WHY???
Last week we all set out our goals for this
session of the TLQ group. There were many different ones, and I always find it
fascinating to see how different people organize their work and everything
else.
For this week’s topic, take those same goals you
set out last week (the WHAT) and write a WHY for each of them. TLQ goals tend to be internally motivated for
most people, so this should be a nice motivational exercise in articulating why
we do or want to do certain things.
However, sometimes the WHY may be something purely
external like “I have to do it otherwise I get fired” but in those cases, try
to think of a deeper, more personal, or more satisfying reason. If there really
is no internal reason for a particular goal you can think of, try this: “What
will be particularly satisfying about accomplishing said goal?” or “What will
make the happiest about being done with X?
Below are last week’s goals for everyone, and
session goals overall so we can have a nice visual reminder! Format for
checking in is to address the discussion topic if you want, report on your
goals for this week, and pick goals for next week, in whatever order that works
for you... We will be getting posts up either on Friday night or Saturday mornings leaving all weekend for checking in.
allan wilson
Session Goals
1) spend two hours on average each work day
writing
2) work on a novel I want to start writing once a week
3) exercise at least three times a week
2) work on a novel I want to start writing once a week
3) exercise at least three times a week
This week's goals:
1. write something on the novel- maybe a plot structure that I have in my head?
2. Exercise
3. Attend to two papers that are in the submission process.
1. write something on the novel- maybe a plot structure that I have in my head?
2. Exercise
3. Attend to two papers that are in the submission process.
Contingent
Cassandra
Session Goals:
--Do whatever I can to support my family members
(father, brother, stepmother, nieces and nephews, and sister-in law) during my
father's dying process, while also taking care of myself, and keeping up with
my basic professional and other commitments.
--Take care of myself, including working exercise and regular sleep into my schedule whenever circumstances allow (and perhaps sometimes when it seems like they don't), and keeping the pantry/freezer stocked with healthy and easy-to-prepare food (for myself and any family members who may end up crashing at my place).
--making continued progress on the most vital TLQ financial/household tasks (taxes et al. and boxes still sums this area up pretty well).
--Take care of myself, including working exercise and regular sleep into my schedule whenever circumstances allow (and perhaps sometimes when it seems like they don't), and keeping the pantry/freezer stocked with healthy and easy-to-prepare food (for myself and any family members who may end up crashing at my place).
--making continued progress on the most vital TLQ financial/household tasks (taxes et al. and boxes still sums this area up pretty well).
Last week’s goals:
1. Cook and freeze some food (one pot of soup
already done; another in progress; I need to finish and freeze that and make
some oatmeal for the week ahead).
2. Make some progress on the @#$%! boxes (really,
any progress will do; I'll be near a dropoff point tomorrow, so I should have
something ready to take with me on that trip;just dealing with the ones that
require the least decision-making is probably the right approach).
3. Begin exercising regularly, even a bit, doing
whatever makes sense given the weather, at least every other day.
Daisy
Session Goals:
1) The three papers in revision right now have to go away, and go away forever...'nuff said...
2) Write the first two papers on new field area.
3) Read more papers - will break this down each week.
4) Get exercise back into my schedule - I'm signed up for a very long race in May to help with inspiration.
Goals for this week:
1) Finish revision for paper that is due in 2 weeks
2) Conference abstract for fabulous event in March
3) Conference abstract for local event in February
4) Run OUTSIDE twice, inside twice.
5) Sort out new term's schedule and plan times for cooking and activities now before things go crazy.
1) The three papers in revision right now have to go away, and go away forever...'nuff said...
2) Write the first two papers on new field area.
3) Read more papers - will break this down each week.
4) Get exercise back into my schedule - I'm signed up for a very long race in May to help with inspiration.
Goals for this week:
1) Finish revision for paper that is due in 2 weeks
2) Conference abstract for fabulous event in March
3) Conference abstract for local event in February
4) Run OUTSIDE twice, inside twice.
5) Sort out new term's schedule and plan times for cooking and activities now before things go crazy.
Earnest
English
Session Goals
1. Research: In general, I'd like to have gotten my research world back in order. Specifically, by the end of March, I'd like to have gotten my sabbatical application ready. (Ooh, it makes me nervous just to write that.) Send out unpublished Olive Tree branches. And by the end I'd better have long since addressed galleys of Forsythia, which are currently staring reproachfully at me.
2. Health: I'd like to work on getting some movement, centering (meditating, coloring, whatever), and relaxation into my life on a regular joyous (hopefully) basis. This has to be broken up into steps. And vegetables are to be sought out, even if under a blanket of cheese. Salads at Panera are worth the cost (though maybe not the perils of the snowy drive). I also want to maintain a sense of purposeness and centeredness instead of getting so stressed or anxious quite so often. This is all of a piece (peace!) to me. Must move like water more often. It's all good.
3. Reading: I want to read more books. I want to also stop beating myself up about this. I think this means I need to blog the absurdity out of my system. Sometimes one needs to be humiliated out of one's idiocies. I have a blog for this purpose; I need to use it.
4. Family: There are loads of things I want in here so I know that I have to be careful here because that means there's the possibility of making all this into sticks to beat myself with. I want to prepare more meals than I did in Fall. I want to keep up on gardening, when that comes back up. I want to spend more time working with Absurdist Spirited Son on his education, etc. I want to get a babysitter occasionally.
1. Research: In general, I'd like to have gotten my research world back in order. Specifically, by the end of March, I'd like to have gotten my sabbatical application ready. (Ooh, it makes me nervous just to write that.) Send out unpublished Olive Tree branches. And by the end I'd better have long since addressed galleys of Forsythia, which are currently staring reproachfully at me.
2. Health: I'd like to work on getting some movement, centering (meditating, coloring, whatever), and relaxation into my life on a regular joyous (hopefully) basis. This has to be broken up into steps. And vegetables are to be sought out, even if under a blanket of cheese. Salads at Panera are worth the cost (though maybe not the perils of the snowy drive). I also want to maintain a sense of purposeness and centeredness instead of getting so stressed or anxious quite so often. This is all of a piece (peace!) to me. Must move like water more often. It's all good.
3. Reading: I want to read more books. I want to also stop beating myself up about this. I think this means I need to blog the absurdity out of my system. Sometimes one needs to be humiliated out of one's idiocies. I have a blog for this purpose; I need to use it.
4. Family: There are loads of things I want in here so I know that I have to be careful here because that means there's the possibility of making all this into sticks to beat myself with. I want to prepare more meals than I did in Fall. I want to keep up on gardening, when that comes back up. I want to spend more time working with Absurdist Spirited Son on his education, etc. I want to get a babysitter occasionally.
This week’s Goals:
1. Clearly I must move forward with Forsythia. I
printed it out and sent an email earlier today, so I'm finally moving on it. So
by Sunday morning, I really need to have gone through the galleys with a red
pen. There! I said it. I will also try to freewrite in the morning at least 3x.
2. I'm going to the cardiologist on Thursday, and it's going to snow, and I really don't think on a week where I found out David Bowie died (I'm embarrassingly upset about this) that much more can be expected out of me on the path of health. I also woke up at 6am today after several weeks of sleeping in. I'm trying to eat better. What more can I realistically do? I think, rather, I need to be very good to myself. How about make sure to do crunches as well as leg lifts when I watch my shows? Let's say 3x this week. And sleep.
3. I ordered some fun books, and when they get here I will read them. I will try not to "should" myself to death that I should be reading "better" books.
4. I'll cook a couple times this week. Spend some time with Spirited Son.
2. I'm going to the cardiologist on Thursday, and it's going to snow, and I really don't think on a week where I found out David Bowie died (I'm embarrassingly upset about this) that much more can be expected out of me on the path of health. I also woke up at 6am today after several weeks of sleeping in. I'm trying to eat better. What more can I realistically do? I think, rather, I need to be very good to myself. How about make sure to do crunches as well as leg lifts when I watch my shows? Let's say 3x this week. And sleep.
3. I ordered some fun books, and when they get here I will read them. I will try not to "should" myself to death that I should be reading "better" books.
