Hello everyone!
I loved reading all the great tips on keeping control of
schedules and emails and other things.
As I’ve been dealing with journal revisions for the last few
weeks I’ve been thinking about work patterns and habits a lot, and it struck me
last week during my scheduled teaching prep time that I was doing something
really counterproductive. Allow me to explain...
When I was writing and revising my PhD, particularly the
parts that dealt with data collection, I always had an overwhelming urge to
find a way to time-travel, for the express purpose of going up to my former
self and hitting her over the head with a two by four, and telling her how much
work she was causing for her future self by doing (or in most cases, not doing)
X, Y or Z... I was wondering whether my future self would have that same urge
about me now... And had to admit, probably she would! There are a couple of
things I do habitually, and I’m starting to realize how much trouble I could
save my future self if I just do something about it...
The example that I saw very clearly during last week’s
teaching prep was this: I almost
finish things... As in, I do all the hard work, in this case it was collecting
problems and supporting literature for a new lab and organizing it, but I
didn’t make a final decision on which problem to use, because I wanted to think
about it. And of course, by the time I got back to thinking about it, I forgot
most of my original opinions, had to read things again, and finalize the
decision before I could print. So in an attempt to decide on the “best”
version, I left it 95% done, but then had to go back and rethink and redo
probably about 50% of the original work a week later. I checked in my other
class folder, and had done exactly the same thing for that one! Then I checked
my draft folder in emails – three unfinished drafts that should have been a
no-brainer to get done... Cue major epiphany...
So my question this week is:
What is your ONE worst habit for working? Pick the one
little thing that you do that causes problem and see if there is a conscious
way you can fix it.
Garden variety “procrastination”
is not the answer, because that encompasses a multitude of specific little
actions and is too big a “thing” to tackle in one fell swoop!
My example: leaving easy things 95% done – remedy? Just DON’T!
One goal for me this week will be to finish all the little things I start.
On to the goals from last week now!
Report in with the usual format for goals for last week, new
goals, and discussion.
allan wilson
1) decide what to do about overseas conference
that I'd love, but I am doing a Jane B as in, I hate travelling, and it is so
much effort, and I like being home with my pets and routine. If I go, there
will be lots of benefits, re networking and ideas, but on the other hand, I
think getting mss written is so much more productive . . . So conflicted!
2) work on submitting the two papers, and more specifically not being avoidant
3) finish two grant applications, both short
4) do two fun things with my child while on leave for most of the week
2) work on submitting the two papers, and more specifically not being avoidant
3) finish two grant applications, both short
4) do two fun things with my child while on leave for most of the week
Contingent Cassandra
1. Redouble efforts to establish a bedtime routine/routine
bedtime.
2. Exercise at least every other day (whatever works with the weather)
3. Keep working on boxes (exactly which aspect gets attention is also weather-, or, more precisely, plow- dependent).
4. Complete one more cooking project (parsley pesto) and replenish pantry.
2. Exercise at least every other day (whatever works with the weather)
3. Keep working on boxes (exactly which aspect gets attention is also weather-, or, more precisely, plow- dependent).
4. Complete one more cooking project (parsley pesto) and replenish pantry.
Daisy
1) Finish revisions
2) Finish new data processing
3) Write outline of talk for local conference
4) Run
2) Finish new data processing
3) Write outline of talk for local conference
4) Run
Eizabeth Ann Mitchell
Write at least 500 words and clean up a page of
footnotes on the critical edition. I am still keeping this one on deck, despite
my failures so far.
Finish outlining the short story.
Do better with commenting and responding on this post. Although I have read everyone’s comments last week, I haven’t responded. My apologies!
Finish outlining the short story.
Do better with commenting and responding on this post. Although I have read everyone’s comments last week, I haven’t responded. My apologies!
Earnest English
1. Research: Send out needed email. Keep going
with sabbatical app. Check funds for online course.
2. Health: Go to vision appointment on Monday and reassess supplements, if needed. Add in new supplements as suggested by new book. Keep reading new book. Inch forward with relaxation or anxiety CBT books. Try to go to bed earlier the night before teaching days.
3. Read. Enjoy. Just because. I think reading is necessary to my overall health!
4. Family: Address teaching day dinner issue. Move forward with Spirited Son issues. Keep making time for family, but also schedule the work time, then be firm about my need to get work done at home. Mom's door can't always be open and keeping calm while being firm is important.
