1. School – Work – Personal Life? MANAGING CONFLICTING PRIORITIES: Making Decisions About What Is Important And What Is Not Kathleen E. High, M.Ed. Adjunct Counselor Career Planning Center Cypress College

2. Why this workshop? Personal Experience: 18 years as a community college student (pursuing a 2-year degree) Finished 120 units in two years at the university Spent the next two years obtaining my master’s degree What was the difference? Learned how to identify priorities Professional Experience: Teach a variety of “college success skills” classes Discovered I was pretty typical Most students struggle with the same issues I did Conclusion: Most students have difficulty knowing how to prioritize Studying & Learning Career & Life Planning Career Exploration Academic & Life Success Educational Planning Freshman Seminar

3. How Do You Determine Priorities? YOU NEED TO DECIDE WHERE YOUR PRIORITIES ARE There is no magic answer…. But, there are a few things to consider: Who are you? Different Types of Needs “Needs vs. “Wants” Values Dreams Goals The “Rules” Tools for Determining Your Priorities

4. Who Are You? Ask: Who Am I? Personality Interests Culture Values Dreams/Goals Responsibilities Boundaries Your “Season of Life” Follow Up Activities: Workshop: “Career Assessments” Visit Career Planning Center Classes: COUN 141: Career Exploration COUN 150: Academic & Life Success Handouts: Culture, Education & Unspoken Expectations Boundaries Generational Values

5. “Needs” vs. “Wants” Sometimes the challenge is in not recognizing the difference Ask: What Are My “Needs”? Ask: What Are My “Wants”? Follow Up Activities: Workshop: “Career Assessments” Visit Career Planning Center Handouts: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Culture, Education & Unspoken Expectations

6. Different Types of Needs (Maslow)

7. “Needs vs. Wants”

8. Values Ask: What is important to you? Family Work Education Career Moral Integrity Independence Spiritual Life Etc. Follow Up Activities: Visit Career Planning Center Handouts: Success Values Survey Culture, Education & Unspoken Expectations

9. Dreams Ask: What do you want for your life? Education Career Family Financial Others: Independence Travel Own your own business Retirement Follow Up Activities: Workshops : Goal Setting & Decision Making Visit Career Planning Center Classes: COUN 145: Changing Careers COUN 141 : Career Exploration COUN 150: Academic & Life Success COUN 151: Career and Life Planning Handouts:TimeLine Dream Chaser’s & Goal Setter’s Journey Success

10. Goals Ask: Have You Set Goals to Achieve Your Dreams? What Do You Need to Do To Achieve Them? (i.e. How will you get there?) What Are Your Short-Term Goals? What Are Your Mid-Range Goals? What Are Your Long-Term Goals? Follow Up Activities: Workshops : Goal Setting & Decision Making Visit Career Planning Center Classes: COUN 140: Education Planning COUN 150: Academic & Life Success COUN 151: Career and Life Planning Handouts:TimeLine Dream Chaser’s & Goal Setter’s Journey Reaching Career Goals Setting Effective Goals

11. The “Rules” What are the “rules” (official policy, actual law, informal) Are the “rules” legitimate? (Official vs. Unofficial) Are the rules current and still in effect, or have they changed? Who established the rule? (Is their authority legitimate?) If differing authorities create conflicting rules, which authority takes rank? (i.e. importance, power, etc.) If rules conflict with each other, which rule takes rank? Will there be consequences if you disobey the rule? If a conflict in consequences, which consequences would be greater?

12. Time to Identify Your Priorities What is Your Season of Life? What is Important? / What is Urgent? Rank Your Priorities Rank Your Sacrifice Items What Can Wait? Are Your Goals and Priorities Taking You in the Same Direction?

13. What is your current season of life? Dependency Independence/Self- Sufficiency Care for Self Care for Family Learn Work Rest Play Sacrifice Survival Breaking Solitude/Isolation Introspection Restoration New Beginnings

14. What Is Important / What is Urgent Ask: What is Urgent? Will happen if I ignore this? Major Negative Consequences! Ask: What is Not Urgent? Will happen if I ignore this? Answer: Nothing Serious! Ask: What is Important? What did you identify before? Ask: What is Not Important? Anything that interferes with “Important” Follow Up Activities: Workshop: Time Management Tips & Tricks Visit Career Planning Center Handouts: Discerning Seasons Covey’s Quadrants Priority Clarification Exercise Priority/Goal Alignment Managing Financial Responsibilities Difficult Choices

15. Rank Your Priorities What is so important that you don’t want to loose it? What is Priority Number 1 What is Priority Number 2 What is Priority Number 3 What is Priority Number 4 What is Priority Number 5 Note: Notice there is no such thing as two Priority #1’s There is only ONE #1, and then you have ONE #2

16. Rank Your Sacrifice Items What is not important, and that you are willing to give up to maintain your priorities? What is Sacrifice Item Number 1 What is Sacrifice Item Number 2 What is Sacrifice Item Number 3 What is Sacrifice Item Number 4 What is Sacrifice Item Number 5 Note: Thess items must be different from your list of priorities – This is what you would be willing to give up to keep your priorities

17. What Can Wait? “What can wait without incurring major consequences?” One Hour One Day One Week One Month One Year Until Payday The end of the semester A more convenient time

18. Priorities & Goals – Going the Same? What Are Your Goals? What Are Your Priorities? Are They in Alignment? (Going the Same Direction) If not, you will NOT achieve your goals If Not in Alignment, What Do You Do? Change Your Goals - or - Change Your Priorities

19. Wrap Up Reminder: Who should determine your priorities? What do you need to consider? Who are you? “Needs vs. “Wants” Values Goals Tools for Clarifying Your Priorities Ask yourself? Based on what you learned today, ask yourself: Do you have a general sense of where your priorities should be? How are you going to “prioritize learning how to prioritize”? What next steps should you take based on what you learned?