4. I'll cook a couple times this week. Spend some time with Spirited Son.
Elizabeth
Anne Mitchell
My session goals:
I want to make substantial progress on my critical edition. It has been hanging around for more than a decade, and I just have the commentary and footnotes to finish.
I want to finish a short story for submission at the end of April.
I want to get in better shape, once I’m cleared for exercise. I need to resume walking, and may have to hit the recumbent bike in the gym as well.
Next week’s goals:
I want to make substantial progress on my critical edition. It has been hanging around for more than a decade, and I just have the commentary and footnotes to finish.
I want to finish a short story for submission at the end of April.
I want to get in better shape, once I’m cleared for exercise. I need to resume walking, and may have to hit the recumbent bike in the gym as well.
Next week’s goals:
Write at least 500 words and clean up a page of
footnotes on the critical edition.
Plot and outline the short story.
Relax and recover after surgery.
Plot and outline the short story.
Relax and recover after surgery.
Good Enough
Woman
Session goals:
1) Write a solid draft of the introduction for thesis
2) Revise Chapter 1 (I'll call it Spy)
3) Revise Chapter 2 (I'll call it Magic)
4) Revise Chapter 3 (I'll call it Authority)
5) Submit at least one article for publication (probably one based on Spy)
6) Maintain exercise (5x per week of at least 20-40 minutes)
7) Eat more veggies
8) At least two special activities with kids per month (outdoor adventures, craft projects, etc.)
This week:
1) Integrate notes into Chapter 3
2) Create bibliography of remaining sources I need for Chapter 3
3) Write 1000 words of introduction
4) Write solid draft of conference paper that I'll give February
5) Cook b-day dinner for my mom
6) Exercise
7) Organize school office and buy a couple of plants for said office
1) Write a solid draft of the introduction for thesis
2) Revise Chapter 1 (I'll call it Spy)
3) Revise Chapter 2 (I'll call it Magic)
4) Revise Chapter 3 (I'll call it Authority)
5) Submit at least one article for publication (probably one based on Spy)
6) Maintain exercise (5x per week of at least 20-40 minutes)
7) Eat more veggies
8) At least two special activities with kids per month (outdoor adventures, craft projects, etc.)
This week:
1) Integrate notes into Chapter 3
2) Create bibliography of remaining sources I need for Chapter 3
3) Write 1000 words of introduction
4) Write solid draft of conference paper that I'll give February
5) Cook b-day dinner for my mom
6) Exercise
7) Organize school office and buy a couple of plants for said office
heu mihi
My session goals:
1) Finish drafting ch. 3
2) Write/prepare a talk that I'm giving on March 8
3) Write Kalamazoo paper (for mid-May)
4) Get research for ch. 6 underway
This week's goals:
1) Incorporate scraps of old essay into ch. 3
2) Write 2000 new words (classes don't start until next week, so why not dream big?)
3) Finish reading relevant portion of book about monks
4) Prep first and third weeks of grad seminar (don't ask me why I'm going out of order--I have no good answer to that!)
1) Finish drafting ch. 3
2) Write/prepare a talk that I'm giving on March 8
3) Write Kalamazoo paper (for mid-May)
4) Get research for ch. 6 underway
This week's goals:
1) Incorporate scraps of old essay into ch. 3
2) Write 2000 new words (classes don't start until next week, so why not dream big?)
3) Finish reading relevant portion of book about monks
4) Prep first and third weeks of grad seminar (don't ask me why I'm going out of order--I have no good answer to that!)
JaneB
Session Goals:
1) plan my conference-going for the year, including abstract submission dates, topics etc.
2) either find and renew my lost and expired passport or just apply for a new one from scratch
3) set up and launch a web page for the project I nickname Gallimaufry
4) make some substantial progress on the paper nicknamed Picky Paper and on either Ferret or Fancy (which are from team projects so not entirely under my control)
5) take small steps every week to make my domestic environment and self-care more of a priority
This Week:
I have two trips (one to a medical appointment, one to a work meeting) next week, and extra grading will be coming in thick and fast. My TRQ - urgent AND important - goal is definitely to finish the Big Nasty Marking Task before the weekend so I can then crack on with the smaller but still highly unpleasant ones. But around that, TLQ still needs to happen. I would like to:
1) revisit Picky Paper and spend an hour reading over the notes I have and sketching out a plan for what next
2) write and submit an abstract for 'did I really say I'd go to this'? conference (due mid-week)
3) go to the gym at least twice, even if all I'm in the mood to do is walk slowly on the treadmill
4) go to bed before midnight every 'schoolnight' (I add the qualifier because it's 02:21 between Saturday and Sunday right now...) and make thoughtful food choices (they don't have to be perfectly 'good', just considered).
1) plan my conference-going for the year, including abstract submission dates, topics etc.
2) either find and renew my lost and expired passport or just apply for a new one from scratch
3) set up and launch a web page for the project I nickname Gallimaufry
4) make some substantial progress on the paper nicknamed Picky Paper and on either Ferret or Fancy (which are from team projects so not entirely under my control)
5) take small steps every week to make my domestic environment and self-care more of a priority
This Week:
I have two trips (one to a medical appointment, one to a work meeting) next week, and extra grading will be coming in thick and fast. My TRQ - urgent AND important - goal is definitely to finish the Big Nasty Marking Task before the weekend so I can then crack on with the smaller but still highly unpleasant ones. But around that, TLQ still needs to happen. I would like to:
1) revisit Picky Paper and spend an hour reading over the notes I have and sketching out a plan for what next
2) write and submit an abstract for 'did I really say I'd go to this'? conference (due mid-week)
3) go to the gym at least twice, even if all I'm in the mood to do is walk slowly on the treadmill
4) go to bed before midnight every 'schoolnight' (I add the qualifier because it's 02:21 between Saturday and Sunday right now...) and make thoughtful food choices (they don't have to be perfectly 'good', just considered).
Karen
Session Goals:
1. Submit co-authored paper (let's call it Earth)
2. Revisit older conference paper (call it Body) and have a complete draft of an expanded paper for journal submission.
3. Find an exercise routine that works for me
4. Be prepared for major research fieldwork in late March-early April.
Week Goals: This week is pretty clear from meeting etc - so writing time is a priority.
1. 2 hours of writing time each working day.
2. Contact all participants for fieldwork collaboration.
3. Fill in gym paperwork for trial membership, 3x swimming or walking across the week.
1. Submit co-authored paper (let's call it Earth)
2. Revisit older conference paper (call it Body) and have a complete draft of an expanded paper for journal submission.
3. Find an exercise routine that works for me
4. Be prepared for major research fieldwork in late March-early April.
Week Goals: This week is pretty clear from meeting etc - so writing time is a priority.
1. 2 hours of writing time each working day.
2. Contact all participants for fieldwork collaboration.
3. Fill in gym paperwork for trial membership, 3x swimming or walking across the week.
KJHaxton
Session Goals:
1. Write scary paper 2 and scary paper 1
2. Develop research tools for Loop and Kermit
3. 25 hand crafted items.
Week goals:
1 - revisions to Gemstone paper
2 - write Scary paper 2
3 - finish 3 conference presentations (Scary project, Picture project, and House project).Matilda
Kris
Session goal: I want to revise, commit to, and
work my research plan for the year (tight plan) and the following two years
(looser plan), and to put that plan first in my decisions to say 'yes' or 'no'
to 'opportunities' that arise.
Week goal:
Week goal:
a) list the
papers/ research outputs I am committed to in 2016
b) list the papers/ research I want to do in 2016 - 2018
c) list the people I want to professionally connect with in 2016
d) jot down ideas for working and timetabling in ways that will help me prioritise the work I want to do.
None of the above require strict timetabling, more an imagining of what I want my research future to look like.
b) list the papers/ research I want to do in 2016 - 2018
c) list the people I want to professionally connect with in 2016
d) jot down ideas for working and timetabling in ways that will help me prioritise the work I want to do.
None of the above require strict timetabling, more an imagining of what I want my research future to look like.
Matilda
My session goals:
1) Write chapter 2 of my planned book.
2) Revise chapter 1 of my book.
3) Write two short articles.
