Exhibit: My planner

Benchmark: Personal management

Skills:  P105- Use timelines, document steps you take, and evaluate your results in a problem     solving process

 P106- Use charts, graphs, or graphic organizers to demonstrate organizational skills

            “Anxiety is caused by a lack of control, organization, preparation, and action.” –David Kekich. This statement stands very true. Often, anxiety is caused by failure to prepare and failure to organize. A lot of people procrastinate; I am also guilty of this. In order for myself personally to succeed, I often write down important dates, deadlines, and other important events in my planner. I have found that if I write down what I have due on certain days, I turn in my work on time and it often is better quality work because I have time to prepare my work rather than the night before at midnight.

            During the entire school day, a lot of information is given to students. It is only human to forget the fine details such as dates, criteria and deadlines. In past school years when I have not used a planner, often these numerous deadlines and dates just mash together I would often forget them until either the night before or during the class period. This is not a good thing because not all teachers accept late work and also as I prepare to go into college, late work is not acceptable so meeting important deadlines is crucial for my grades. Not only does have a planner fix these issues but it also give me an idea of what my week will look like and it helps me plan out my assignments. In my planner I include the days I work in a week, when I have an assignment due, when I have appointments and I also include my senior transitions dates. Having all of my work laid out in front of me allows me to visualize these deadlines and also allows me to know what days of the week are available to complete these assignments based off  of my work, school, and personal schedule.

            I think using a planner has made me a better, more organized student because during the day there are many classes and sometimes the work can get overwhelming so it is important I stay on top of it and by having a planner to work my busy schedule. Along with school, work, and my personal life I like to note days of which I would like to workout. This allows me to make time for exercise so while I have this busy life I remember to take time for myself and I put everything aside and work on my personal health. This helps me be a better individual all around, also in healthcare, it is important to practice what you preach. You want to be a role model for your patients and your job as a healthcare professional is to promote health.

            Being an organized individual is a virtue that will allow you to succeed in your life. In dentistry, being organized is very important because on a daily basis you see several patients and it is important that you keep their records straight and organized. Also with a schedule of a dentist, you have many appointments and meetings to attend. In college, going into dentistry is not an easy profession to go into and it comes with a lot of work and dedication. This is why it is important to stay organized and on top of everything. Throughout my school and professional life, I will choose to use a planner because I know from experience that it is the best way to manage a busy schedule.