5. Herbalism: I don't know that this is vital right now. Consider ordering the stuff for the kava chai.
6. Keep up with work stuff: Have grading coming in on Tuesday, so I need to schedule that and get it done in decent order.
2. Health: Go to vision appointment on Monday and reassess supplements, if needed. Add in new supplements as suggested by new book. Keep reading new book. Inch forward with relaxation or anxiety CBT books. Try to go to bed earlier the night before teaching days.
3. Read. Enjoy. Just because. I think reading is necessary to my overall health!
4. Family: Address teaching day dinner issue. Move forward with Spirited Son issues. Keep making time for family, but also schedule the work time, then be firm about my need to get work done at home. Mom's door can't always be open and keeping calm while being firm is important.
5. Herbalism: I don't know that this is vital right now. Consider ordering the stuff for the kava chai.
6. Keep up with work stuff: Have grading coming in on Tuesday, so I need to schedule that and get it done in decent order.
Good Enough Woman
1) 100 pages of primary text
2) Edit conference paper down to 10-11 pages
3) Print Spy chapter and review with an eye to revision and article development
4) Write 500 words of intro
5) read one article or chapter
6) help son with presentation
7) Have date with daughter
8) exercise 3x with at least one swim!
2) Edit conference paper down to 10-11 pages
3) Print Spy chapter and review with an eye to revision and article development
4) Write 500 words of intro
5) read one article or chapter
6) help son with presentation
7) Have date with daughter
8) exercise 3x with at least one swim!
heu mihi
1) Draft connecting paragraphs between points L
& Q--500 words on ch. 3.
2) Get a handle on Difficult Language Article 1 (towards R&R).
3) Outline talk to be given in March.
4) Read for Seminar Week 3; prep Week 2.
5) Give myself modest rewards for working on own projects (and stop piddling the day away when I could be working).
6) Submit conference paper abstract.
7) (If I'm really cranking this week:) Read and take notes on AvonS article for ch. 3.
2) Get a handle on Difficult Language Article 1 (towards R&R).
3) Outline talk to be given in March.
4) Read for Seminar Week 3; prep Week 2.
5) Give myself modest rewards for working on own projects (and stop piddling the day away when I could be working).
6) Submit conference paper abstract.
7) (If I'm really cranking this week:) Read and take notes on AvonS article for ch. 3.
Humming42
1 read for short bio piece
2 start drafting extended abstract
3 ok, finish book review
4 send another contact email
2 start drafting extended abstract
3 ok, finish book review
4 send another contact email
JaneB
1) go to gym. Once would do. Just GO!!
2) finish going through and commenting in detail on first paper for collaborators (it is SO not interesting...)
3) spend a little time with Picky Paper, remembering why I want to write it.
4) bed before midnight, deliberate food choices.
2) finish going through and commenting in detail on first paper for collaborators (it is SO not interesting...)
3) spend a little time with Picky Paper, remembering why I want to write it.
4) bed before midnight, deliberate food choices.
Karen
1. Finish pulling apart paper. 15 minutes
freewriting at beginning of each work day, and 250 words added (minimum) each
day.
2. Prepare archive transcripts plus images and banner text to send to printers.
3. Decide on gym. 3 x swim/walk/yoga.
2. Prepare archive transcripts plus images and banner text to send to printers.
3. Decide on gym. 3 x swim/walk/yoga.
KJHaxton
Write and deliver conference presentation 3
Finish off Kermit for delivery at week's end
Do as much marking as I can
Keep my head down and avoid people
Finish off Kermit for delivery at week's end
Do as much marking as I can
Keep my head down and avoid people
Kris
1. Finish track record for the project I do have
faith in.
2. 2.5 full writing days on the paper, with the aim of a complete rough draft.
3. Do my research/writing plan for the year. I must do this or I've no chance of pursuing my own research interests.
4. Nice things: dinner on beach with friends and family; yoga or jogging every day this week.
2. 2.5 full writing days on the paper, with the aim of a complete rough draft.
3. Do my research/writing plan for the year. I must do this or I've no chance of pursuing my own research interests.
4. Nice things: dinner on beach with friends and family; yoga or jogging every day this week.
Susan
1. Read proofs for article
2. Respond to readers report
3. Exercise 4 times
4. Do at least one session of weeding in the garden
5. Plan remaining work on book ms. revisions
6. Get back on sleep schedule
1. Read proofs for article
2. Respond to readers report
3. Exercise 4 times
4. Do at least one session of weeding in the garden
5. Plan remaining work on book ms. revisions
6. Get back on sleep schedule
Hi all! It looks like you've been accomplishing a lot in the first weeks of this session. Bravo/a!
