All of us have that expands-to-fill-all-available space part of our jobs. For most, it is teaching, a ravenous beast that happily chomps through whatever gobbets of time we throw at it. For some, it is administrativa, the never-ending loops of red tape that universities merrily wrap around those who find themselves in that position, voluntarily or through luck of the draw.
Many of us mentioned keeping TRQ in its place, either in our goals, or in the discussion last week. Its expandable nature is a real problem, especially when TLQ goals tend to be finite, quiet creatures waiting for our attention. I visualize them often as very different siblings--the child who demands attention, even negative attention, contrasted with the child who is happiest off on his or her own, quietly playing or reading.
For our topic, please share any tips and strategies for keeping teaching’s (or administrativa’s) toes within its own quadrant.
Format for checking in is to address the discussion topic if you like, report on your progress toward your weekly goals, and list goals for next week.
allan wilson
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.
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.
Contingent Cassandra
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?)
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?)
Daisy
Goals for this week:
1)Finish revisions
2)Read 5 new papers very seriously for new area
3)Run, inside and out, to each
2)Read 5 new papers very seriously for new area
3)Run, inside and out, to each
Earnest English
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.
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.
Elizabeth Anne Mitchell
Next week’s goals:
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.
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.
Good Enough Woman
This week:
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
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
heu mihi
This week's goals:
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
2) Read one article/chapter related to my research
3) Read for (& prelim prep) seminar Week 2
4) Finish reading for seminar Week 1
Humming42
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
2 Finish and submit photo book review
3 Send short emails to two project contacts
JaneB
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).
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).
Karen
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.
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.
KJHaxton
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.
- finish 3 conference presentations and deliver 2.
- do all the marking
- develop research tool for Kermit
- get week 1 teaching into shape.
Kris
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
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
Matilda
Weekly 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.
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.
scottishwriter
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.
Susan
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.
2. Take some time next weekend for writing
3. Four days of exercise
4. Be kind to Mom and to self.
Thank you, Daisy, for allowing me to steal your suggestion for this great topic. :)
ReplyDeleteTopic: I have a couple of tips about TRQ, but sadly, nothing magical. First, I schedule the heck out of TRQ, with some slippage time built in. Second, I realize that much of TRQ can be handled as “good enough,” since there is an amazing amount of diminishing returns, especially in grading.
Since most of my grading was on the undergraduate level, I came to feel that most students didn’t fully digest (or even read) most of my comments or corrections. I also felt that spending twice as much time grading the paper as the student spent writing it was time ill-spent. My cynicism is showing, but I rush to add that I did spend a lot of time with my students when I taught law school, or when mentoring graduate students as I do now. The time investment is more rewarding, but still creeps out of its quadrant if I don’t watch it.
I do think that some of my approach is due to what I see as my vocation, and what is a job. Mentoring is vocation, writing is vocation. Filling out forms is a job. Honestly, though, the administrativa gets as little attention from me as I can manage. I have more state, union, and university forms with alphanumeric titles in my action file than any human being should have, between addressing vacations, sick leave, evaluations, and the like. I spend a lot of time with my staff, letting them know what I think of their work, so that the annual evaluation is a summary of everything both of us know about the past year. I write a page (unlike colleagues who write ten+ pages!) and move on. I know how much time I need to write a page. I schedule that amount of time, with some slippage, and no more.
I used to craft meaningful, helpful, and encouraging missives all the time--even drafting emails and editing them. No longer. I write emails with my reply in the subject line, if at all possible, not wasting my or my recipient’s time. If I have to write in the body of the email, I write in bullet points. Does my literary soul quail at this efficiency? Yes, and I tell it to accept and move on.
Last week’s goals:
Write at least 500 words and clean up a page of footnotes on the critical edition. Nope.
Finish plotting and outlining the short story. Plotting yes, outlining no.
Float above the work day on my return at the end of the week. Borrowing the “move like water,” I hope to float like mist above the fray. Yes, to a pretty good degree.
Analysis: I had my post-operative follow-up on Tuesday, and felt much worse afterwards than I had before. The bandaging had to be changed, but that meant pushing on the wound on my throat, which was unpleasant. Also, I had a tension headache for most of the week--facing the fun of going back for the new semester, I suspect.
Next week’s goals:
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!
Seems to me you're doing quite a lot more or less immediately post-op. I hope your recovery continues to proceed well, and there aren't too many bandage changes left to endure.
DeleteThanks for the reality check on email. Yes to that! My students say they don't really like to read or write email. If I can communicate in a single sentence, best for everyone.
DeleteGreat management tips!
DeleteAnd I'm sorry you felt worse after your check-up, but I hope the discomfort and pain fade quickly.
