With the lake fully stocked, 4-H Fish Camp is back at 4-H Memorial Camp near Monticello. Fishing begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 4 and lasts until 2 p.m. Sunday, May 5.
Learn how to catch largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and channel catfish. Get fishing tips and learn about lures, bait, equipment, knots, fish behavior, fish management and fish cleaning.
Each group registered will be assigned its own log cabin for lodging with single bunks. Participants must bring their own bedding and toiletries.
A fee of $50 per person covers the complete program, lodging, boat, bait, and three buffet meals, including Saturday lunch and supper and a Sunday brunch. You'll also have fresh fish fillets to take home!
Preregistration and payment is required. Register at go.illinois.edu/4Hfishcamp or contact Curt Sinclair at (217) 762-2741. You can email Curt at sinclair@illinois.edu.
Don't put off reading this article!
(The following is a special release from Cheri Burcham, University of Illinois Extension Educator, Family Life.)
Mark Twain said, "Never put off 'til tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow."
Most everyone procrastinates sometime. There are different ways to procrastinate. Some people will delay a task in order to gather more information. In this case, it is not really considered procrastination because you are actively working toward completion of the task. Examples of this include: learning required skills, researching different resources for the best medical treatment or calling someone who has been in that situation.
But some "procrastinators" do nothing at all toward the task that needs completed. Unfortunately, the task is not forgotten but remains as a nagging feeling and eventually, the task must be done.
Still others will do other things of less importance than the avoided task. While something is getting done, the avoided task remains undone and will need to still be completed sometime.
There are many reasons given for delaying a task and sometimes just knowing the cause for delay can help to overcome the obstacles. Here are some reasons often given:
• Lack of skills -- "I don't know how." Delaying is helpful if that time is used to learn the skills.
• Disorganization -- "I don't know where to begin." Sometimes a project is too big to accomplish in the time we have available. When there is too much to do at one time, it is helpful to break the large tasks into smaller ones, making them more manageable.
• No deadline -- "There is plenty of time." If there is not a deadline, it is often helpful to set personal goals for completion.
• No one else knows about it -- "I'm the only one who cares if it is done." Being accountable to someone else increases the chance that a project will be completed. Telling someone else of goals makes it more likely that the goals will be met in a timely manner.
• Unimportant -- "I don't know why this needs to be done." Self-talk tends to be negative if one believes that the project has no purpose. If it truly matters to no one, admit it and drop the project. If the project is important to someone else and needs to be completed, concentrate on that fact.
• Don't enjoy the task -- "I would rather be doing anything else." Some projects simply must be done, even though they are not enjoyable.
• Fear -- "I will not be able to do it right." Procrastination may be the result of fear of failure or fear of not doing it perfectly. As a result, there is a rush at the last minute to complete the task and it is not done as well as it might have been.
So remember, to decrease procrastination and get motivated, you can:
• Obtain the skills needed for the activity. If it is impossible to learn the skills, let someone else do the activity.
• Break the task into smaller parts that can be completed in short segments.
• Share goals with someone else to increase accountability.
• Be aware of self-talk. Keep it positive and optimistic.
• Honestly confront your fears. Is it fear of the consequences of the completed task? Fear of failing to complete the task? Fear that it won't be done perfectly?
• Set up a reward for yourself for when you complete the task.
If you are lacking the "get up and go" to do something that truly should be done, choose one of these strategies and start it today!
• Nancy Lambert is the program coordinator for the Saline County 4-H.