ReplyDeleteI love the topic this time! My bad habit is starting out with a great plan for documenting a process or keeping myself on task, and then abandoning it part way through. I need to figure out how to figure out how to get myself to do the mundane record-keeping of life consistently.
Nice to have you visit! Hope things are going well for you :)
DeleteHi, Amstr! I, too, find myself setting up and abandoning systems more often than I like. I increasingly lean toward the simplest ones possible (and toward asking myself first whether I'll ever actually need/look at the record), but I don't have any more complete solution.
DeleteI recently bought a Passion Planner, but I find myself just using one spiral notebook for class prep, to-do lists, etc.
DeleteNice to see you! *waves*
This was a rough week for teaching, but I did manage to get ahead for a few weeks in terms of prep and material, so I can coast there this week. It was also a miserable week for faculty morale with several dire financial type meetings involving lay-offs. I'm ignoring it as best I can, pre-tenure faculty are very vulnerable, but there is nothing we can do about it right now. Fortunately I have enough other stuff to keep me busy.
ReplyDeleteThis week will be no fun and no sleep until revisions are done.
Last week's goals:
1) Finish revisions FAIL to complete, but progress
2) Finish new data processing DONE
3) Write outline of talk for local conference DECIDED NOT TO DO IT, too many competing priorities
4) Run HALF DONE
I was happy to decide not to do my own talk at local conference. I have a couple of abstracts there already, and I couldn't come up with any good reason for doing another one. I will attend and enjoy the company instead!
This week's goals:
Only one: Finish the revisions since they are now so TRQ it is not even funny...
Extra goal: As stated above - finish little things instead of letting them carry over. The perceived "improvement" from thinking about them too long is not worth the actual time it takes...
That sounds like a really tough week, hope this one is better. Progress is better than nothing on the revisions...
DeleteUgh, I'm sorry! What a nightmare. Focusing on work could be a nice relief.
DeleteCommiserations on the financial misery. There's a lot of that going around, and, though it's certainly hardest on those actually laid off, it's not easy for anyone, on any number of levels (ending up with a larger workload, feeling helpless, etc.)
DeleteLast week's goals
ReplyDeleteWrite and deliver conference presentation 3 - done
Finish off Kermit for delivery at week's end - done
Do as much marking as I can - done but not finished, it's never ending
Keep my head down and avoid people - to a point, didn't manage to avoid all of it though
I need to give the discussion topic some thought.
This week's goal
Marking. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
Good luck with the marking - may the end come into sight sometime!
DeleteCongratulations on the presentation and Kermit's delivery! That is a big thing!
DeleteMy worst habit for working. My goodness, what a good question. I'll have to think about that. It's not Daisy's leaving things partly done because when I do that I really do keep the ideas in my brain and the next time I come to it, I usually do have an answer or further thoughts. The reason why is that my thinking process is a writing process, so I leave a thought trail for me to look at, so I don't usually have to reread things, but just see what I was thinking (if I don't remember it). I also write a lot in a journal and find myself writing about those sticky questions, so I often process them a lot in there and can look in there to see what I was thinking. (Maybe that would work for Daisy and others? When I do my journaling in the morning, I'm often writing about the decisions I have to make -- without the writing, I'd have a hard time making those decisions, honestly.)
ReplyDeleteFor now, I'm going to go with leaving some comparatively little things on my to-do list for a long period of time rather than getting them up and out in the little pieces of time I do occasionally have.
Last Week's Goals
1. Research: Send out needed email. Keep going with sabbatical app. Check funds for online course. NO. I DIDN'T DO ANY OF THESE THINGS.
2. Health: Go to vision appointment on Monday and reassess supplements, if needed. Add in new supplements as suggested by new book. Keep reading new book. Inch forward with relaxation or anxiety CBT books. Try to go to bed earlier the night before teaching days. WENT TO VISION APPT AND REASSESSED SUPPLEMENTS. READ MORE OF NEW BOOK. HAVE NOT INCHED FORWARD ON CBT.
3. Read. Enjoy. Just because. I think reading is necessary to my overall health! FINISHED SECOND BOOK BUT HAVE NOT STARTED A NEW ONE.
