INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Most successful volunteer organizations focus on one specific issue, and identifying your main focus will inform how you design your organization. Brainstorm some issues that matter to you by freewriting on a piece of paper. Ask yourself what kind of change you want to see in the world and then narrow it down from there.  Your focus doesn’t need to be a massive issue like global warming or animal cruelty. It’s perfectly fine to focus on a smaller area of concern. If you’re struggling to think of an issue to focus on, start small. Ask people in your local community what they think could be improved where you live. You’re more likely to generate interest in your group if the people around you care about your topic. Think about how long it will take to solve the problems surrounding your particular issue, and use this information to estimate a timeline for your organization. People will want to know when their participation in your group could end, so consider starting with short-term obtainable goals.  It may be that there is no achievable solution to your problem in sight. In this case, consider creating an exploratory volunteer organization—a group that seeks to explore the dynamics of an issue. You could also create an awareness group to heighten people’s understanding of a topic, or a conservation organization—a group that focuses on saving a specific place or group from potential dangers. Start by writing down a few concrete steps that your organization will take to solve your issue. It’s alright if you aren’t sure about every practical detail at first, but you’ll need to be able to explain what your organization actually plans on doing in order to generate interest in your group. Awareness campaigns, door-to-door surveys, and public protests are all actionable steps that would serve as great places to start. A mission statement should explain your group’s goals and plans in one paragraph or less. Include an explanation of why your topic is important in order to justify your organization’s existence, and emphasize the specific group that you’re serving. If your organization wants to help pets, the environment, or a particular demographic of people, you’ll want to make that explicit in your mission statement.  For example, “Students for Peace is a nonprofit that focuses on preventing inner-city violence by connecting with at-risk youth and running after-school programs to provide a safe space for these young people,” is an excellent start to a mission statement. It explains why the group exists, who it serves, and how it helps. A mission statement is important because it guides every decision that an organization makes by anchoring it in a specific belief and orientation towards a problem. Ask a friend or colleague to proofread, edit, and revise your mission statement. You want it to be as tightly and carefully written as possible, since you’ll use it to appeal to your audience, recruit volunteers, and make major decisions. If you want attract volunteers and stick in your audience’s memory, you’ll want to think of a catchy name for your organization. Consider incorporating your group’s goal or location in your name. Say potential names out loud to see how the name sounds when spoken. Once you have a name, obtainable goals, and mission statement, you’re ready to get started.  American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and Peace Corps are all organizations with great names because they’re memorable, catchy, and give you a sense of what their goal is in their name. An easy way to come up with a name is to use a simple formula. Take your volunteer demographic, use the word “for,” and then include the issue. Examples might look like “Citizens for Justice Reform,” or “Young Workers for a Higher Wage.”

SUMMARY: Identify the specific elements of an issue to focus on. Select an obtainable goal in order to guide your organization. Determine the action steps that your organization will take. Combine your focus, objection, and action steps to write a mission statement. Create a name for your volunteer group.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Filling in your fixed tasks is easy, but structuring the rest of your time can get tricky. Start by writing down everything you have to accomplish on a blank sheet of paper or in a new document on your phone or computer. Prioritize tasks by writing a number or letter next to each one.  For example, write 1 (or A) next to your most important tasks. These will be the tasks you'll write on your schedule first. Write 2 (or B) next to your middle-priority tasks, and 3 (or C) next to your low-priority items. When you write a task in your schedule, you could mark the priority level next to it, or just make an asterisk or exclamation point next to your top priorities. If you’re  planning out your week, make a list of your weekly tasks. Write down your daily tasks if you’re planning a single day. Fill in your schedule starting with the most important tasks. Estimate how long each task will take, and schedule your top priorities during times that you’re most alert and free of distractions. To call attention to high-priority tasks, draw asterisks, underline them, or highlight them.  For example, if you’re most productive in the morning, schedule high-priority projects before lunchtime. Save paper filing and deleting emails for later in the day. Do your best to set reasonable expectations. Don’t try to squeeze homework or a meeting with a client into 30 minutes when you know a full hour is more realistic. After you’ve entered the most important items, you can fill the smaller tasks, like doing laundry or going grocery shopping. As you fill in your tasks, include specific information so you don’t forget what the entry means. If you just jot down shorthand, you might not remember what you meant by “Go to meeting,” or “Do research.”  If you have to go to a meeting, include the time, location, and who will be attending. You might also want to add bullet points on the meeting's topic. Keep in mind you don’t want to write an essay for each task. Just include the necessary details that will help you stay on track. Whether you’re scheduling your tasks in an app or notepad, start and end times will help you keep your day structured. You’ll have a better idea of how your day will go and where you’ll be at specific times.  For example, you might have to prepare an outline from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., go to class from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., have lunch at 12:30 p.m., and have a meeting from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Remember to set reasonable expectations. Refer to the log you kept when you tracked your time to accurately estimate how long a task will take. You can’t be 100% productive around the clock, so make time for loved ones, hanging out, and having fun. If you’re the type of person who forgets to take time off, including reminders to relax and have fun is especially important. For example, include entries such as, “Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. - Have dinner with Sam and Phil (finish up at work by 5:45!)” or “Saturday, 12:00 p.m. - Take Joey to the park.” Filling up your day with back-to-back tasks doesn’t leave any room for revisions. Instead, budget some time to deal with interruptions or delays. Leaving at least 15 minutes between tasks is a good way to work some wiggle room into your plans.  If you have to drive somewhere, remember to leave an extra 10 or 15 minutes in case you run into traffic. Even if you don’t run late or get distracted, you can use chunks of wiggle room to take breaks, exercise, or to do some extra work.

SUMMARY:
Make a list of tasks on a separate sheet of paper. Assign the most important tasks during times when you’re most alert. Include details to remember exactly what you need to do. Include starting and ending times for each task. Set aside time for fun, family time, and relaxation. Leave about 25% of your time open.