I, too, had a major tension headache on our first day back. It was weird because the day felt easy (despite the three classes I taught), but at the end of it, I could feel it from the top of my head, down through my arms and back.
Rest!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTRQ: Like Elizabeth Anne, I have no magic but recognising that most of these things don't need to be perfect helps. Teaching rather than admin is the greatest threat to TLQ work, because I don't like admin and so can keep my engagement with it minimal. I don't revamp courses often, I keep all materials well organised so that I have a bank of materials to draw on when I do teach a new or substantially revised topic, and I am a very efficient marker: minimal in-text comments and then a summary with three things students do well, three things that would have bumped the mark up a grade level, and a supportive comment to end: all drawn from a comment bank. It's the competing TRQ & TLQ research tasks that I struggle with.
ReplyDeleteLast week:
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. Did for three days and then focussed on grants. I got the front section quite tidy but clearly am struggling with putting my work first.
2. Finish track record sections for two grants that I am working on (but not leading). One almost done; the other on the back burner until the lead investigator actually sends me through the project description (I am not going to put a huge amount of work into something that I don't think has much hope at all, given the approach of the lead).
3. Work on the two grant applications, as required, but putting writing my paper first. Worked on applications but failed to put my writing first.
4. List the teaching prep tasks I need to complete before semester starts (I'm in Aus). Yes - depressingly long but at least all discrete tasks.
5. Finalise marking of late assessments. One student to go: I just couldn't face her work.
6. Plan when I'm going to do my writing/research tasks for the year. NOPE: a big TLQ fail
7. Knock off on time for at least two ocean swims with my kids. Yes, and it was excellent. I've never regretted a swim in the sea.
Analysis: things take longer than I think because I am not disciplined enough to contain the task to a defined period of time; and I struggle to put my research work first. I re-learn these lessons every week.
Next week:
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.
Kris, I admire your marking technique, which gives relevant information for the student (how to get a better grade) that they will have a reason to read.
ReplyDeleteI sympathize with the resented paper and the grants that you do not control. I have one of those papers on my docket right now, wishing that I had the standing to tell my collaborators that I no longer want to participate.
Would it help to plan in some "avoidance" time for the tasks that you don't want to face? I did that for things I was assigned to do, with some success--it might be worth a try.
Good for you to add "nice things" to your weekly goals. Would it work at all to think of your writing/research planning as a "nice thing" for yourself? Or perhaps tie a reward to finishing it?
Finally, I want to point out the more than half full glass of what you accomplished last week. You didn't get to everything, true, but you recognized a lot of obstacles, and that is a great step in itself.
I just managed to lost most of a long comment here. Errgh!
ReplyDeleteI don't have great ways of keeping teaching and service in place. I know that I feel better about my teaching when I am creative yet strategic in my prep. I don't overprep though. Grading is another matter. I have to schedule the time and try not to think about it too much because if I don't moderate my emotions, I'll start to grumble and procrastinate. So setting very reasonable goals and then shutting up and doing them are important. Service is something I probably need to start scheduling. I'm involved in a lot of service, most of which I value highly. I probably do need to schedule the time though because some things have been falling out and getting done at the last minute and yet they deserve better. So: scheduling is my big strategy, though it's imperfect, to say the least.
Last 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. DONE: Galleys are done. I've been doing morning writing. I haven't been reading but instead I've been working very productively on the sabbatical application to the point of making timelines and other good things.
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) DONE: took bath, eating okay, stretching when I remember, relaxing as best I can, though I need to work on getting enough sleep for teaching days. BIG WIN: I found a book that suggests that all my symptoms that had me convinced I was sick and crazy are actually caused by something pretty normal and treatable. I can't tell you how much it pleases me to think that I may not be crazy or damaged!
3. Read. Read and enjoy. Read a little bit often. YES: completed one pleasure book and began another one. God I love reading!
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. DONE: spent much time playing games with Spirited Son. Did do some research about local involvement and began that conversation with Spirited Son, but haven't made much headway beyond that. EPIC FAIL when I let my own feeling of awfulness keep me from getting him to piano. Also, I get so upset about being expected to have a dinner plan when I come home from work. This conflict is totally preventable, and so I need to address it.
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). NOTHING DOING on this front.
6. Keep up with work and try to deal with needed work time proactively. GOT A BIT BEHIND.
Next Week's Goals
Delete1. 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.
Have a great week! May we all move like water rather than trying to push through walls like a linebacker!
