The Keys to Successful Projects by Emily

The Keys to Successful Projects by Emily - December 2017 Scholarship Essay

My ultimate strategy for a successful school project depends on whether it is an individual or group project. If it is an individual project my ultimate strategy is to manage your time well, but if it is a group project, my ultimate strategy is to delegate work.
When working on a project as an individual, time management is essential. Being able to know how much time you have for a project, and then completing the project within that time frame is essential not only for school, but for future jobs and life in general. Procrastinating can only lead to unnecessary stress and a poorly executed project that was clearly rushed. Going along with time management, you need to have self discipline in order to create a successful project. If you are not disciplined, then it will be hard to give up activities that you enjoy, such as watching T.V., spending time with friends or family, or even getting enough sleep, in order to devote some of your time to working on your assignment. Completing projects well will almost always create stress and require some sacrifice on your part, but breaking them up into manageable pieces makes completing projects easier, less stressful, and ultimately more successful.
When working on a project as part of a group, delegation and then follow-up are the most important strategies for success. Delegation means assigning parts of a project to different people, making the workload lighter and easier for everyone. Delegating also allows for everyone's different perspective to be seen and understood, which creates a more interesting and unbiased project. So often you hear complaints from students who feel as if they are working on their group's project completely alone, with no help from anyone else. Although this is their classmates fault for being lazy and expecting others to pick up the slack, it is also the individual's fault for not firmly assigning roles and then following up to make sure everything is being done. Often times people will not work unless specifically told to and, although it should not be your responsibility to do so, you must take up the role of keeping track of everyone's progress for the good of the project and group.
In conclusion, I believe that individual time management and delegation within groups are the most important strategies for successful projects. Applying these two strategies allow projects to be complete, well-thought-out, and not incredibly stressful, more than likely warranting a good grade.