4. Family: Address teaching day dinner issue. Move forward with Spirited Son issues. Keep making time for family, but also schedule the work time, then be firm about my need to get work done at home. Mom's door can't always be open and keeping calm while being firm is important. ADDRESSED FOOD AFTER TEACHING ISSUE (TRADER JOES!), MOVED FORWARD WITH SPIRITED SON ISSUES THOUGH THERE'S MORE TO DO THERE, BEING BETTER ABOUT BEING FIRM.
5. Herbalism: I don't know that this is vital right now. Consider ordering the stuff for the kava chai. HAVEN'T DONE THIS BUT REALLY NEED TO.
6. Keep up with work stuff: Have grading coming in on Tuesday, so I need to schedule that and get it done in decent order. FAILED TO GET IT DONE ON WEDNESDAY THOUGH I DID GET SOME DONE ON THURSDAY. GRADING THIS WEEKEND.
DeleteAnalysis
This week I got sucked up into Big Service Project. (I like this kind of service, and I do let it sort of take over my brain, which I need to work on when I'm at home. Poor husband is probably sick of hearing about it, and I spend enough time at work that when I'm home at night I'd like to *be* home for them and for me, which would probably benefit the work too.) I didn't grade in my office hours like I should've, but instead ran around trying to change the world. A serious problem is that I didn't eat lunch at work any of the days I was at work. This is very bad health-wise, which means it's bad for the family, me, work, everything. I must work on eating at work and refusing to have my food time taken up by meetings or running around. It was ridiculous to carry around the same lunch all week.
Crucially, my health has taken a turn for the worse and a foot and leg problem I had a couple years ago (tarsel tunnel syndrome, the leg equivalent of carpal tunnel) has recurred as the result of a bad middle-of-the-night leg cramp, which also came with my first hot flash. (Woohoo!) So health stuff has to come to the top of the list -- which should be easier to remember because I'm limping and in pain. Oh I wish I weren't my own worst enemy! I just imagine I'd be so amazingly productive if I woke up and felt decent and looked out on the day, saying: so what can I accomplish today? Instead, I wake up, feel crappy, and ask: what do I have to do today before I can curl back up in bed or watch my shows or be left alone? I've had this terrible attitude pretty much all my life because managing my own mental and physical health has always been a challenge.
This upcoming week is the last week before I go away for a workshop. So I have to decide whether I'm going to go and get shots for my foot this week, a week that is already overscheduled. (I wanted to change doctors, but I'll need to go to the old one to get the shot.)
Next Week's Goals
1. Research: I got revisions this week for an article I wrote. I at least need to email the editor back. Other than that, I don't have it in me to make goals about research. I'd like to do my morning journaling.
2. Health: I must eat lunch at work. I'm trying to eat better/more vegetables and fewer sweets and simple carbs. I must take exquisite care of myself and my ankle to the point that I feel like I'm wrapped in a loving self-hug all the time. I have to let myself be slow (there's no other way). I need to figure out whether I need to get to the doctor for the shot before I get on a plane. Eat regularly and well. Get good sleep. Take magnesium at night and other supplements religiously. Health has to be priority #1 even though it may not be as exciting as changing the world, one service opportunity at a time.
3. Read. Yes, that's a good idea. Read fun stuff while putting my leg up.
4. Family: Try not to be Crap Mom (see recent blogpost on that if you like) but don't push self too hard to be a perfect mom either. Focusing on my health and attitude helps the family. Pursue piano. Maybe go to homeschooling class with Spirited. Watch X-files with Husband. Try to enjoy here.
5. Herbalism: get the stuff for the Kava Kava drink ordered!
6. Keeping up with work: this week I'll get more to grade, and I need to keep up with it even though I will be out next week. I think I really need to move like water this week -- I have a lot scheduled. I need to keep up and not drive myself crazy and be loving to myself so I'll get well and do everything better.
Here's to loving self-care this week for all of us! We all do so much, we surely deserve it. And we'd surely do everything better too. Move like water, everyone!
I love the idea of moving like water--a great image to keep in mind. Good luck with everything, and I'm sorry about the leg problems!
DeleteI hope you can get some relief on health issues. Hot flashes...ugh!
Deletesympathies on the leg problem. I went through a period of middle-of-the-night leg cramps, and they're really miserable by themselves, let alone combined w/ other things.
DeleteOh yes, the utter ridiculousness of having been organised enough to take lunch to work and then having it lurk around all week - I've got last week's healthy lunch assemblage items still in the work fridge... Well done of the simple and easy solution to dinner after teaching.
DeleteThank you all for the sympathy for my various problems -- it really does help. Big hug to the four of you! Have a great week!
