#MusicTherapyMaker - Finishing Projects Up

I had lots of energy yesterday - don't know why and REALLY want to replicate that energy for always - so I finished several file folders that were just sitting and waiting for Velcro. That's all that they needed - Velcro on the folders, and they were finished. These are not resources for my students (who I get to work with again, starting today!), because they are just a bit too kid-like, but they will go into my resource room and inventory because they are finished. 

I also loaded the dishwasher, went to pick up groceries for this week, read a book, ripped CDs to the computer, alphabetized the CD covers in the case, cooked a bit, made chicken salad with cranberries and almonds, and other things that I have neglected a bit. I am hoping that I will be able to walk when I get home after work, but who knows. I had absolutely no problem with my knees the entire time I was home, but now that I am back at work, I am hobbling around like my knees are 90 years old.

I have no idea what I am going to do with my clients today. There are nine new folks to meet and start to establish a therapeutic relationship while trying to reestablish relationships with everyone else. I am not sure how I am going to do this, but I will. I've done it before and can do this again. Both of "those clients" will be in the session today, but they will be with each other. We will see what they decide to do when I am back in the music therapy room.

That, however, is not the topic for today. Today's topic is finishing projects.

I tend to do batch work when I am making things. I laminate every single thing that I can laminate while the laminator is on and ready to go. I cut out things all at the same time. I finish things in piles as well. This means that I never have things completely finished at the end of a making session. After laminating 50+ things, I tend to fizzle out and stop until later. Then, when it is time for "later," I do all the cutting at the same time. Then, I put it away.

For some people, batching is a good way to get things done. I'm not so sure that it is good for me.

I think that I do better when I start and complete one project in one sitting. I will have to set things up and try this out.

Learning how you can do things better and more efficiently is part of becoming a better professional. It is important to learn how you function in a variety of tasks expected of us all. Do you have difficulty remembering what happens in music therapy sessions immediately after the session? (I do.) Then, change when you do your documentation. (I do better when I have a sleep between the session and my notes.) Do you have difficulties meeting deadlines? Figure out ways to help you get to those deadlines. Reminders, changing the deadlines to help with completion, constant focus, task identification, prioritization, etc. There are so many ways to help us all with task and time management.

The problem?

I cannot tell you what will work for you. I can just tell you that you have to figure out what does work, and then, you have to do it!

I know that I do not finish things when I batch tasks. I get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things that I generate. As a result, I put things away and ignore them until I get the itch to start working on it again.

It is time to get back into my school year routine. I have five groups Monday through Wednesday, four groups on Thursday, and two groups on Fridays. I will dedicate my Friday afternoons to making things for the school. We have a new curriculum that needs supplementing. I get to make 10 frames and number lines. Whee! I will continue to make things on the side - not batching, but finishing projects as needed in the moment.

Monday is here. It is time to figure out what I will be doing after school. My morning routines are pretty set - get up, blog a bit after taking medications for the day, make a lunch, and then drive to work. I am going to try a later arrival time today to see which school buses are out at the later time. That will allow me to decide whether I strive for a later arrival time or not during this school year. Having an extra half hour at home would be nice, but it probably will not happen. I am already getting my "you're gonna be late" twinges. I will be bringing some things home from work as well over the next several months. I have about seven shopping bags with resources from work to assimilate into my home storage system - whatever that is. Most of the finished projects that I completed yesterday were from those bags.

I will do more.

See you later, alligator.

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