Discussion: Balancing Work, Life, School, Time And Space: Being Everywhere, Everywhen And Everywho Without Losing Your Mind Note: This week you will respond to EITHER Prompt A or Prompt B. Often there are more than words or online imagery in your workspace—it might be children or pets or roommates or spouses. It might at times seem like you have information overload—as if you were standing in the middle of Times Square, New York, or Piccadilly Circus, London. Even the most focused and dedicated student can be easily distracted. Often when focusing on one task, you lose track of others. That is why it is important to have a plan for stepping out of your other roles and into your new role as student. Don’t be tugged by online distractions—keep your place. Staying focused is a professional competency. You all have multiple roles in life, and maybe “student” is a new role for you. Being engaged in the work requires you to plan, prioritize and create a space where learning takes place; to combat a feeling of selfishness that you might feel. For this Discussion you will consider how to address distractions you might encounter as a student at Walden. To prepare for the Discussion: Read the Week 2 Notes and Readings, which address life’s distractions. Review the article by William, D. K. (n.d.). 10 proven time management skills you should learn today located in this week’s Resources. Explore the resources under the Time Management Tool Kit. Make sure to complete the Time Management Tracking Table and at least one additional resource. Review the Walden Support Community resources and complete the Walden Support Networks Exercise. Review the Discussion Rubric. By Day 3 Post a response at least 200–300 words to one of the following prompts: EITHER Prompt A or Prompt B. Use the writing resources, writing samples, and the Discussion Rubric to develop your post. Prompt A What distractions in your life pull your focus away from your new student responsibilities? What concerns do you have about managing these distractions? After completing the Support Network Exercise, what did you learn about your support network? Develop and share your plan to either obtain the support you need or to grow your current support network to help alleviate some of your distractions. In addition, explore the Walden Support Community and share something you learned to help yourself transition to the role of Walden student. Read two or more of your classmates’ postings for the Discussion question. By Day 5 Respond with empathy and specific suggestions to two or more of your classmates by helping them identify and acquire supports for this important step in his or her life. Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your classmates made. Remember to return to the classroom in a few days, to check the Grade Center for Instructor comments and your grade. OR Prompt B Think about your plan to succeed during the first week of your next class. How will you manage your time and maintain your focus? Complete the Time Management Tracking Table and review the resources in the Time Management Tool Kit. Choose a few of the time management skills from the “10 proven time management skills you should learn today” article that you would like to implement in your life. Develop and share your plan to manage your time and maintain your focus in future classes as you transition to the role of Walden student. Make sure to include specifics from the Tool Kit and the skills article. Read two or more of your classmates’ postings for the Discussion question. By Day 5 Respond with suggestions to two or more of your classmates by helping them operationalize their rituals. Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your classmates made. Remember to return to the classroom in a few days, to check the Grade Center for Instructor comments and your grade. To complete your Discussion this week, select the Post to Discussion link. Then, select the corresponding thread: To respond to Prompt A, select Discussion Prompt A – Week 2. To respond to Prompt B, select Discussion Prompt B – Week 2.