One of the best lessons that I have learned over the years, is that whatever time that I allotted myself to complete a task, I usually need more time. We often underestimate the amount of time it will take to complete a project or task. That is why it is so important to plan for more time. I always leave a half-hour cushion in my calendar at a minimum. I cannot tell you how often I have delayed a two-page response paper because in my head all I am thinking it that “it’s just two pages. easy”. Well, when it came time to write that paper, it took me two hours. The same thing with reading. I would say, ” oh just three chapters? easy.” Those three chapters took me five hours. Why? because when it comes to academic reading, I learned that I read 20 pages in an hour, and longer with a topic that I am not familiar with. There is reading for understanding, close reading, there is annotating, as well as making connections to other texts in the class. The lesson is you should always be prepared to spend more time than you thought. This applies to your personal and professional life as well. Do you have an interview? Give yourself a cushion to get lost on the way, for transportation trouble etc. Most things will take more time than you think. Make room for them.
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