DeleteRough week! I read your crap mom post and boy can I relate! Last week I sent a friend a list of all the things I feel I'm doing badly with the kid for a stern talking-to and reality check - she has 4 kids and is my go-to expert when I need a dose of sense!
DeleteLast week's goals:
ReplyDelete1) Draft connecting paragraphs between points L & Q--500 words on ch. 3. DONE
2) Get a handle on Difficult Language Article 1 (towards R&R). DONE-ISH? (How do I know when this is done?)
3) Outline talk to be given in March. DONE (in a manner of speaking. I spent 15 minutes on it.)
4) Read for Seminar Week 3; prep Week 2. NEARLY DONE--Seminar is tomorrow!
5) Give myself modest rewards for working on own projects (and stop piddling the day away when I could be working). ??
6) Submit conference paper abstract. DONE
7) (If I'm really cranking this week:) Read and take notes on AvonS article for ch. 3. DONE
Goals for the coming week:
1) Shift priority towards talk by reading over chapter that I intend to focus on and doing some generative free-writing re. its key points and what I want to emphasize.
2) When (1) is done, brainstorm/draft a couple of paragraphs about ch. 4 and 5 that rough in the material that I want to bring in to the talk.
3) Grade 4 (short) papers/day.
4) Read friend's chapter for Friday's writing group.
Discussion topic: One little thing that I do that drives me crazy is open and read my email when I have no intention of responding immediately. These should-be-quick-answers then crowd my brain for days, and I don't actually get on top of the emails that I need to send. I'm trying to stop doing this as much as possible.
Even though I haven't managed to apply this principle, I came across the idea of "only touch it once"--that if we can force ourselves to respond to that email immediately, it will make a tremendous difference. I try to be mindful about responding asap, because I know I give myself terrible guilt the longer I put it off.
DeleteCreating "open loops" (maybe a "getting things done" term?) of various kinds is a problem for me, too; too many of them, even if they're small things, definitely clutter up the brain.
DeleteI do that as well. I'll even check email in line while buying tea, knowing I'm not going to respond. This semester, I've been really working on compartmentalizing email, dealing with it, then DELETING it.
DeleteAnd kudos for all of the "DONEs" for the week. Seems like you should find those "modest rewards"!
Open loops is a getting things done term. Yes, they definitely clutter the brain. GTD says that if you can do it in two minutes, do it. Otherwise, you've got to get it into your process (which means getting it on a list).
DeleteOf course, I can't do this either.
Very tricky to find the balance between email being a burden and being a tool... I find it helps to have designated "reply" times - I use it kind of as a break between other tasks, it works because most replies are easy, and then I get to do something different for a few minutes.
DeletePinpointing one bad habit is a great way to face up to something I need to change. I set goals that I think are quite reasonable and achievable, but then I prioritize everything ahead of research and writing. I can’t claim to be a writer if writing is the last thing I do. So I will schedule my writing time, either by reverting to a planner that has time sequences blocked (Passion Planner) or that has priority goals to set for each day (Get to Work Book). Having this week swept out from under me was difficult, and I am resisting planning ahead because I don’t want to fail at everything again.
ReplyDeletelast week:
1 read for short bio piece: no
2 start drafting extended abstract: no
3 ok, finish book review: no
4 send another contact email: no
I did none of these things. It was not a spectacular week, as I battled a migraine for half of it and wrangled with some interpersonal conflict for the other half. If I have one good habit, when I can allow myself, it’s to not feel guilty about what I didn’t do last week but to clear the slate and start over with new or renewed goals.
Writing deadlines are moving into TLQ, so my reset will be to get some work done on those projects.
this week:
1 draft short bio piece
2 draft extended abstract
3 decide whether to submit fascinating abstract
Wishing all a wonderful week ahead.
That sounds like a hard week. I'm sorry.
DeleteSome weeks are just a complete write-off. You're right that there's no point in feeling guilty after the fact, a clean slate for the restart is more important. Hope this week is better!
DeleteI, too, love the question. I don't have an answer at the moment, so I'm going to do the rest of the check-in, let it percolate, and try to remember to come back.
