ORGANIZATION-Work Ethic

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS

Good organizational or time management skills are a must if one is to operate at the most efficient and productive level possible. Directly influencing one's ability to organize in order to achieve success are change/stress management and prioritizing skills. 


 1.  Demonstrate skill in prioritizing and in management of time and stress.
When you open your toolbox, do you have to rummage around for what seems like several minutes looking for a Phillips-point screwdriver?  When you open your desk drawer, do you have to scatter papers all over the desk top to find a certain sales receipt or bill?  Do you have to search all through your dresser drawers looking for one missing sock to match the one you need to wear?  If your answer to these questions is “Yes,” then you may need some help in getting yourself organized in your personal life.  This answer may also be an indicator of a need for organization in other areas of your life.

Key ingredients for your success in your new educational program or in the job that you eventually earn are effective time management and organization skills.  If your life seems chaotic because you can’t perform to others’ or your own expectations, then you’re not alone.  Just notice the people around you.  Do these people always have lots of different activities going on at once?  Do these people never seem to accomplish what they said they would?  Do they seem confused when you or someone else asks questions or requests assistance?  And what about their moods?  Are they short with others around them?  The answer to all of these questions is probably  “Yes.”

Individuals whose lives are embedded with “a sense of urgency” that doesn’t allow them to follow through with tasks soon learn that steps must be taken to reintroduce order to their lives.  When this order is reintroduced, relations with self, family, friends, and co-workers improve, job performance is enhanced, and good feelings about accomplishments become evident.

Employers and instructors consider effective time management and organizational skills as good work habits.  To begin managing wisely the time you spend in class or in the laboratory, to prepare for class or lab assignments at home, and to manage your life at home and school simultaneously, you need to know and to put into practice some good time management techniques.

Time Management Techniques
Believe: As you enter your new program, believe that you are in control. You’ve got to keep telling yourself that life at home, at school, and on the job (if you work) is manageable.

 Say No                         You must learn to say “No.”  You’re mature enough now to know your limitations.  If you have an accounting or anatomy test next Wednesday, don’t tell your friends or family members you can go to a local nightclub on Tuesday night.  If you have a hard time saying “No,” you need to consider delegating some of your work (in this case, your participation) to others.  For example, ask your friends to invite another friend to the nightclub, explaining to them you have prior commitments.

Ask For Help                    Many adult students are scared to ask for help.  They fear being seen as intrusive or dumb.  Help comes in many forms so ask for it.  If you’re struggling with math, see your instructor or a tutor.  If you need financial assistance, see your financial aid department.  People all around you now are paid to help you so go to them for assistance or advice.

Prioritize                          Let’s say that next Thursday is the due date for a major lab assignment.  The Wednesday before, however, your boss needs you to work overtime.  In addition, you had planned to take your children to the local livestock arena for a reptile show.  You’re in a mess, so how do you handle it?  Remember step one: Believe. Then ask yourself these questions:  How critical is each activity or expectation?  How long will it take from start to finish to fulfill each activity or expectation?  What do you need to do to complete each activity or expectation?  With whom to you need to deal?

Set Timetables                  You can always measure how you’re doing by establishing timetables.  For example, take a pocket, wall, or desk calendar.  Mark activity due dates appropriately.  Prior to the activity due date, fill in other days with activities that will help you accomplish the mini steps that it will take to complete the big assignment.

Spend Time Wisely          While attending school, you can impress your instructor and yourself by spending time wisely.  Perhaps you have each day a full hour for lunch or dinner.  Why don’t you eat and review notes at the same time?  Why don’t you ask your instructor to join you so that you have the opportunity to ask additional questions or receive clarification?  Why don’t you allow yourself 20 minutes for lunch or dinner and 40 additional minutes in the classroom, lab, or media center.  By spending your time at school wisely, you allow yourself more time at home with family and friends.