4) Live a healthier life.
Weekly goals:
1) Finish the paper (from last session).
2) Finish the short article.
3) Have less snacks at night.
4) Exercise for 5 minutes three times a day.
1) Write chapter 2 of my planned book.
2) Revise chapter 1 of my book.
3) Write two short articles.
4) Live a healthier life.
Weekly goals:
1) Finish the paper (from last session).
2) Finish the short article.
3) Have less snacks at night.
4) Exercise for 5 minutes three times a day.
scottishwriter
Session Goals:
1) Only check emails at my desk, never before work
and maybe twice at weekends
2) Yoga and exercise every week
3) Apply for several grants to buy me out for research leave
4) Say no to all conference / talk invitations
5) Finish two articles that have been nearly finished for ages
6) Finish translation of book for children (fun!)
2) Yoga and exercise every week
3) Apply for several grants to buy me out for research leave
4) Say no to all conference / talk invitations
5) Finish two articles that have been nearly finished for ages
6) Finish translation of book for children (fun!)
Goals for this week:
1) Finalise last Semester’s grades and get through exam boards
2) Hand over one big admin role to colleague
3) Draft of one grant application
4) 2x 1 hour article writing sessions
5) 2x 1 hour translation sessions
6) No work at the weekend.
1) Finalise last Semester’s grades and get through exam boards
2) Hand over one big admin role to colleague
3) Draft of one grant application
4) 2x 1 hour article writing sessions
5) 2x 1 hour translation sessions
6) No work at the weekend.
Susan
Session Goals:
1. Finish book ms. (I have maybe 2 days of work
before I can send it to a press.)
2. Work on Conference Paper revision, due probably some time in April.
3. Keep up with regular exercise, and add in at least one walking morning a week.
4. Stop checking email on Sunday.
5. Strive to keep up with 7 hours sleep nightly
Goals for this week:
1. Finish syllabi
2. Do at least one day on book ms.
3. Do one walk in addition to three gym visits
2. Work on Conference Paper revision, due probably some time in April.
3. Keep up with regular exercise, and add in at least one walking morning a week.
4. Stop checking email on Sunday.
5. Strive to keep up with 7 hours sleep nightly
Goals for this week:
1. Finish syllabi
2. Do at least one day on book ms.
3. Do one walk in addition to three gym visits
Have a wonderful week everyone!
Discussion topic:
ReplyDeleteWHY these Session Goals?
1) The three papers in revision right now have to go away, and go away forever...'nuff said...
Because: If I don't get them done I will forever feel that my PhD was a sub-standard mess, and that all that work went down the drain...
2) Write the first two papers on new field area.
Because: the area is amazing, the people I work with are really inspiring and I really want to be part of that conversation. This area and project is making me feel like a real actual scientist who can make a real actual contribution to knowing something we didn't know before... And also, if I want to continue working in the area (which is amazing and beautiful and expensive to get to) I have to produce quality work :)
3) Read more papers - will break this down each week.
Because this makes me feel like I'm part of a wider conversation in my field, makes me way more up-to-date on everything going on, and has made my own work more interesting.
4) Get exercise back into my schedule - I'm signed up for a very long race in May to help with inspiration.
Because I feel better when I run. That should be enough, but also, I'm a nicer person when I run, with more patience, more stamina, and more sleep. And, being under-trained for the same race last year really hurt!
ADDITION to Session Goals for me:
5) Take a few ski lessons with child!
Because: It feels ridiculous to not ski given that we live in half-frozen place, and if I don't make a serious effort the winter will be gone before I get to it! And also it might be fun :)
Goals for this week:
1) Finish revision for paper that is due in 2 weeks HALF DONE
2) Conference abstract for fabulous event in March DONE
3) Conference abstract for local event in February HALF DONE because the data is stuck inside someone else's computer, computer got a virus, and now it is completely locked out of everything...
4) Run OUTSIDE twice, inside twice. FAILED at outside, DONE for inside....
5) Sort out new term's schedule and plan times for cooking and activities now before things go crazy. DONE
The schedule is finally functional, kid activities and fun things are pencilled in, and I have a bunch of nice students registered in my classes. We're already a week behind in one class thanks to a mid-week snow day... Oh well...
Oops... Forgot new goals!
DeleteThis week's goals:
1)Finish revisions
2)Read 5 new papers very seriously for new area
3)Run, inside and out, to each
I like the reasoning behind all your goals, but especially 1-3. While I'm not setting research/writing goals at the moment, getting to that point is definitely one of the underlying reasons for getting my infrastructure in order, and I think that I should start reading more papers/catching up with the literature more soon (but probably not this semester, unless the urge hits, in which case, I'll go with it).
DeleteYour reasons behind reading are a great reminder of why it can be a joy rather than a chore!
DeleteYes to what the others said about reading. And about the skiing: I learned to ski just a few years ago because we regularly visit a snowy place where my husband grew up, and he has mad skillz, so I needed to learn. I've only been a handful of times, but we just went skiing this past weekend, and I spent a whole day on the beginning slope with the kids. Very fun.
DeleteThe Why of my session goals:
ReplyDelete1) Finish drafting ch. 3--because I'm finally, finally on a roll with it, and I'm actually enjoying the work! Oh, and I'm going on a research trip this May that will help me to flesh the chapter out, and having a complete draft will make that SO much more productive and helpful.
2) Write/prepare a talk that I'm giving on March 8--because I agreed to it, first of all, and I would look like a fool if I showed up with nothing prepared. Additional internal motivation: This is actually a great chance to get some feedback on the direction that my work is taking, and I now have this fantastic community of local medievalists that I want to join as fully as possible.
3) Write Kalamazoo paper (for mid-May)--again, kind of required. I'm also not entirely sure that this paper still fits with my research agenda; however, it *might*, and writing it could help me to fill in some gaps. Plus, I love Kalamazoo, and the paper gives me a reason to go.
4) Get research for ch. 6 underway--I'm teaching the primary source that it's about this semester, so this is a really good time to dive in on it. I also want to ride the energy that I've had in my work these last few weeks for as long as possible! If I can get this chapter drafted over the summer, I'll be in really good shape to finish the whole MS next (academic) year.
This week's check-in on last week's goals:
1) Incorporate scraps of old essay into ch. 3 DONE
2) Write 2000 new words DONE
3) Finish reading relevant portion of book about monks DONE
4) Prep first and third weeks of grad seminar -- Did most of the reading; haven't made prep notes per se, but I'm very nearly where I'd hoped to be.
This week's goals (as classes begin):
1) Write 1500 words
2) Read one article/chapter related to my research
3) Read for (& prelim prep) seminar Week 2
4) Finish reading for seminar Week 1
2000 words, excellent progress! And writing a paper as a reason to go to a conference you enjoy sounds like a great justification...
DeleteSound like your goals are all going to work together well to build up momentum.
DeleteKaren--that's the hope, anyway. I fear that once classes start (in 75 minutes, actually) I will dive headlong into prep etc. and lose steam....
DeleteGood luck maintaining the excellent momentum!
DeleteOoo, neat question!
ReplyDeleteI'll answer it for my session goals, then check back in with the week's progress/next week's goals tomorrow (why yes, I DO hope to make progress on at least one of the current week's goals tomorrow morning).
session goal 1 plan my conference-going for the year, including abstract submission dates, topics etc.
