“DO DATES” vs. “DUE DATES”

Hi, it’s Ted Backes (An Executive Function Coach at Frankenberger Associates) here!

I was working with a college student this morning helping him to get organized for the current semester’s work. It’s always a collaborative process. Students need to organize in ways that work for them, using systems and habits that are their own, and that they can embrace.

Creating awareness of what needs to be done always focuses on when assignments are due, however; being aware of “Due Dates” is just part of the process.

Challenges can arise because of lack of initiation in a timely fashion. Sometimes there are many chapters that need to be read with long lead times between quizzes, tests, and exams. Other times there are papers and projects that require planning, research, and writing that must be done over the course of weeks, and importantly, not at the last minute.

This student already had a calendar with all of the “Due Dates” for his homework assignments, papers, projects, tests, quizzes and exams. The challenge was that he tended to let things pile up and then address them at the last minute, just before the deadlines.

Our solution was to create an additional calendar for him labeled “Do Dates”.

This is a calendar that he can use to plan and schedule when he will do assignments, taking into consideration the amount of time necessary, and the amount of time available, before actual “Due Dates”.

This is just one component of the on-going work that we do together. You can be sure I will be checking his “Do Dates” and “Due Dates” as we move forward! Mastery of habits is our ultimate goal.