Time & Priorities

The participants will have to analyse a list of tasks and compare difficulty level to the value (number of points), and prioritize which tasks to complete. This will give the participants practice in prioritising and managing their tasks.

Participants will have to collaborate and make decisions as a group.

The teacher/trainer has to prepare a list of activities adopted to the class.

See the “Description” section for tips or the provided handout.

Divide participants into teams of five to eight. 

Unveil the list of tasks. Explain that they have ten minutes to collect as many points as possible. 

Suggested list of activities: 

• Do a lap around the room (5 points)
• Create something for the instructor to wear, such as a hat or tie (10 points; bonus 5 points if the instructor actually wears it). 
• Find out something unique about each person on the team (5 points)
• Sing a song together (15 points)
• Make a paper airplane and throw it from one end of the room to another (10 points)
• Get everyone in the room to sign a single piece of paper (5 points)
• Count the number of pets owned by your group (20 points)
• Assign a nickname to each member of the team (5 points)
• Create name cards for each team member (5 points; bonus 5 points if you use your team nicknames)
• Make a tower out of the materials owned by your group (10 points)
• Convince a member of another team to join you (20 points)
• Name your team and come up with a slogan (5 points for the name, 5 points for the slogan)
• Re-create the sounds of the Amazon rainforest with the sounds of your voices (10 points)
• Make a list of what your team wants out of the workshop (15 points)
• Form a conga line and conga from one end of the room to another (5 points; bonus 10 points if anyone joins you) 

After the activity is finished, discuss the teams’ different strategies.

• Did they focus on tasks with the most points? 
• Did they prioritize the fastest tasks? 
• Did they plan ahead? 
• What did the time pressure add to the exercise? 
• Was every person involved in the decision of which tasks to complete or did they choose a leader?
•  Which of the solutions are the smartest when under time pressure?