Red Light/Green Light/Problem Solve

Last week I suggested a few time management strategies, this week I am going to share some problem solving tips. Problem solving is a complex mental process that is very difficult to master. This process involves a transition from a given state to a desired goal state. The more efficient that a person is at problem solving the better that person will be at completing tasks whether these tasks are school related or work related. Problem solving is something that I personally struggle with on a daily basis especially concerning homework.

This week I used the Ranking Priorities strategy to help improve my problem solving skills. I used this strategy in CHE 116 and MAT 285. I have a test on Thursday in CHE 116 so this strategy helped me to stay focused on completing homework & tutorials for this course as well as studying for the exam. Ranking Priorities is so simple that any one can do it and it does not take much time at all. The first step you take towards ranking priorities is making a list of all the assignments and tasks that need to be completed in a course for a week or a month whichever is more convenient for you based off of the assignments for that specific course. After that you use the letters A, B and C to rank everything on the list . For assignments that are absolutely essential you assign them the letter A, important assignments are assigned the letter B and optional assignments are assigned the letter C. Next you group the assignments by letter and use numbers to rank them such as A-1, A-2, B-1, B-2, C-1, C-2, etc. If you are having trouble deciding which priorities should be completed first you can use due dates to determine what needs to be done first. The last step is you begin completing the A tasks first because these are the most important tasks to complete then you accomplish the list in order by doing each task in numerical order. Below are pictures of my Priority List for CHE 116 and MAT 285.

CHE 116 Priority List

MAT 285 Priority List

Remember the children's game Red Light/Green Light? In this game one child calls out traffic light colors to the other children. This game is a great way to explain a priority list. As you can see I color coded my priority list using the colors RED, Yellow, and GREEN. I used RED for my top priority assignments to remind myself that just like in the game I need to STOP and do these tasks before I do anything else. Then I used Yellow for not as important tasks that needed to be completed after the main tasks. The last color I used was Green for optional assignments because after I finish these assignments I know I can GO and do whatever I want to do. I color coded my priority list because I am a visual learner and it is easier for me to see things when they are in color & stand out to me. I put the priority list on my wall so that the lists are in front of me. One good thing about this is that every time I am at my desk I look up and see what tasks I need to complete which helps me to remember to do my assignments. A downside to this strategy is that it does not work for some courses such as my WRT 205 class. I tried using this strategy in my WRT 205 class but it did not work to well because in WRT 205 there are not really that many assignments due besides papers so there are really no ways to prioritize these assignments.

This strategy really worked for me because it forced me to complete the most important tasks first. Before I used this strategy I would always do the easier assignments that I liked doing before I did the assignments that were due first which was very problematic and added unnecessary stress to my life. This is because I would end up doing these assignments right before class was do so the assignments were also lacking quality. Now I am starting to develop the habit of doing the most important assignments before I do the shorter easier assignments which is saving me time and lessening my stress in my courses this semester. Furthermore I plan on using this strategy at work. I work at the Carrier Dome and I have to complete tasks before opening the stand such as making pizzas, making pretzels, doing condiment trays and more things. By applying this strategy to my work I will help organize the tasks at work and make work a little less hectic for everyone. Ranking Priorities works well for people who get stressed easily and feel like all of their assignments are due at the same time. People who need structure will also benefit a lot from using this strategy. Now you are ready to put the Ranking Priorities strategy to the test. So 1,2,3, Red Light, Green Light Problem Solve!!