This is a goal partly because I need to be careful not to over-commit myself, partly because I want to get maximum value out of my conference going and therefore plan well enough in advance to apply for any workshops/meetings etc. I can, partly because the lovely cattery lady's lovely cattery books up quickly and since Furball is now 16 I want to make sure she is staying in a place she is familiar with and with a person both she and I trust whilst I gallivant.
session goal 2) either find and renew my lost and expired passport or just apply for a new one from scratch
I will confess to you, oh internet, that I allowed my passport to lapse knowingly, not by accident, the year before last. I did NOT WANT to go abroad for conferences at some very deep level and I kind of knew where the document was but I couldn't find it on a quick look and went to ask about renewal without original and got a lecture about tidiness from the person at the post office, and frankly I was just so effing stressed/anxious/depressed about the whole travelling thing (airports I HATE (flying is OK, compared to airports), travelling Whilst Fat and With A Bad Back is not at all fun, and there is TOO MUCH PEOPLE and NOT ENOUGH SLEEP and NOT ENOUGH CONTROL OVER ANYTHING when travelling). So... I let my passport lapse. I still haven't actually sorted properly through the box/heap/other heap where I think it is. I think at this point it will be easier to just apply for a new one. And I am expected to go to at least two conferences this half of the year in Europe - one, well, hmm, I SHOULD go, but it's huge and expensive and I've put in an abstract but am still back and forwarding on actually booking. The other is much easier a choice, I can get there quite easily without flying, I've been to the city and the hosting university before, it's a small, focused event where many of the people will be familiar and colleagues and some are dear friends. So I'm focusing on that and trying to muscle through the psychological barriers to actually doing the paperwork... just that mixed metaphor tells you what a mess I've woven around it, eh?
session goal 3: set up and launch a web page for the project I nickname Gallimaufry
Because this is a goal for a large external project and should be done by the end of January. In theory PDF is actually leading on this but since she's moving institution and winding up a project to do so, it's probably on me. And I think it's actually going to be very useful, since the point of my part of Gallimaufrey is to support isolated researchers, especially ECRs working with methods their official PIs don't use (you know the pattern, PI wants to use trendy method without having to do it themselves, hires grad student or post doc, expects them to learn it, and has some odd ideas about what it can do and how easily it can be done because they have never tried themselves...), and a web-page will be a good starting point for getting conversations going, I hope. And the key here is to set it up - I can add as much or as little as I have time for, and hopefully other people will start to add stuff too! I'm going to use wordpress - anyone know of any good PAPER sources of 'how to's for Wordpress??
session goals 4) make some substantial progress on the paper nicknamed Picky Paper and on either Ferret or Fancy (which are from team projects so not entirely under my control)
DeleteThis is two-fold - my "REF papers" are still poorer than they ought to be, and Picky and Fancy both have the potential to be 4's and Ferret a 3, so getting two of them in by the end of the year would make me feel a lot calmer about the various mock REFs and strange 'REF-linked progress metrics' being thrown around at my Uni right now. Plus, Picky (and its friend Twiddly) have been on my mental to do list for about six years, and are the loudest 'takers up of mental bandwidth' on my paper list now that Crunchier is PUBLISHED \o\ /o/ \o\ still celebrating that one occasionally. Ferret and Fancy are both major new-knowledge outputs from Project F, and whilst we've presented those outputs at multiple conferences, we've only published methods papers so far, so they need to get out there. And in addition, PDF is co-author on both (lead author for Fancy), and HER c.v. is in need of good REFables as well, as she's just starting another 2 year contract so will be job hunting again this time next year, so focusing hard on these papers (rather than being distracted by smaller, superficially easier or more fun papers, as she is a bit prone to be) is one of her new academic year resolutions as well. despite all the negatives of being her supervisor/PI/colleague over the years, I want her to do really well, and want to celebrate the positives - we are a great paper writing team, because she hates first drafts and re-conceptualising but loves making figures and fixing references and polishing the English endlessly, whereas I'm the complete opposite. So again, mentoring and collaboration is involved.
session goal 5) take small steps every week to make my domestic environment and self-care more of a priority
Kind of self-explanatory. My health is erratic, both physically and mentally, the house is a tip which can't be good for my mental health (although I've never been what you might call domesticated) and gets in the way of what little socialising I might do, and I'm very overweight. I never expect to be thin - I've the build and physiology of a borders peasant woman designed to lug bales and survive minor famines, apart from my creaky back, and of course many such women would not have made it to mid-40s anyway so such a design flaw might not have mattered much, plus I've all sorts of hangups around food and eating-when-not-hungry some of which I've had since I was a toddler - so my BODY hangs on to every calorie it can as hard as it can and my EMOTIONS get hysterical at the thought of restrictions, so, you know, I'm focusing on more active, and perhaps getting back to an economy-plane-seat-without-great-discomfort and not-having-to-size-up-all-chairs-with-arms-and-find-alternative-places-to-sit sized hips and backside. There are many small habits around that which would help, and small choices made many times every day, and it's so, so easy to let them slide, or wait until Monday or next month or after the grading or after the semester or tomorrow to act. They often don't make me feel better in any magical way, but they still need attending to, because maybe collectively they will...
And you know what? I'm going to add a sixth session goal - to work on my NaNoWriMo novel-thing. It's pretty crap, but I get a lot of pleasure out of it, and find working out how to get Character A and Character B to meet up, or how their conversation would go, to be one of the greatest forms of escapism out there. It's purely Just For Me, and not even very good for me as it involves sitting at a computer, but it's FUN.
DeleteIt sounds like not renewing the passport was, indeed, a way of making a decision about where you can most effectively direct your energy, at least for the present. It also sounds like the easier-to-reach conference is a good reason for renewing.
DeleteAlso, the website sounds like a good way to do somewhat conference-like things (network, share ideas, raise personal profile in professional networks) without actually having to travel, which might be a good compromise if you decide you want to sit out some of the big seriously energy-depleting conferences for a while.
JaneB, I hate travelling internationally for work, but I feel we have been given strong messages that this is not an acceptable attitude for an academic. But I live in Aus,. so travel to UK or Europe, where I've tended to look for conferences, entails at least 24 hours flying each way, jet lag, & short visits as I have to get back to teach & be with my young kids; these impositions have yet to be balanced by making connections, hearing exciting ideas or increasing my reputation in a sustained fashion.
DeleteI guess my point is regardless of where we live, not going is a logical and rational decision for many people. But we work in a profession where mobility & travel are interpreted as reflecting status and success. This interpretation completely fails to acknowledge the constraints that are linked to class, nationality & ethnicity, relationships, physical & emotional needs, and just plain practicalities of work travel. And conferences in particular can be suer-demanding. I am pretty extraverted but by the end of a 4 day conference I am SO DONE.
Very true! The whole conference going thing seems to be designed by travel-loving extraverts with excellent support networks at home and minimal teaching... i.e. 'SuperStars'. I do like working with people, but travelling is very, very costly for me. Doesn't help that my current HoD would be happy to go to Australia for 24 hours as far as I can tell, he LOVES to travel at the drop of a hat for any reason, and assumes we all do too.
DeleteIt's perfect that you added your sixth goal (about the novel) because as I was reading your explanation about goal 5, I was thinking "JaneB is so witty and such a good writer. I bet her novels are good." :)
DeleteAww shucks! ::blushes::
DeleteSame thought here - one day we will find one published and say "we knew her when she was writing it!"...
DeleteAn excellent and helpful question indeed!
ReplyDeleteSession Goal 1: Do whatever I can to support my family members (father, brother, stepmother, nieces and nephews, and sister-in law) during my father's dying process, while also taking care of myself, and keeping up with my basic professional and other commitments.
Hm. . .well, this one may seem somewhat self-evident, except that some of the people listed above have not treated me particularly well, or been present for me in trouble, in the past (in fact, they've sometimes been the, or at least a, source of the trouble). But I've got a pretty strong gut-level conviction that doing whatever one can to increase the amount of kindness in the world can never go amiss. And I love most of the people on the list (and those for whom I can't quite say that are vital parts of the lives of others who love them, and vice versa), and care about their wellbeing, and want to do what I can to maintain/strengthen my connection with them (for selfish as well as unselfish reasons). I'm also not feeling torn between concentrating on this situation and something else (there's got to be some benefit to being in the middle of a middle-aged professional/personal rethinking of things, if not quite crisis, and this is one; ditto for holding a job that, though time-consuming and exhausting in some ways, is not as challenging or engaging as it might be).
Given all of the above, the "while also taking care of myself/keeping up with basic commitments" is pretty obvious: everybody on the list has their own concerns, which I can only do so much to alleviate, and I'm the only person on the list I can absolutely rely on (well, somewhat) if I'm in trouble, so I need to keep the oxygen-mask principle in mind.