One of my grad professors recommended setting a timer. She suggested determining how much time would be appropriate to invest in grading each assignment, then check it against the whole, to see what your commitment would/could be. So if I have a class of 25 students and I spent 15 minutes reading and commenting on each paper, that's six and 1/4 hours. That's a decent commitment, so I feel like I'm not letting anyone down if I stick to that timer going off. Admittedly, I have lots of trouble maintaining this, but I think it's an admirable approach.
DeleteThat's great about the new health info you found. I hope it proves very helpful.
DeleteAnd it's so great that you're putting time into sabbatical applications. Sabbaticals are THE BEST.
Topic
ReplyDeleteI think TLQ stuff has to be done first on days/weeks where TRQ can expand to fill all time. I like the suggestions that grading has to be good enough and that we see diminishing returns. I prefer to put my time into activities that will have a greater impact such as reviewing drafts. I also use whole cohort feedback for more procedural work where there is a 'right' answer. Admin also expands but I find I often overestimate how long it will take.
I get to buy marking music for assessment periods - new albums that I want. Then I listen to them as I focus on marking and find that one standard album's worth at a time is sufficient so then I do something else for a while. So I have marking music and I also have 'getting stuff done' music for the other tasks. In my head it all fragments into a movie like montage of business and things are done in the 30 seconds of the most significant tune's chorus rather than multiple hours of effort!
This last week's goals:
- finish 3 conference presentations and deliver 2.
Yep, still battling with presentation number 3 but it's nearly there. The other two were fine, could have been better but they were fine.
- do all the marking
Yep, nope. I've got a plan of 'x per day' but that depends on how good my internet access is later in the week. I have (104+64+34) bits of coursework and (24+104) parts of exam scripts (half of the 24 and 1/5 of the 104). I've done about 30 bits of coursework and no exam stuff. Then I've got 32 written bits and 10 videos to tackle.
- develop research tool for Kermit
It's getting there, just need some inspiration to finish it.
- get week 1 teaching into shape.
It's getting there. Stuff for Monday is done, notes for colleague for Friday are done. Just need to work on Tuesday.
I've also been doing some knitting so a few more wee squares for the blanket/cushions have been done.
This coming week:
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
I have a conference on Thursday/Friday and I don't know if I'll have good enough internet access to do marking as I travel there on Wednesday.
Glad the conference papers went well. I hope the third does, too.
DeleteI like the idea of "marking music." I vividly remember a paper I wrote in my M.A. program (on Yeats) for which Joni Mitchell's "Ladies of the Canyon" was my writing music. I'd write for most of the album, then for Big Yellow Taxi, I would stop writing to dance. Then during the next song (Woodstock), I would sing. During the last song I would get a snack and/or some caffeine. Then I'd start the album again, and repeat. It was fabulous.
But most of the time, I can't really do music with lyrics because I start singing the lyrics in my head, and then I can't read/write.
You have a lot of marking. I hope you can chip away at a good pace.
The above is from GEW. I was signed in with my work-related account when I posted. Whoops!
Deletekeeping things in their place:
ReplyDeleteWhen writing and research are my major TLQ priorities, doing them first thing in the morning for at least an hour (and preferably 2 or 3) 2-3 days a week (i.e. on non-teaching days, with Sunday and at least one other day off) works very well. Since transitions (mental and/or physical) are difficult for me, and (perhaps as a consequence) writing sessions of less than an hour are more frustrating than productive, that's what works. This approach also works for exercise (and, if I have enough time and have been exercising enough that I don't feel like falling asleep if I sit down after a moderate walk, combines well with exercise, either before or after writing. Realistically, this combination is really only possible when I'm not teaching, or maybe once a week during term time).
Reserving a particular day/time of the week for particular activities (e.g. working on household/financial projects on Saturday) also works pretty well, but it's much more vulnerable to disturbance by other things scheduled at the same time, and/or spillover from other days on the week (Saturday is very vulnerable to both; trying to take Friday off now and then is mostly vulnerable to spillover).
Since my whole job is teaching (no official service or research requirement, though I do a bit of both), its place is actually pretty central. So my goal is more to keep up/cope/not get overwhelmed by a way-too-heavy (according to the guidelines of at least one professional association) load. The most successful change I've made lately (well, a few years ago now) is to move from reading drafts of the big project before conferences to reading them *in* conference, with 15 minutes in between conference to sum up my comments. The conferences are longer, and the whole process is exhausting, but I'm keeping up much better, and the process allows me to offer more effective commentary because the student is present to provide immediate feedback on what they already know, what questions they have, etc. I also ask students to write down 3 things that are going well and 3 things that need work before they turn in the paper; that, too, saves me from making comments on things a student already knows needs work (and knows how to fix/improve).
Goals for last week:
Delete1. Begin exercising regularly, even a bit, doing whatever makes sense given the weather, at least every other day.
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.