ReplyDeleteActually, writing below, I thought of one, but I'm already trying to break it, so I might try to think of another, and it's not really a work habit: I have a problem with waiting until too late at night to do things like take a shower, straighten up the kitchen, pack lunch, etc. I end up too tired to get off the couch and do even those things, but not too tired to keep clicking links on the internet. I'm trying to break the pattern by taking my shower earlier in the evening (I've always been an evening shower-taker), either just before or just after dinner, and doing the lunch packing much earlier (while preparing/cleaning up from the previous day's lunch, if I'm home on that day). Then I do a final email check *after* the shower and other practicalities are taken care of, and then try to turn off the computer and read something in analog format for at least 1/2 hour before going to bed. This seems to work, if I can start the whole chain early enough.
Goals for last week:
1. Redouble efforts to establish a bedtime routine/routine bedtime.
2. Exercise at least every other day (whatever works with the weather)
3. Keep working on boxes (exactly which aspect gets attention is also weather-, or, more precisely, plow- dependent).
4. Complete one more cooking project (parsley pesto) and replenish pantry.
1. Mixed success. I have figured out what a successful bedtime routine would look like (see above), but it got interrupted by the family situation (waiting for an update phone call) once, and several times by the press of school work (the add/drop date got extended thanks to the snow, so a logistics-heavy part of the semester has gotten worse, as I have to keep re-doing tasks as new students add. I also had to move another class session online due to a late opening.)
2. Did quite well one day, but only one day. This, too, got partly swallowed by the press of work.
3. Got a good deal done on this (but still need to do a dropoff; car is quite full).
4. Did some pantry replenishing, including a farmer's market visit and some grocery shopping, and toasted nuts for pesto, but didn't actually make pesto (parsley is in freezer, so this isn't urgent).
Analysis: I learned early this week (Mon? Tues? it's all blurring a bit) that my father had some problems over the weekend that were probably exacerbated by isolation during the blizzard, and needed to be moved temporarily to inpatient hospice care. I didn't have much hands-on involvement (my brother, fortunately, did, and we all had a nice visit today), but it was a distraction (though I think the upshot is going to be that we get in place a better plan/arrangement, with some professional nursing help to aid my stepmother, who is getting understandably overwhelmed on multiple levels). And, as mentioned above, the snow continued to increase teaching work (which is already logistics-heavy at this part of the semester) pretty much to fill the time available. So I'm feeling pretty good about having gotten through in as good shape as I did, with at least occasional nods to self-care.
Goals for this week:
1. Fit in regular exercise
2. Keep working on establishing bedtime routine
3. Continue work on boxes (one drop off; maybe another load; more sorting/packing)
4. Do some cooking if time.
P.S. I meant to post a link to this NPR story on information overload last week. It's sort of relevant to email handling, but possibly also a separate topic for some time in the future: http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/01/25/463232382/get-a-grip-on-your-information-overload-with-infomagical .
DeleteGreat story - we can all use a bit of a break from too much information.
DeleteYour goal to get a good bedtime routine is a really valuable one - disrupted sleep is a killer for every single aspect of our days!
I think this is a great question. And I think my worst habit is allowing myself to be distracted by email. I'm beginning to just close my email program while I'm writing, so I only do email a few times a day. It's so easy to get sucked into email conversation! I may not spend much time on it, but it disrupts my concentration.
ReplyDeleteMy goals for last week:
1. Read proofs for article DONE
2. Respond to readers report DONE
3. Exercise 4 times FIVE!!!!
4. Do at least one session of weeding in the garden NO - it's been wet when I've had time.
5. Plan remaining work on book ms. revisions NO
6. Get back on sleep schedule Somewhat, but given my commitment to waiting until the last minute to prepare my morning class, it isn't perfect!
Analysis: in some ways I'm astonished I did as well as I did, as I had meetings every day this week, which meant it was only yesterday and today when I had some focused time. And I had some TLQ stuff (Taxes that were due today) that had to be done. That said, I'd even forgotten that I'd wanted to plan the book revisions.
Goals for this week:
1. Read book and write book review which is now (a little) overdue
2. Start reading books for book prize committee
3. Get one journal off the shelf -- go through, read relevant articles, and put potential teaching or future project stuff in zotero
4. Keep up with exercise -- goal of 5 days is good.
5. Get sleep schedule regular
6. Get in some weeding. We've been having rain, which means weeds are *very* happy!
Goals for last week:
Delete-Revise a little bit of the chapter section daily
I didn't do this, but I wrote notes and article & book reviews every day.
-Read one article or chapter a day
I think I managed this, with one exception.
-Make time for creatuve writing regularly
I only wrote once.