Session Goal 2: Take care of myself, including working exercise and regular sleep into my schedule whenever circumstances allow (and perhaps sometimes when it seems like they don't), and keeping the pantry/freezer stocked with healthy and easy-to-prepare food (for myself and any family members who may end up crashing at my place).
DeleteWell, also pretty obvious in some ways. I want to get back into a routine of exercising (especially walking) because I enjoy it when I do get into a routine (though I can feel pretty tired the first few times I do it after a while), and it's an excellent stress-reliever for me, and I want to keep my body working as well as possible as long as possible (and my father's illness is a reminder that people whose parents live to ninety don't always live to ninety themselves, though the role of self-care in avoiding cancer is probably a bit less clear than, say, heart disease or stroke or diabetes. On the other hand, it does almost certainly increase the likelihood of more years being good/functional years). So exercise is a high priority for me (and was even before I learned of Dad's illness).
Sleep -- well, I simply don't function well without sufficient sleep, and that's becoming even more true as I age. I can still pull all-nighters, or near all-nighters, if I have to, but I probably lose more time to recovering in the following days than I gain by staying up. And getting enough sleep (like exercise) helps me keep on an even keel, which is helpful when dealing with difficult situations and/or people.
Food--I'm also someone who needs to eat regularly to function. While I gave up dieting decades ago, I do sometimes forget to eat until I don't have the energy to get up and put something together. The fact that there's a good deal of food, some of it reasonably healthy, available within a few blocks of my apartment is also actually counter-productive, since I still have to go get it. So having healthy food (which is also good for stabilizing my mood) in easy reach is a good plan (and it's also cheaper than constantly running out for things, though if that were the only reason, I'd probably be setting this goal aside for the semester). Food is also a good resource to have around for family members who may need it (though perhaps not those in the middle/aftermath of a panic attack), and I like feeding people. Finally, I resolved at the end of last semester to bring food with me to school more often, mostly because too many lunches from the student union last semester (combined, I'm sure, with stress and lack of sleep and other factors) resulted in some stomach problems that I don't want to return.
Session Goal 3:making continued progress on the most vital TLQ financial/household tasks (taxes et al. and boxes still sums this area up pretty well).
DeleteI discussed this one pretty well when setting it, so I won't go on at great length here, but it basically comes under the oxygen-mask principle (I need to keep taking care of myself before/as well as taking care of others, especially since I can old do so much for them under the circumstances). Getting practical projects done is also a good use for nervous energy, and I do really feel better when I get more control over stuff. Finally, I think my brother might be in the mood for giving me some help with some projects, and might actually feel better about leaning on me last week if he can reciprocate in some way, so getting things to a point where there's actually room to do projects is a good idea. At the same time, as I mentioned a few days ago, I'm a bit worried about losing the selective blindness that has allowed me to work in this space. I'm also worried that household projects might crowd out time that would be better spent in getting out of the apartment and walking, which is more immediately restorative for me. On the other hand, I've found myself drawn to procrastinating by reading DIY blogs lately, which probably suggests I'm beginning to feel a real need/desire to tackle my space. The other balance issue is that I need to make sure that boxes (household stuff) don't crowd out taxes (keep on top/well ahead of financial matters), since I don't know when the crisis point(s) in my father's illness will come, and being well ahead on dealing with financial matters is one thing I can do to minimize the possibility of a real train wreck, especially in April (another thing I could do is to begin writing my annual activities report; I won't make that a goal, but I'm going to make a note of it).
Goals for this week:
Delete1. Cook and freeze some food (one pot of soup already done; another in progress; I need to finish and freeze that and make some oatmeal for the week ahead).
2. Make some progress on the @#$%! boxes (really, any progress will do; I'll be near a dropoff point tomorrow, so I should have something ready to take with me on that trip;just dealing with the ones that require the least decision-making is probably the right approach).
3. Begin exercising regularly, even a bit, doing whatever makes sense given the weather, at least every other day.
Accomplished:
1. Yes. 2nd pot of soup made and frozen (except for portion I'll eat for dinner in a few minutes); enormous pot of oatmeal made and presently cooling on stove. Bonus: went to farmer's market and bought lots of salad greens, some other veggies, and apples (some of which went into the oatmeal, along with some cranberries and walnuts).
2. Yes. Several boxes sorted, consolidated into one, and dropped off; another sorting group identified/physically set aside for sorting; some other moving around/consolidating, putting of things in semi-permanent places on shelves; grouping of things that need to go to particular places.
3. No. I'm probably moving a bit more than usual, but no intentional exercise this week.
So, since exercise is a major goal, and I'm concerned that it will be overtaken by boxes, I'll put it first next week (yes, this process is helpful).
And finally,
DeleteGoals for next week:
1. Begin exercising regularly, even a bit, doing whatever makes sense given the weather, at least every other day.
Options include walking outdoors, lifting weights, and/or climbing stairs (I live in a mid-rise apartment building, so there's an easy source of aerobic exercise a few steps out my front door even if the weather is nasty). I might also do one last session of mulch-moving, weather permitting; that, too, would count.
2. Continue work on boxes, especially moving what stuff I can out of the apartment to other places (apartment-basement or remote storage, donation/mailing dropoffs, the garden plot, etc.)
3. Continue cooking -- at least one more pot of soup -- and get into routine/logistics of taking food to school with me. Also make use of (i.e. eat) those salad greens.
4. Try to begin school year with regular sleep schedule.
The key issue here is coming up with an afternoon/evening/bedtime routine that has me off the computer and into bed in a timely fashion. While this semester will almost certainly resist regular routines, I'd like to at least keep experimenting with ways to handle my time better. I'm pretty good at getting up in the morning and being productive (if I'm not dealing with a sleep deficit from less-than-ideal behavior in the day or two before), but things definitely go downhill from noon or 1 p.m. on, as I try to figure out which of the many tasks I needed/hoped to accomplish should get precedence. This is probably not the semester to really tackle this issue, but I can at least observe and treat disturbances of routine as a chance to try out new options (e.g. I need to figure out which time of day works best to call my Dad,and the answer might well be mid-late morning, when I'm usually reluctant to interrupt what feels like a continuing flow of work, but I read an article recently -- maybe linked here? -- that suggested that mid/late-morning breaks actually lead to greater productivity later in the day. So maybe that's worth a try, whether or not that break might also include a phone call and perhaps a walk or some physical work as I process the conversation?)
My book manuscript is about a cemetery, with a large focus on how changing our cultural views of death can make a tremendous difference in how we grieve. Being present to facilitate your father's death for others is a beautiful and noble way of being.
DeleteCassandra, increasing the amount of kindness in the world is so important - but it's a hard thing to do when people haven't been kind. I respect you for putting this into practice, especially in the context of your dad's dying.
DeleteDefinitely time for the oxygen mask principle - and doing what feels right rather than hanging on to past issues is a very mature and generous part of that. We'll all be here for you as a support if you need us...
DeleteOh, my. As you will see later, I'm in a similar position with my mother as you are with your father. And yes, increasing the kindness in the world is a good thing. My other principle when someone is dying is, you don't get do-overs. So you try to do it right. But you also have to be kind to yourself.
DeleteThanking you for putting your efforts in context of the "oxygen mask principle." That resonated with me, and it will be a great reminder to me (along with EE's "move like water").
DeleteOn a more trivial note: Does oatmeal do well in large make-ahead batches?
Years from now you will also look back and be proud of how you handled this time and all the people issues. High road is the one to take, but only if it doesn't push you over a cliff!
DeleteSession goal: I want to revise, commit to, and work my research plan for the year (tight plan) and the following two years (looser plan), and to put that plan first in my decisions to say 'yes' or 'no' to 'opportunities' that arise.
ReplyDeletePartly, like JaneB, I overcommit myself, and being explicit about what I already want to do helps me be realistic about the other things I can do. But also, I've been increasingly frustrated by and disappointed with some of the people I collaborate with, and the people I work with, because of their failure to meet responsibilities or work kindly with others. Partly these feelings are 'legitimate' (from my perspective!) arising in response to specific behaviours but they are intensified by my resentment: I am doing things I don't want to do with these people, so WHYYYYYY can't they return the favour? Avoiding/ extricating myself from projects I don't want to do will help me be happier - and this is particularly important as I am increasingly aware that there's a bad fit between me and my work context more generally. So short answer: this is important to maintain a sense of calm and happiness in my work and dealings with others.
