Goal setting and time management are indeed two keys to success. While TM and GS require such obvious strategies as making lists, prioritizing, warding off procrastination and schedule keeping, all of which sound terrribly responsible, we ought not forget the power of rewarding ourselves, well and often, for accomplishing both short and long-term goals!! Rewarding ourselves for our good work is not a complex task....

Down-time Is Both A Necessity and a Reward
Down time, or "me" time is time spent alone, unwinding and reflecting. Down time may be viewed as both a reward and a necessity, because while it feels good to have the intellect shut down for a while, and as periods of repose often result in relaxation or renewed inights into our lives, we have to have down time to let mental dust settle. Some people go outdoors to appreciate nature, while others seek out the mall. Down time is a luxury and at the same time a necessity for mental, physical and spiritual health. There are plenty of other rewards we have available in our day-to-day lives that we can use to our advantage.

Rewards May Not Be Expensive, But They Are Very Valuable!!
Rewards are small or not-so-small objects, occasions, adventures or other phenomena that you grant yourself after having completed a have-to from one of your do-lists. Notice that the operative word here is after. Here's an example: I am hooked on E.R., that adorably hectic drama on NBC about emergency room medicine and the lives of those attractive people who practice it. If I watch it, every Thursday night, regardless of the perilous exam that looms on Friday, no matter how ill-prepared I am BY THE TIME MY SHOW COMES ON, then watching E.R., or any other TV show for that matter, is not a reward for me; the TV watching is merely an habitual, most likely counterproductive, behavior. However, if I cut a deal with myself that in order to watch my show free from guilt (so that I may better enjoy it), I will first complete a task--I will study my sociology, do my laundry or write that rough draft before my show. The net result is an important one--I have accomplished a goal and paid myself for my work with a reward of my favorite TV obsession.

Nearly Anything Can Be A Reward
This rewards process is no more than a mind game. If we would just reorganize our lives just a little, we'd get more accomplished and still be able to take advantage of life's little pleasures (if we may define television that way). Rewards, then, can come from all sorts of places in your life; it's a matter of redefinition. When you ask a cross section of students what they do to reward themselves for good time management and responsible study, you may get some surprising responses. For some, rewards may include the following

• I buy myself a pair of shoes.
• I watch a whole weeks worth of my favorite soap opera which I videotaped and saved for a marathon viewing (I can fast-forward through the comercials and rewind for the steamy parts to enhance my viewing pleasure).
• I put on my headphones and crank up some heavy metal! (Different strokes...!)
• I play with my kids in the back yard. I give them my complete attention.
• I call my family (long distance; high rates) because I derserve to.
• I get an extra three hours of sleep.
• I order in a pizza with the works.
• I tune up my car.
• I read a trashy book.
• I doodle pictures of my psychology professor. (Hmmm!?)
• I go dancing.
• UH--What do you mean--reward?? (This person needs to rethink his/her time management!)
• I rent a movie and watch it with my friends.

  At the Very Least, Reward Yourself with Some Weeknight Freedom!

BRAINSTORM:
What pleasurable parts of your life could you use as rewards for doing what needs to be done towards your school and life demands?

Many students bring from high school the mistaken notion that in college you study at night during the week, and that work at night, in order to be effective, must contain some suffering into the wee hours. The whole approach of using the strategic in-between hours among classes throughout the day to keep up with your work can set up a powerful reward--having nights freer to socialize, unwind or to get to sleep earlier. Using your days for study also makes good cognitive sense in the way our brains function best. Ordinarily, to preview course material before class and/or to review notes and books after class ensures that you have constructed a foundation for the new material and that as you continue to review, you are building on to your knowledge each and every time you attend a class and go over the material directly thereafter.

You know those students that seem to do well in all their classes, are happy, and even have good social lives?? The students we quietly envy? They are often the ones that use their days in strategic ways, and they understand the power of their own special rewards systems.

Totally Simple Directions for Your Personal Rewards System
The rules are simple; just complete this phrase: If I {insert the name of the task to be completed} by {insert deadline} then I get to {insert the reward of your choice}!

Not bad, eh?