Enjoy Free Time              Your physical and mental health well-being is key to successful school and job performance.  Being too pushed for time causes stress, and too much stress can jeopardize your physical and mental states.  Do yourself a favor:  Prioritize, follow through, evaluate your work performed, and then enjoy some free time.  Nobody will ever tell you to dismiss your friends, neglect your family, give up your golf game, or cancel your gym membership if you work hard to accomplish your academic and career goals.  But when you fail to put “first things first,” don’t be surprised if your own conscience, a friend, a family member, or your instructor tells you to go back and get control through reordering your priorities.

To become truly organized, however, and to show others in your class how to control their lives better, consider the advice cited below.

·         Assess your classwork, home, and job workload schedules weekly and then daily.

·         Identify the most important things to be done.

·         Review your schedule for appointments with instructors, friends, or other individuals.

·       Reserve at least two to three days a week and large quantities of time (at least two hours a day) during these days to complete school assignments.  If you’re following the time management strategies previously cited, you really shouldn’t need more than two hours per day, two to three days a week, to see your school work requirements to closure.

·         Consider organizing your school requirements, your home responsibilities, and your job duties into an organized filing system that you can refer to and update at any time.  If you don’t have access to a computer, try loose-leaf notebooks or file folders.

·      Remember to arrive at school or work on or before your scheduled hour for arrival every day.  Be flexible enough to work in your classroom or lab during lunch or dinner.  In short, do what you have to do to be a successful student. If you miss days due to illness, make sure you see your instructors so that make-up time may be scheduled.

There are great rewards for you when you’re organized.  There are great payoffs for you when you manage your time wisely.  As a student and employee, you’re guaranteed to reduce your stress and receive greater satisfaction from your school and work experiences.  Professionally, you will develop the image of a person who is serious about getting things done and moving on to the next challenge.  

2. Demonstrate flexibility in handling change.
The nature of life seems to be adapting to change.  In just this century, barely one generation, we have seen transportation progress from horse-drawn carriages to supersonic airline transports and routine space shuttle flights.  Communications progressed from primitive telegraphs to instant satellite-relay conversations world-wide.  For most of us, personal computers simply did not exist for the first half of our lives or more.  These parts of our lives have changed many times in only a relatively few years.  You can expect more changes.

One of Charles Darwin’s theories was “Survival of the Fittest.”  By this he meant the strongest of a species will survive the perils of life.  If he were alive today, he might well change this theory to “Survival of the Most Adaptable.”  If you resist change and fail to get in line with the rest of the world, you may be left behind in the dust of those who succeed.  If you view change in a positive manner and hold fast to a determination to make it work for you, you should be able to handle changes that life brings your way.  Keep in mind that you will probably have to spend some time and energy, and perhaps some personal resources, to accommodate changes and come out on top.  No guarantee . . . but rewards usually come to those who work for them.

Why is organization important?  

How can you improve your own organizational skills?

Watch Organization video.

• You will blog about each topic in your own blog created in the Google App "Blogger".  
• Write 1-2 paragraphs for EACH topic, defining each topic, describing its importance, and stating how you are going to improve in that area.
• Add photos, related web-links, videos, etc.-make your blog interesting for others to view!  
• Make sure to check spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.
• Use your blogroll (using the 'My Blog List')  on your blog-connecting you to each classmate.
• You MUST reply to at least one classmate for each topic.  Therefore, you will have to post at least twice for each topic–your original post, on your own blog, and at least one reply, on at least one other blog.  Your replies should go beyond Agree/Disagree statements.
• Your work ethics skills will be observed throughout the semester and rated via the Work Ethics Evaluation Form.

Attendance-Work Ethic

ATTENDANCE/PUNCTUALITY   

1.  Understand the importance of punctuality/attendance 

A student or employee’s attendance and punctuality behavior affect the success of that individual, the class in which they are enrolled, and the business in which they work.  At this institution, a student is expected to attend class every day of the semester and to be on time for each class he or she attends.  That is no more or no less than what an employer expects of an employee.  This institution is training future employees; therefore, our standards are much the same as employers you may find yourself working for in the future. 