Past week goals:
a) list the papers/ research outputs I am committed to in 2016
b) list the papers/ research I want to do in 2016 - 2018
c) list the people I want to professionally connect with in 2016
d) jot down ideas for working and timetabling in ways that will help me prioritise the work I want to do.
All of these were done - I've been on holidays and I did this task in little bit and pieces when i had some quiet moments. But I was reluctant to do this, which at first surprised me and then helped me realise that I am not looking forward to going back to work - which is the first time for me.
This week goals:
1. Spend 2 hours a day writing on my 'women's labour' paper. This is a resented paper with collaborators who have not pulled their weight, and I want it gone. So 2 hours per day to develop a tight front half and conclusion and loosely filled in findings section.
2. Finish track record sections for two grants that I am working on (but not leading).
3. Work on the two grant applications, as required, but putting writing my paper first.
4. List the teaching prep tasks I need to complete before semester starts (I'm in Aus).
5. Finalise marking of late assessments.
6. Plan when I'm going to do my writing/research tasks for the year
7. Knock off on time for at least two ocean swims with my kids
Your mindful prioritization sounds like a great thing. As do the ocean swims!
DeleteI feel deep empathy with the "resented" paper - I feel that way about some f my thesis papers. The reward will be so great when those disappear!
DeleteOh, other people can be so annoying, reducing that annoyance sounds like a great reason to plan!
ReplyDeleteAnd ocean swims sound wonderful - I do like hearing about summer on the other side of the world when it's frosty here!
Session Goals:
ReplyDelete1. Write scary paper 2 and scary paper 1
WHY - scary paper 2 has a deadline and it's external. It's also on something exciting and is opening up new options. Scary paper 1 will come second but is the logical pre-cursor to paper 2 (don't ask!). They both represent moving to a new area of research for me and a return to research after a lot of time on admin.
2. Develop research tools for Loop and Kermit
These are both projects that are part of the move into a new area of research. Kermit is one that is a subset of the House project but an area I hadn't previously thought of applying the House idea to. It's also pretty easy but if I don't get it done soon, I have to wait for a while - I want to do a preliminary thing no matter what. Loop is a project that will 'scratch an itch' and help in a number of areas.
3. 25 hand crafted items.
I also have a goodreads goal of 52 books this year, I like the sense of achievement that comes from considering how many 'things' I might do as a hobby then seeing how close to it I can get. I think making my third goal something other than work helps balance things out. It gives permission in a way to focus on the more personally important.
Week goals:
Delete1 - revisions to Gemstone paper - Done!
2 - write Scary paper 2 - Done!
3 - finish 3 conference presentations (Scary project, Picture project, and House project).
- still in progress. I've got Scary and House 80% done and will finish tomorrow (because the conference is day after). Picture is going to wait until Wednesday.
This coming goal
- finish 3 conference presentations and deliver 2.
- do all the marking
- develop research tool for Kermit
- get week 1 teaching into shape.
There's a lot of marking because I've been ignoring it while focussing on the scary twins. However I'm officially thinking of this as keeping it in its place rather than allowing it to sprawl untidily across the furniture of 3 weeks of work. It's one of those tasks that expands to fill all of time and space unless you fight it into its own compartment. After the past 2 weeks, I need a wee break from the Scary twins so will get back to that week after.
It's impressive to me that you make time for so much crafting and pleasure reading even in the face of ambitious research and writing goals. I do some knitting and some pleasure reading, but I admire your prioritization of these things. I hope you'll tell us about some of your favorite books!
Delete"Scary twins." :) Brills.
Love the balance! I would also like to hear about good books!
DeleteSo my session goals are, basically, getting my research world in order, working on my physical and mental health, reading more books for fun, and engaging more with my family. Why? Well, all of these things are really about making me a more balanced and happy family member. If mom's not happy, aint nobody happy, right? I've put the family through a lot of stress during the Fall from Hell, and we all deserve better. Why research? Because I dropped almost all research because of the fall, and it feeds my spirit. Why health? Because I have some real health problems which mostly come from anxiety and stress, I think, and if I'm freaking out about the snow in the driveway, that's a problem. Why reading? Because I can get very tunnel-visioned and obsess about the world's awfulness and work problems and even overblow our family problems; reading, especially fun reading, gives me some necessary escapism that makes me happy (i.e., lowers stress/improves health) and some perspective. Why family? Because we are an intensively family-focused family and if they're getting short-shrift, then there's a big problem.
ReplyDeleteThis week’s Goals:
1. Complete Forsythia galleys. Write in the morning 3x/week. FAIL. It turns out I printed the galleys out wrong. So I finally figured out what I did wrong this morning and printed it out correctly. It's very difficult to find time to focus on the galleys at home. At work, I'm always just trying to do whatever I need to do in order to go home. I must figure out how to get this done either today or tomorrow. I did manage 3x of morning writing, but I've done no real writing. Must figure out plan to get back to that work -- most likely, this is going to be reading for inspiration first.
2. Went to cardiologist. CHECK. Leglifts and crunches 3x? Nope, but working on it. (Mostly this didn't happen because I stayed up late prepping and did not watch my shows.) I tried to eat better mostly -- bought salad -- and discovered that eating sausage is like eating a bowling ball. I shorted myself on sleep on Friday. Not good. I did order a book on anxiety after I totally lost it on Thursday. Win some, lose some.
3. Read fun books. I started Midnight in Austenland. CHECK!
4. I'll cook a couple times this week. Spend some time with Spirited Son. CHECK. I cooked a couple times, brought home Chinese, worked with Spirited Son on some homeschooling yesterday, played lots of games, helped him put the Kid Genius magnetic poetry on the fridge, etc.
This Week's Goals
1. Research: do galleys and send them off by the end of the week. Morning writing at least 3x/week. Read some inspiring stuff.
2. Health: engage in a little active relaxation. (Baths, for example.) Keep stretching as often as possible. Eat well. (I know I should aspire to working out, but but but)
3. Read. Read and enjoy. Read a little bit often.
4. Family: make dinner occasionally. Spend time with Spirited Son. We need to figure out what to do about his piano lessons and getting him some more involvement. One idea is in the works with that but we need more.
5. Herbalism: this year I really want to learn more about herbs and making tinctures and stuff. I have some instructional stuff on this. Perhaps order to kava chai drink (which is supposed to be amazing for dealing with anxiety and overwhelm).
6. Keep up with work and try to deal with needed work time proactively.
Sounds like a great week for goals! Congratulations on those, especially the fun ones.
DeleteLast week’s goals: Write at least 500 words and clean up a page of footnotes on the critical edition. Nope.
ReplyDeletePlot and outline the short story. I did spend some time on this goal.
Relax and recover after surgery. Yes--I did this in style. I did some knitting, some reading, and a lot of sleeping. My surgical site doesn’t hurt much anymore, but I am bruised and tender like I went several rounds with a heavy-weight champion.
Analysis: I am a bit too cavalier about surgery, and figured I’d bounce back. However, they had trouble getting good veins, and both my arms are blackish-purple from wrist to elbow. My shoulders are very painful, I suspect from being strapped to the surgical table.
Therefore, I thought I’d get more done in the last week than I managed.
Topic: I want to make substantial progress on my critical edition. It has been hanging around for more than a decade, and I just have the commentary and footnotes to finish.
Why? This is my dissertation, on which I spent many years. I don’t want to retake my qualifying exams and go through the whole proposal/committee thing again. There was some interest a few years ago in publishing this edition, so I hope that is still the case. Even if not, I need to do it for myself.
I want to finish a short story for submission at the end of April. I found out it is due the end of March--gulp, but I’m going to stick with this goal. Why? I have been writing in my cave long enough. I need to come out and face the criticism and learn how to take it.
I want to get in better shape, once I’m cleared for exercise. I need to resume walking, and may have to hit the recumbent bike in the gym as well.
