Behavior Modification Project

Cesar Valencia
Paula Flacker
Health and Wellness











Definition of Health
My definition of health is a persons general state of their mind, body, and spirit. It is
being free from illness, injury, and pain. Health is an ongoing process. It never stops for a break.
Every decision we make either benefit our health, or put us at a greater risk to catch something,
get hurt, and sometimes even death.
Explanation
The behavior I choose to work on is my time management skill. My goal was to write
down three assignments every day and have them completed by that same night, or the following
morning. I am one of those people that always try and remember things to do in their head
instead of writing them down somewhere. I have way too many things going on in a single day
to depend on only myself. I coach soccer in the afternoons, I help my father with my siblings,
and I am a full time student working construction. I felt that to learn how to manage my time
better would be a behavior that would benefit me as I grow and learn throughout my life. As I
grow older I will be able to handle what some adults handle now; family, work, school, and other
activities.
Justification
I needed to learn to manage my time better so that I may better focus on what is
important such as; school, work, family, and soccer. Remind yourself, "There is always enough
time for the important things." If it is important, you should be able to make time to do it
(Managing Your Time 2011). The Managing your time website has several links that had good
information on what to do and when to do it. They had positive quotes for you to read and use to
help you with your time management. I also picked up a three step system along the way that


helped me as well. Three steps to effective time management are: organizing, prioritizing, and
scheduling (Effective Time Management 2011). I felt that those three steps where already in the
Behavior Modification project, so to see them again from a different source really showed me
that it is was important to be organized, and to prioritize. I needed to learn how to get all of my
responsibilities done in a day, so what better than to learn to manage my time better.
Description
To help myself become successful in this behavior change, I went out to Wal-Mart and
bought myself a whiteboard, and a day planner. I also bought myself what I considered to be my
reward system for every time I completed my task for the day, Dove chocolates. I could only
reward myself if I woke up and wrote on my whiteboard three assignments to complete tonight,
and I must have completed them, only then could I reward myself. I had three major supporters
to help me throughout the change and they were: my brother, Kevin, my best friend, Jessica, and
my buddy Adrian. They all reminded me of the steps I had to take, and to make sure I was using
my whiteboard and day planner.
My Reaction
The behavior modification project worked for me. I now use my whiteboard every
morning to make sure I know what I am doing throughout my day, and also use my day planner.
I am 100% sure that I would freak out if I didnt take my day planner with me everywhere I go. I
know that if I continue to be organized and manage my time well, that I will have a more
enjoyable time. When time comes for me to start my family, I will be able to make sure I pick up
the kids on time, get to work on time, and make sure I make time for just my wife and I. This
change is definitely for the best of me. Overall I thought this was fun and challenging.







References

Effective Time Management | Leadership Program | Idaho State University. (n.d.). Idaho State
University. Retrieved December 13, 2011, from
http://www.isu.edu/lead/Resources/timeReferences

Managing Your Time. (n.d.). Dartmouth College. Retrieved December 13, 2011, from
http://www.dartmouth.edu/~acskills/success















Behavior Modification Journals
11/15/2011
Today is day one of journaling. I woke up and looked at my white board and saw the three
assignments I wrote last night to be completed for today. I didnt really feel like doing my
homework so I put it off until tonight. My brother reminded me today about updating my day
planner and watched me update it. I rewarded myself with a dove chocolate milk chocolate with
caramel very delicious.
11/16/2011
Day two. Woke up and ignored my whiteboard today. Just feeling sick. I had a long day with
health and soccer. I did have to check my day planner at soccer and noticed I had homework to
complete. Didnt reward myself because I didnt use my whiteboard and felt like I got lucky
today.

11/17/11
Woke up today with a cold. I did look at my whiteboard first thing today. I have three
assignments that I need to finish by tonight. My day planner is updated for the next two days. My
brother checked in on me to remind me about my homework. Feeling great and I a busy day
ahead of me.
11/18/11
Checked my whiteboard and I didnt have homework. So today is a free day. I think im going to
go play some soccer, and after go out to a movie.
11/19/11
Its Saturday!!! No school homework and I get to watch soccer this morning. Im sure Paula will
find my writing annoying or funny. My brother did ask me if I had homework today. He has
been a major part of this process. Every day he reminds me to make sure I dont have homework
which is nice in case I forget.

11/21/11
Monday no homework to be completed except for this journal. Great weekend. This week I have
to focus and make sure I write down my assignments on my whiteboard and my day planner. I
feel like with every day that goes by it starting to become easier and not a hassle. I rewarded
myself with some time to play some video games.


11/22/11
Tuesday, and I am feeling great. Its 7 a.m. and just got back from a run. There is no homework
due to thanksgiving!
11/23/11
Nothing to do today. No homework. Feeling good a little stressed relieved. So I will have to wait
to see what tomorrow brings.
11/24/11
Thanks giving in San Diego. I have no internet connection so I cant email my individual project.
11/25/11
Friday!! Its day one of the soccer tournament. No homework but I did write down a few things to
be done today that has to do with soccer.

11/28/11
Today I went sight-seeing and enjoyed the beach. Picked up my old surf board and hit the waves
with my dad and brother.
11/29/11
Today was crazy. My family and I drove back to Idaho overnight because my sister was sick. I
made it to my health class today and was exhausted. No homework for tonight. Goodnight.
11/30/11
Today I woke up and saw that I had two assignments on my blackboard. I waited until after class
to complete them and added one more assignment to it. I was feeling a bit lazy today and almost
didnt do my homework. No reward for me tonight.
12/1/11
First day on December which means its almost finals week. No homework tonight but I should
study a bit and read chapter 5 and 6 in my health book.
12/2/11
Math homework on blackboard assigned and written down on my whiteboard. I did finish it and
rewarded myself with a dove chocolate. Im not needing reminders to write things down.


12/5/11
My last week of journaling. I have three assignments to be completed by tomorrow. They are
written down and I will complete them in the morning before health.
12/6/11
I completed my assignments this morning. So I rewarded myself with video game time. Didnt
receive homework from health so I dont have anything to write down. The people that came in
today were fantastic. They were very interesting.
12/7/11
I received math and English homework tonight. I completed my English homework and will
complete the math in the morning. I wrote into my day planner and my board.
12/8/11
Completed my Math today, went to health and took some notes. No homework except for
studying. Finals are almost here!
12/9/11
My last day and it feels great. I feel that I have completed the behavior modification project and
am successful. I no longer need reminders to write down things to do. I always look at my
whiteboard first thing in the morning. Day planner goes with me everywhere. Just have studying
to do.