Goals for this week:
-Write something for the chapter section every day
-Read one chapter or article a day
-Do some creative writing each day
Habit to break:
When things go bad at home I get really discouraged and stop doing any significant tasks. Instead, I should immediately take my work to a café and stay there until I've moved the project forward.
Pretty good week for you! Yay for the extra exercise too!
DeleteGoals for last week:
ReplyDelete-Revise a little bit of the chapter section daily
I didn't do this, but I wrote notes and article & book reviews every day.
-Read one article or chapter a day
I think I managed this, with one exception.
-Make time for creatuve writing regularly
I only wrote once.
Goals for this week:
-Write something for the chapter section every day
-Read one chapter or article a day
-Do some creative writing each day
Habit to break:
When things go bad at home I get really discouraged and stop doing any significant tasks. Instead, I should immediately take my work to a café and stay there until I've moved the project forward.
Goals for last week:
ReplyDelete-Revise a little bit of the chapter section daily
I didn't do this, but I wrote notes and article & book reviews every day.
-Read one article or chapter a day
I think I managed this, with one exception.
-Make time for creatuve writing regularly
I only wrote once.
Goals for this week:
-Write something for the chapter section every day
-Read one chapter or article a day
-Do some creative writing each day
Habit to break:
When things go bad at home I get really discouraged and stop doing any significant tasks. Instead, I should immediately take my work to a café and stay there until I've moved the project forward.
Welcome!
DeleteAgree, sometimes a change of scene is really helpful.
Getting to the cafe, for me, is always a great start. You have my full support in your efforts to just GET OUT THE DOOR.
DeleteThanks! It's true that the simple fact of working in a different physical space can be refreshing. It also makes me feel like I'm taking good care of myself.
DeleteHmmm, it's an interesting topic. One habit I would like to break is task-jumping - moving my attention from one thing to another without resolving it. This is more than just email, but usually happens when I have a whole lot of open loops and no screamingly immediate priority. Working on being present and working to a list might help here - I will try that this week.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1. Finish pulling apart paper. 15 minutes freewriting at beginning of each work day, and 250 words added (minimum) each day.
Nope.
2. Prepare archive transcripts plus images and banner text to send to printers.
Nope.
3. Decide on gym. 3 x swim/walk/yoga.
Yes, and I've hit the point of having settled some exercise into enough of a routine that I am being reminded by my body that this is a good thing.
Next Week: Preparations for teaching semester are getting more urgent, and a reasonable amount of postgrad activity scheduled in.
1. Finish pulling apart paper.
2. 15 minutes freewriting at beginning of each work day
3. 250 words added (minimum) each day.
4. 3 x exercise
5. 10.30 screen time curfew, and evening work to be only set small tasks with time limit.
So nice when exercise starts to pay off in mood and habits!
DeleteI'll be interested to find our what you think of the morning freewriting. I think a good practice for me would be to do freewriting at the end of block of time that I use for PhD work (whether reading, writing, thinking, etc.).
DeleteI'm going to identify two bad habits. One of them has to do with research and writing: I read an article (or chapter or book or whatever), and then I don't incorporate the research into my writing right away, and then I have to read the stuff again later. Solution? I have not been good at keeping a formal annotated bibliography, but I do keep a handwritten notebook as I research, and I think it would help tremendously if I free-write for a few pages after each source that I read. Then I think I could cut down on re-reading significantly. I hope.
ReplyDeleteThe second thing: When I get leave from my family to go get some work done, I need to GET OUT THE DOOR. Yesterday, I totally got sucked into all kinds of family/kid management and lost a couple hours of work because I didn't GET OUT THE DOOR.
Last week's goals:
1) 100 pages of primary text. NO, but I read 60.
2) Edit conference paper down to 10-11 pages. ALMOST: 11.5 pages.
3) Print Spy chapter and review with an eye to revision and article development. NO. I've decided to print the Magic chapter instead, and I'll do it this week.
4) Write 500 words of intro. NO.
5) read one article or chapter. YES. Two, in fact.
6) help son with presentation. YES.
7) Have date with daughter. NO, but we had a family date.
8) exercise 3x with at least one swim!. NOT QUITE. 2x with one swim.
This week's goals need to be modest. It's hubby's birthday, my son has a presentation to do for 4-H County Presentation Day, and my daughter is going to a 5th grade camp for the weekend, and I have to get her ready. And it's the Super Bowl! Go Broncos!
This week's goals:
1) Help son finish/practice presentation that he'll give on Saturday (it's about getting a rocket into orbit in the game/simulation called Kerbal Space Program)
2) Figure out how to celebrate husband's b-day (in addition to family dinner).