Why? I want to be the old active lady that one sees hiking and snowshoeing. I don’t want to spend my later years inside by the fire--at least not all the time!
Next week’s goals: Write at least 500 words and clean up a page of footnotes on the critical edition.
Finish plotting and outlining the short story.
Float above the work day on my return at the end of the week. Borrowing the “move like water,” I hope to move like mist above the fray.
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Yay for surgery recovery in style. Awesome, exquisite self care is so important, yet should come before anything else.
DeleteMove like water, float like mist :)
DeleteGood critical editions are such a gift to other scholars and students - I do hope yours makes it out into the world.
Float like mist! I love it. So glad you are okay even if a bit battered. And the critical edition and short story sound like such rewarding projects.
DeleteRewarding projects for sure! We need those.
DeleteWhat a great question!
ReplyDeleteSo:
Session Goals:
1. Finish book ms. (I have maybe 2 days of work before I can send it to a press.)
2. Work on Conference Paper revision, due probably some time in April.
3. Keep up with regular exercise, and add in at least one walking morning a week.
4. Stop checking email on Sunday.
5. Strive to keep up with 7 hours sleep nightly
Goals for this week:
1. Finish syllabi
2. Do at least one day on book ms.
3. Do one walk in addition to three gym visits
I think first, that I need to add a session goal, which parallels CC, alas:
6. Support my mother in her dying. It has become clear that my mother is on her final journey (she's back in the hospital, and she now has congestive heart failure, and, well... she feels she's leaving.) She lives here where I do, so I'm the one on call, in the hospital ER till midnight, etc. I think she'll be discharged in the week ahead, but that will be to hospice/ palliative care. She seems to think she'll die really soon, but I think it will be a bit longer, and therefore harder. But who knows, maybe as soon as she goes home she'll just relax and move quickly toward death.
Why all of these:
Two of my session goals are about research, which I love: I am ready to finish the book, which ends a period in my life; and the conference paper revision leads me I think towards a new project. So it's a really good balance. I'm senior enough so that nothing bad happens to me if they don't get finished, but I want to do them.
The other goals are - like those of others -- about both self-care (exercise and sleep) and balance (not checking email on Sunday). Because those things are necessary.
So, last weeks goals:
Goals for this week:
1. Finish syllabi - not yet, but tomorrow. Also, because of the situation with my mother, I'm dropping one class, and will teach an overload next year.
2. Do at least one day on book ms. No, thanks to 10 + hours in the ER on Wednesday, Thursday in hospital, etc.
3. Do one walk in addition to three gym visits, no walk, but I did do a fourth visit to the gym. So that's good.
Analysis: well, since I'm the person on the spot while my mother is in the hospital I have to spend time there. She gets anxious when I'm away. So I say, I need to go home and prepare my syllabus, and that's OK, but I can go for three or four hours, and then need to return.
I think that when she is back home, she will be less anxious, though obviously I'll be visiting daily, probably for extended times. But we'll also have aides there, who will help her feel safe.
So, really, my goal for this session is to keep my class going, stay healthy, and everything else will be gravy. As one of my friends said, this is the kind of thing that you wish wasn't happening, but I don't want it to be over.
Goals for this week:
1. Get class up and running
2. Take some time next weekend for writing
3. Four days of exercise
4. Be kind to Mom and to self.
So sorry to hear that Susan. Hope she does well when she gets out of hospital - they're fine when you're really sick, but as soon as you actually want to sleep, they're tough places to be - and you get a better rhythm to your days.
DeleteShe will be more relaxed and less anxious when at home, I think. And she lives in an "assisted lviign" place, where there are others around, so she's not alone.
DeleteI am really glad you went to the gym - we so often sacrifice our own quality of life for others, when it actually helps if we keep doing some of the things that are important to us, when we can. allan wilson
DeleteI hope that makes sense -
Deleteaw
Keep strong and take care of yourself during this difficult time.
DeleteI'm very sorry Susan. It sounds like you're experiencing the very hands-on version of helping a parent through their last days, while I'm being held at more of a remove than I'd like (though at the same time I'm very grateful not to have the day-to-day responsibility). I like your friend's wish it wasn't happening/don't want it to be over description; that seems apt, from either the hands-on or the at-a-remove perspective.
DeleteCongestive heart failure is tricky, at least in my limited experience. One of my grandmothers had it, and was technically in hospice care for over a year if I'm remembering correctly. Then one weekend (when I happened to be the main contact) a number of small, apparently isolated problems cropped up, one after the other, and she died (quietly, at home). She had dementia, so couldn't really tell us what was going on; I'm not sure whether the picture would have been clearer if she'd been more oriented.
Whether slow or fast, may it go as well as it can, for both of you.
last week's goals
ReplyDelete1) revisit Picky Paper and spend an hour reading over the notes I have and sketching out a plan for what next no, got distracted by papers from others
2) write and submit an abstract for 'did I really say I'd go to this'? conference (due mid-week) yes
3) go to the gym at least twice, even if all I'm in the mood to do is walk slowly on the treadmill no... mostly a not-quite-a-deliberate-choice thing. Managed to not have the bottom half of gym clothing in my bag and not fix that for several days and am a total failure at turning around and going out again on a 'school night'. Did manage to be a bit more active day to day though
4) go to bed before midnight every 'schoolnight' (I add the qualifier because it's 02:21 between Saturday and Sunday right now...) and make thoughtful food choices (they don't have to be perfectly 'good', just considered). did quite well on the former and it is a Good Thing. The latter... meh. Why can't it be 5 a day of chocolate and crumpets?
the coming week:
Quite routine, no actual trips. A pile of grading, but all the handwritten items are now done, so that doesn't feel too daunting - one of the problems of generation cell phone is how little they write by hand, which seems to make their attempts in exams especially painful to read! Following CCs example and putting the thing that seems to be slipping first:
1) exercise. 2 visits to gym
2) Picky paper. Give it an hour.
3) Other People's Papers. An hour a day?
4) bed before midnight and deliberate food choices (even if I choose chocolate... dieting does not go with grading).
Why can't choclate be a thoughtful choice? I know I put a lot of consideration into it...
DeleteThinking about food choices is a great goal - I so often eat the closest thing that is standing still and then regret it afterwards...
DeleteConsidering why we do what we do is an excellent practice that I plan to continue beyond this. Thanks!
ReplyDelete1 Make consistent progress on manuscript revision (setting and meeting weekly goals)
The book should be a/the high point of my career. I want to enjoy the process, and I want to write the best book I can. Yes, it is also important for promotion to full professor, but since I have a long clock before I’m eligible for that promotion, I’m somewhat glad to not have that added pressure.
2 Write and submit short contracted biography piece
While this could be seen as insignificant “busy work” writing, I’m excited about it because the piece is for a collection of short essays about women in history, oriented toward a high school and early college audience. As a person who works in gender studies and feminisms, I am hopeful to write something that can inspire young women.
3 Write two thoughtful and well-researched conference presentations
My only conference this year is a regional meeting where I will have panels with old friends from graduate school. The papers I’m writing are projects from the “it would be so cool to research that” list. And while it’s not a high-pressure national or international conference, I still want to do go work.
4 Make sound decisions about other writing projects (learning how to say no to myself)
I am trying to ask myself some questions about anything I might want to work on: do I have time for this? Have I done enough research/writing to meet this deadline without too much stress? Is it worth the investment of time? How will I feel to have this publication completed? And “why” is a great question to add here.
Last week:
1 Finish and submit MC book review: yes, happily!
2 Finish and submit photo book review: no
3 Read and make notes on one RBP article: two articles, actually
I did some other things too, riding the energy of the last free week before classes begin. I know I can never predict the toll the first week takes, so these goals aren’t terribly demanding but necessary for moving forward.
This week:
1 Figure out requirements and write outline for short biography piece
2 Finish and submit photo book review
3 Send short emails to two project contacts
Very interesting to read your thoughts, especially about goals one and two. It's great that you feel such enthusiasm about the work.
DeleteCongrats on submitting the book review!
Wonderful that the book review is out of your hands!
DeleteGetting to do research we are interested in is a great motivator too.
