A Cunning Plan
So, I've noticed a tendency in myself to wait until nearly the last minute to get school stuff done. This bit me in the ass hard this past spring, and I paid with a C in Calc II. Over the summer, it wasn't as bad, but there was still the stress that comes from saying, "I have plenty of time. It'll get done." And I do get it done, but I get stressed out by the time crunch and I can see how that lowers my immunity to colds and such and generally makes me difficult to live with.
So, I have a plan. It is based on a classroom management strategy that is in my textbook for the class on exceptional children I just finished. I am setting up an incentive program for myself.
The first step is self-monitoring. I have listed desirable and desirable behaviors that are related to my academic work. I will set up a separate self-monitoring list for going to the fitness center when I get confirmation on the hours in the fitness center this fall. Each behavior either gains or loses me points. If I earn a certain number of points, I get to roll a die to see what my incentive is. Half the time, I will get 15 minutes free time or $2 to spend on a chocolate bar or a snack (roll 1, 2, or 3 on a d6). One third of the time I will get 30 minutes free time (roll 4 or 5 on a d6). One sixth of the time I will get the mystery motivator (roll a 6 on a d6).
Desirable behaviors:
finishing an assignment before the day it's due: +2
checking an item off the day's to-do list: +0.5
going to class: +1
Undesirable behaviors:
being on Facebook, LiveJournal, or chat during designated study times (which will be scheduled at least three days in advance): -5
playing games during designated study times: -3
I know that I will need to build up to steady effort, so I will at first get incentive for earning 5 points in one day, which is essentially a perfect day. If I can do that once, I will shoot for 10 points in three days. If I can do that twice, I will shoot for 20 points in one week.
But you may be wondering what a mystery motivator is. The idea behind the mystery motivator is that it is highly desirable and there's no way to know what you're gonna get. Now I did choose the ten motivators in my pool and in a classroom management situation the motivators would be chosen by the teacher, but I don't know which is number one or which is number ten. If I happen to roll a 6 on my incentive roll, I then get to roll a d10. Then I get whichever motivator is in the envelope marked with that number.
These are the motivators in the envelopes, randomly ordered, and again I don't actually know the order. As I get these, I would like to replace them with new ones, so if you have an idea, or even something to offer that you know I would like*, please feel free to let me know!
Motivators:
* $10 at Half Price Books or Amazon
* movie and popcorn at AMC during a $5 ticket time
* massage from Kit
* $10 at Bath & Body Works or Lush
* $10 at Aquarius/Vulcan's Forge
* $10 to buy jewelry from featherynscale
* $10 to put in the Buy a New Game Fund (I really want Power Grid or Pandemic)
* A meal of my choice; must be $10 or less, can be in or out. I may put this in a fund towards a more expensive meal if I choose.
* Kit does something from the Honey Do list within 24 hours
* see Flannigan's Right Hook at Fuel
*Examples: you write fic and will write for me, you are local and have a big bathtub and will let me soak in it, etc
So, I have a plan. It is based on a classroom management strategy that is in my textbook for the class on exceptional children I just finished. I am setting up an incentive program for myself.
The first step is self-monitoring. I have listed desirable and desirable behaviors that are related to my academic work. I will set up a separate self-monitoring list for going to the fitness center when I get confirmation on the hours in the fitness center this fall. Each behavior either gains or loses me points. If I earn a certain number of points, I get to roll a die to see what my incentive is. Half the time, I will get 15 minutes free time or $2 to spend on a chocolate bar or a snack (roll 1, 2, or 3 on a d6). One third of the time I will get 30 minutes free time (roll 4 or 5 on a d6). One sixth of the time I will get the mystery motivator (roll a 6 on a d6).
Desirable behaviors:
finishing an assignment before the day it's due: +2
checking an item off the day's to-do list: +0.5
going to class: +1
Undesirable behaviors:
being on Facebook, LiveJournal, or chat during designated study times (which will be scheduled at least three days in advance): -5
playing games during designated study times: -3
I know that I will need to build up to steady effort, so I will at first get incentive for earning 5 points in one day, which is essentially a perfect day. If I can do that once, I will shoot for 10 points in three days. If I can do that twice, I will shoot for 20 points in one week.
But you may be wondering what a mystery motivator is. The idea behind the mystery motivator is that it is highly desirable and there's no way to know what you're gonna get. Now I did choose the ten motivators in my pool and in a classroom management situation the motivators would be chosen by the teacher, but I don't know which is number one or which is number ten. If I happen to roll a 6 on my incentive roll, I then get to roll a d10. Then I get whichever motivator is in the envelope marked with that number.
These are the motivators in the envelopes, randomly ordered, and again I don't actually know the order. As I get these, I would like to replace them with new ones, so if you have an idea, or even something to offer that you know I would like*, please feel free to let me know!
Motivators:
* $10 at Half Price Books or Amazon
* movie and popcorn at AMC during a $5 ticket time
* massage from Kit
* $10 at Bath & Body Works or Lush
* $10 at Aquarius/Vulcan's Forge
* $10 to buy jewelry from featherynscale
* $10 to put in the Buy a New Game Fund (I really want Power Grid or Pandemic)
* A meal of my choice; must be $10 or less, can be in or out. I may put this in a fund towards a more expensive meal if I choose.
* Kit does something from the Honey Do list within 24 hours
* see Flannigan's Right Hook at Fuel
*Examples: you write fic and will write for me, you are local and have a big bathtub and will let me soak in it, etc