A student’s success is directly related to his or her attendance and punctuality.  A student who is not in class cannot learn.  No matter the career choice, skills and techniques to pass the course and be successful on the job are taught in the classroom or lab.  A student who is late for class is disruptive to the instructor, to fellow classmates, and to his own learning ability.  Excessive absences or tardiness shows poor planning and preparation, and lack of motivation and commitment on the part of the student.  The attendance policy may be found in the student handbook.

2.  Attend/leave class on time 

An employer expects his or her employee to be at work and on time every day. An employee who is not at work costs the employer money in several areas.  First, employees who are at work oftentimes must do their job and that of the absent employee. Second, the increased workload enhances the possibility of job-related accidents and deteriorates employee moral.  Third, additional workload and paperwork is required by personnel departments to maintain sick leave hours, hours without pay, payroll deductions for the tardiness, and so on. Other costs may be associated with absenteeism and tardiness of employees depending on the nature of the business.  Therefore, employers are concerned with the attendance and punctuality of you, the student, as it very well may indicate what they can expect of you, the employee. Your instructor will use your attendance and punctuality records as a reference for potential employers, should they ask for the information.

Likewise, a student is not expected to leave class prior to the end of a class period.  Each course requires a student to participate in classroom or laboratory assignments for a specific period of time, based on the credit hours earned.  When a student leaves class early, not only is he missing instruction or lab time, but also he may well miss out on future assignments, instructions, and important class information.  The same is true of your future employers.  Leaving work early may cause you to miss out on production or lose customers who dropped by at the end of the workday, depending on your career choice.  Individuals with good work ethics leave work, or class, when their assignment is finished and not when they feel like leaving.  Doctor visits, dentist visits, and so on, may occur during work or school hours.  These should be spaced out; you should not have more than one routine appointment scheduled in one month’s time at work.  Please schedule all appointments on the days that you are not supposed to be at school. Regardless of the situation, you should always let your immediate supervisor or instructor know any dates in advance that you will be absent or tardy.

3.  Notify instructor in advance of planned absences 

As a student, you have obligations to your instructor much like you will have to your employer. In an ideal world, no one becomes ill, the car always works perfectly, and babysitters can always be relied upon.  However, this institution recognizes that situations may occur which will prevent a student from attending class each and every day of the quarter. In instances where you are going to be late or must be absent from class, you are obligated to inform your instructor of the situation – just as you would an employer.  Most employers do not tolerate employees who simply do not show up for work and fail to call in prior to start of the workday. Many employees have been fired for just such behavior.  Your instructor cannot fire you from class.  However, he or she will follow the attendance policy and terminate you based on your attendance record if the situation so warrants.

4.  Make up assignments punctually

Work missed during times of absence should be made up in a timely manner.  Each instructor has his or her own definition of timely so make sure you ask if he or she doesn’t tell you.  Some assignments may not be the type which can be made up if you are absent. Thus, it becomes increasingly important to advise your instructor of any known absences you will have as soon you know about them. 

Why is attendance important? 

How can you improve your own attendance?

Watch the Attendance Video.

• • You will blog about each topic in your own blog created in the Google App "Blogger".  
  • Write 1-2 paragraphs for EACH topic, defining each topic, describing its importance, and stating how you are going to improve in that area.
  •             Include a link to a recent news article on the work ethic topic of attendance.
  • Add photos, related web-links, videos, etc.-make your blog interesting for others to view!  
  • Make sure to check spelling, punctuation, grammar, etc.
  • Create a blogroll (using the 'My Blog List')  on your blog-connecting you to each classmate.
  • You MUST reply to at least one classmate for each topic.  Therefore, you will have to post at least twice for each topic–your original post, on your own blog, and at least one reply, on at least one other blog.  Your replies should go beyond Agree/Disagree statements.
  • Your work ethics skills will be observed throughout the semester and rated via the Work Ethics Evaluation Form.