Sorry I'm late. Was on a mini-vacation this weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhy I've set my session goals:
Most of my goals are PhD thesis related. My submission deadline is December 2016, but I'd like to submit in September, and I think I'd be less stressed over summer if I kept up a good pace this semester. So,
1) Write a solid draft of the introduction for thesis. WHY? The introduction is daunting, and I want to push myself to get words on paper. There is much danger of procrastination here. I also think drafting the intro will help me focus on the central themes.
2) Revise Chapter 1 (I'll call it Spy) WHY? My supervisor said the current organizational approach is a bit "dizzying." Must revise. I'm sure I will also learn a lot from the revision process.
3) Revise Chapter 2 (I'll call it Magic). WHY? This needs to be cleaned up in general, and I'm guessing it, like Chapter 2, is dizzying.
4) Revise Chapter 3 (I'll call it Authority). WHY? Nothing profound here. Just needs to be done.
5) Submit at least one article for publication (probably one based on Spy). WHY? My motivation for this goal is more complex. I don't really need to publish anything for my job. I am tenured at a two-year community college, and we don't have promotion. But I think I have something valuable to say, and I want to make something of my research. Also, the amount of feedback I get on my work is VERY limited, and I would like feedback from other professionals in my area.
6) Maintain exercise (5x per week of at least 20-40 minutes). WHY? I know it will be easy to let this go during such a busy year, but I am getting old, so it's a "use or lose it" thing. I have also found that I feel VERY good after swimming or yoga, so these things seem important in order for me to finish the PhD in good health.
7) Eat more veggies. WHY? I'm not good at dieting, but I think "more veggies" is doable and nicely specific.
8) At least two special activities with kids per month (outdoor adventures, craft projects, etc.) WHY? I have a feeling they will feel a bit neglected by me this year, so if we can have some quality activities, the relational connection and quality memories will (I hope) outweigh the "You're always working! vibe."
Last week's goals:
1) Integrate notes into Chapter 3. NO. I decided that Chapter 3 should not be my focus now. I want to focus on the intro and revising Chapters 1 and 2.
2) Create bibliography of remaining sources I need for Chapter 3. NO. See above.
3) Write 1000 words of introduction. YES! And MORE! I wrote over 2,000 words! So happy about this.
4) Write solid draft of conference paper that I'll give February. NO. I have about 17 pages of cut and paste that need to be whittled down and focused.
5) Cook b-day dinner for my mom. YES! Cuban food. A success.
6) Exercise. YES! Swimming once, a full day of skiing. Should have done more yoga. I might have done one yoga session.
7) Organize school office and buy a couple of plants for said office. YES! My office looks great and is much more cheerful, and I feel better about going back to work.
This past week was great. I met a lot of my goals, and I also did a hotel night that was relaxing and productive, and I spend the weekend in Yosemite with my family and two other families. Really a fabulously balanced week. But tomorrow classes start and so weeks like this will be in the past.
This week's goals:
1) Write 2,000 words for introduction
2) Whittle down conference paper to 12 pages (that will at least send me in the right direction)
3) Read 75 pages of primary source material
4) Read one critical article or chapter
5) Help son with presentation
6) Feel no guilt about giving my kids mediocre food this week (e.g., fried chicken from the grocery store).
7) Exercise 3x
Special kid activities definitely help offset the guilt, but I suspect it is a constant low-level presence. They do appreciate it!
DeleteComing in late, but here eventually.
ReplyDeleteSession Goals:
1. Submit co-authored paper (let's call it Earth)
This has about 3 levels of why - immediately, this is the research output tied to a conference travel grant that I am accountable more, and failing to deliver will limit my ability to gain any further internal funding. I also want to explore the process of co-authorship with a lovely person who is going from student to colleague. And this is a topic in an area I find fascinating, will continue to explore, and want to be part of the conversation around.
2. Revisit older conference paper (call it Body) and have a complete draft of an expanded paper for journal submission.
Another area of interest, a problem that I know I haven't completely resolved and would like to sort out further, and where I think my time in a writers group will be directed most productively.
3. Find an exercise routine that works for me
Much the same as other people - I feel better when I move freely, feel strong and have energy, and regular exercise gets me that even if I am unenthused about exercise generally.
4. Be prepared for major research fieldwork in late March-early April.
Being prepared means I can more deeply immerse myself in the fieldwork rather than the logistics.
From last week:
1. 2 hours of writing time each working day.
No, not consistently
2. Contact all participants for fieldwork collaboration.
Yes, expect for the one I will finish this week - had to be delayed while other paperwork cleared.
3. Fill in gym paperwork for trial membership, 3x swimming or walking across the week.
Found the gym paperwork, and realised that I'm not sure if it is the right gym for me - class times/types don't work for me very well. Swam one day, walked another (thanks missed bus!) and did a yoga class.
This week:
1. Break up conference version of Earth and flag where additions are needed. Set daily word targets.
2. Remaining fieldwork contact and transcribe archival bits and bobs from last year.
3. Decide on a gym to try. 3 x swim, walk or yoga.
I have never been able to stick to an exercise program (or an "active lifestyle") if I don't like the activities. It sounds like you like what I like. I hope you find the right gym.
DeleteThe right activity is magic, especially when life takes over and it is easy to let of of things we don't enjoy. Good luck finding it!
DeleteHello, I am late.
ReplyDeleteLast goals:
1) Finish the paper (from last session).- Not yet.
2) Finish the short article. - Not yet.
3) Have less snacks at night. - well, at least I remember this goal and tried to do so.
4) Exercise for 5 minutes three times a day. - Every day, but only once or twice a day.
Next goals:
1) Finish the paper.
2) Start to write the short article.
3) Write documents for my sabbatical 2017.
4) Have less snacks at night.
5) Exercise for 5 minutes three times a day.
I set working on two chapters of my planned book for my session goals, though I have not finished a paper I am supposed to finish within the last session!
On this week’s topic:
As for me, probably there is no one around me but me who want me to accomplish a book. (My overall goal is to write a book, by the way.) Of course, if there needs no effort to write a book, it is good and people around me will be just happy if I write one. However, the reality is, I need more time, more work, which usually require other people’s help and patience, especially my family, my children. Then, why? Maybe because I want to do something which I can present to others? Or do I just want to show to others and to me as well how I worked hard and want to be praised? Or I want to know more about what I have researched for such a long time, and then I need a grant, and if I apply for one, I say my result will be published, and a book is better in that case. I wonder why I have set a goal which is difficult to achieve, at least to me - some people can do it often- , like writing a book. I cannot yet find a real answer which I can be sure, just I want to.
Have a nice week, everyone!
My PhD is a bit like your book. I'm not sure the people around me are too keen on it. But now that I'm getting towards the end (I hope! I think!), it seems best to finish. I will feel a great sense of accomplishment.
DeleteThat is a great summary of the dilemma of fitting in what we want to do "for no real reason" with what others expect of us...
DeleteHi all- I'm figuring better late than never here. And, ended up putting this in the week 1 comments by accident. . .
ReplyDeleteI ended up away from civilisation for much of the week, which was good and exhausting, and completely absorbing, but very distracting.
So, in short, little writing and a lot of exercising.
Last week's goals:
1. write something on the novel- maybe a plot structure that I have in my head? NO.
2. Exercise YES
3. Attend to two papers that are in the submission process. DID SOME STUFF ON ONE
So, this week's goals:
1) exercise at least three times. Why? Because I don't want to sacrifice my quality of life for work, and I want to be an active person, and it makes me happy to exercise
2) write for at least two hours on the novel. Because I want to create an alternative career so when the science stuff gets on top of me, I don't feel trapped. Also, because I have always wanted to write a novel, and I like writing a lot, and I have lots of stories in my head.And, because I fantasise about not struggling for money, and this, I imagine, is one way I can make a change to that.
3) do a bit more of the submission process stuff. So I don't feel inadequate about being a 'non-achiever' at work, and I will feel a sense of achievement and completion when I get these off my desk, and I can mentally move on, so my brain will be less cluttered.
allan wilson
It is really great to be reminded to stay focused on satisfaction and things that makes us happy!
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ReplyDelete