:  As you gather information, think about how you plan to use the information. Don't gather information you don't need -- no matter how intriguing or quirky.  Simply stick to what you must do -- keep focused -- and as you gather information, keep in mind where you'll be placing it.  That will be very helpful to you because you'll be thinking ahead, and will be, in essence, making a rough draft of what you'll be writing later.

Performance:  Practice Your Skills

• What will you have to do?  If you're taking a course that requires you to perform -- write a computer program, create digital art, develop a digital portfolio, assemble a presentation, create an audio or video file -- you'll need to master the skills first of all.  If you don't, you won't be able to communicate your ideas, etc.
  
  
• Skills to practice:  What are they? Identify which software programs you need to have, the hardware (digital camera? cell phone?  microphone?) and make sure you know how to use them.  Give yourself time to feel comfortable.

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