Introduction: How do you prepare before a major task?
How do you prepare before a major task? This is a question I often ask myself. I know that when I was a researcher, the more time I invested in deciding the best way to approach the research project, the more productive I was in getting the best results. I would spend a lot of time strategizing before I did any research. And would choose my keywords carefully.
I would break down major research projects into manageable chunks. So that I wouldn't get overwhelmed. And then determine which experts to contact to request an interview by email, phone or Skype, depending on the person's location. Determining the best sources for the information I needed, was an important step in the process.
In a lot of the speed reading information that I am reviewing, preparation is a big part of the process. It is recommended that before you read a book, you first read summaries and reviews to get the helicopter view of what the book is about. Then you scan the book, paying attention to headings, subheadings, bold and italicized information. But the interesting thing is that these rules do not always apply. For instance, when you are reading fiction, most times you do not have a table of contents or headings.
So what to do? Work with what you have and be flexible. As I go deeper into my informal liberal arts education, and get ready to read the “right old books”, according to recommendations from Jeffrey Brenzel, the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at Yale University, I have to take the time to gather some critical summaries of the books on my reading list, to prepare for my reading and learning journey. Reading the summaries before opening the book, enables me to become somewhat familiar with the book and read it faster.
Think about a major project that you have to undertake, what is the best way to prepare to ensure success. Make a list of the initial tasks in the preparation stage, then start chipping away at them. Also break the major tasks into more manageable ones so the process us less daunting. How do you prepare before a major task?