3) Get daughter ready for camp in a non-stressful way.
4) Conference paper down to 10 pages.
5) Start putting together a few slides for conference paper (let's say four images)
6) Print Magic chapter.
7) one chapter/article of criticism
8) Write 500 words for intro
9) 40 pages of primary text
Good week!
DeleteYour research habit is one I struggle with too! I'm trying to deal with that one in new projects by setting up spreadsheets in which I can record some basic information as I read. So far it is a pain to use, but I'm getting better at keeping up with it.
I started a spreadsheet once, but I had a terrible time committing to it. I hope you're able to craft a system that works for you.
Delete--GEW (and that was me above... I created a new account to use for a class blog, and I keep signing in here as my IRL self! So much for the veil of anonymity)
allan wilson
ReplyDeleteLast week:
1) decide what to do about overseas conference - I booked it. Although still freaking out a bit.
2) work on submitting the two papers, and more specifically not being avoidant YES - to one, and the other, well no.
3) finish two grant applications, both short YES
4) do two fun things with my child while on leave for most of the week YES, and they were fun!
This week:
1) deal to FS draft that I have been avoiding
2) work on CR ms that I have also been avoiding
3) find a way to exercise more during the week. Maybe goal of 8,000 steps a day?
Bad habits: heaps! Not finishing- avoiding, a perennial favourite. I am trying to schedule time to finish, find tricks like the wine bottle rack with wine to drink when I finish something,and create an atmosphere eg at home where I feel less stressed and so more inclined to chill out and be able to get into unfinished mss away from urgent unwanted tasks. Eating when tired / depressed is another. I am trying to train myself to rant or exercise, but this is hard.
Great accomplishments this week. Kudos! And I hope that a part of you is able to look forward to the conference/trip.
DeleteLate, sorry...
ReplyDeleteTractable bad work habit: I've been thinking about this a lot, and the conclusion I've come to is that one thing I've NOT tried to address, even treated as a positive, is actually a problem - carrying on when I'm tired/fidgety/losing focus. It's classic 80:20 rule territory - getting up, changing task, having a stretch or a snack or a drink or a gaze out the window, would all be better options. Trying to keep working when I'm fighting my physical self is a losing battle - maybe something to do once a month if tomorrow's lecture is still not ready, but not something to make a habit of. Mental self, sure, Bugge Spray and arguments to the fore. But my physical body tends to be the most neglected aspect anyway, and once it gets itchy or stiff or achy or just plumb bored (I think boredom has a physical "can't sit still/stay like this" and a mental component) it starts sending pain/eyes closing or itching or drying/yawning/itching/hungry/whatever signals and I need to listen to it, not keep telling it to shut up and wait.
Last week: gah. Marking. So. Hard. this year.
Did not go to gym. Did a fairly sketchy job of commenting in detail on the paper, but sent it off. Did not spend time with Picky Paper (did on Tuesday this week. It's easy, I don't know why I don't want to do it I just DON'T). Bed - all over the place. Food - huh.
This week: nearly over. I am allowing myself a 'recovery from January' week, with minimal out of office working, early nights, and junk fiction and better food (right now I have a veggie and cottage cheese oven-frittata cooking away and butternut squash roasting to make a lasagne with, and I've been packing a box of assorted fruit for the office, with the rule that if I eat all the fruit during the day and need to leave after 6, I can get a snack from the machine - but usually at the end of the day there's a banana or a satsuma left, and I've pretty much avoided the snack-trap (and it's good to have something to eat when I get the 'snack urge' in the afternoon, although I may be confusing upstairs colleagues because my 'stroll around the ground floor' minute break takes me past said machine, so I've adopted a 'stroll there and back on the first floor' alternative - you can't walk a single loop on the first floor - so I've been going past their offices one way and then back again more often than they're used to. So goals.
1) sleep and food
2) gym once (this weekend, Sat or Sun. Meant to go yesterday, ended up being at work from 08:30 to 7pm and after that I'd just had enough of people)
3) reply to DrVisit about a joint paper.
4) freewrite about Picky Paper. I think I have an emotional problem with Picky Paper I just can't quite catch hold of it and drag it out into the light to take a good look at it and see if it's a mouse or a mammoth, as the strategies need to be different depending).
Thanks! It's true that the simple fact of working in a different physical space can be refreshing. It also makes me feel like I'm taking good care of myself.
ReplyDelete