Accomplished:
1. Not quite every other day, but I did a bit of weight-training earlier in the week and a good deal of snow shoveling today (I'm in the path of the big U.S. East Coast snowstorm, in an area that gets a few snowstorms a winter, but not enough regular snowfall to have the full coping infrastructure in place, so it will be a while before things are back to normal. So far, I've been able to move student work online, preserving the original schedules, and have enjoyed a quiet weekend at home). Some of the box-moving (see below) probably also counts as increased activity, if not exercise per se.
2. Pretty good progress on this, though some stuff has only gotten as far as the back of the car that is currently marooned between unplowed drifts in my apartment-building parking lot. I did move some stuff down to apt-building storage while retrieving the snow shovel.
3. Very successful. Cooked more soup and more oatmeal, and ate a good deal of salad. Bonus: found an antacid that seems to have calmed down stomach problems, which are probably mostly stress-related, for now.
4. Mixed. I'm mostly getting enough sleep, but stress is causing occasional early waking, and I'm not doing very well at keeping to a bedtime routine/routine bedtime. I really need to work on this. I've also started planning/tracking my time on daily schedules/logs, something I've done in the past, and which I've found helpful, at least for short periods.
5. (bonus) kept my cool when it seemed stepmother was imposing restrictions on communication w/ my Dad, followed the rules she set out, and ended up having a brief phone conversation and being invited to dinner this week. Her moods tend to be quite variable, so this tactic may or may not keep working, but so far, so good.
Goals for next week:
Delete1. 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.
Oh -- and GEW: steel-cut oatmeal (with apples, cranberries, walnuts, and some cinnamon) seems to work pretty well in large, make-ahead batches (and freezes well, too; I'm told Trader Joe's sells frozen oatmeal, but I've never tried that). I suspect the greater "chewiness" of steel-cut oatmeal might play a role; regular oatmeal might get too mushy(i.e. even mushier than it's supposed to be).
DeleteThe other neat trick with the steel-cut stuff is that you can soak it overnight in a microwaveable container (I use a pyrex measuring cup; but mason jars are hipper; I start with hot water but put it in the fridge) and then zap it quickly in the morning.
I figured out last year that if I brought the steel cut oats to a boil for a minute, then turned it off and left it overnight, I could just zap it in the microwave in the morning. But your method is even simpler!
DeleteI am excited about exploring this "overnight oatmeal" idea. Someone on my campus told me about it, too!
DeleteCC, your conference plan sounds very productive--a great use of time--but I'm not sure I could do it. I *do* do conference for my students when they write research papers (10-15), but I do give the papers a quick read ahead, writing some comments. I think my head would explode if I tried to do it all in an extemporaneous way--on the spot, so to speak--and spent more time with each student. But something to think about . . .
The above is from me, GEW. Signed in with wrong account.
DeleteThis week's prompt:
ReplyDeleteI don't have a good answer, but I'm learning a lot from everyone else's comments! My developing strategies involve doing my work first (and I teach early MWF this semester, which is nice because then it's over--except on Mondays, when I have a late seminar), and scheduling. Breaking things down into small, discrete tasks is also a good way to keep me moving forward.
Last week's goals:
1) Write 1500 words DONE--almost. I wrote 1496. Good enough!!
2) Read one article/chapter related to my research DONE
3) Read for (& prelim prep) seminar Week 2--I have half an article left to read, and notes to take. Under control.
4) Finish reading for seminar Week 1 (& prep Week 1!) DONE
I have an R&R (as of Friday) to do this semester, so it's getting added to the session goals. New challenge: balancing multiple research projects!
This week's goals:
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.
Congrats on the R&R! I hope both Rs go smoothly.
DeleteKeeping things in their place - like everyone, no magic bullets here. I'm working towards having systems rather than ad hoc responses for admin work, and with teaching the usual 'good enough' plus mentoring good tutors and arguing for paid marking so that I can offload more to them in good conscience.
ReplyDeleteLast Week: Struggled with focusing on work, and had a whole lot of needy/urgent postgrad things arise which sucked time.
1. Break up conference version of Earth and flag where additions are needed. Set daily word targets. Only looked at the first page.
2. Remaining fieldwork contact and transcribe archival bits and bobs from last year. Contacting done, plus a productive meeting about plans for next year's output from fieldwork. Archival bits no.
3. Decide on a gym to try. 3 x swim, walk or yoga. Haven't finished researching gyms, but did manage a swim, a walk and a yoga session.
This week: A little shorter than usual with a public holiday, and then need to have some teaching stuff prepped. So:
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.
I'm not very good at this stuff, but find meetings in particular a massive time suck. So this year one of my goals is to time schedule activities, instead of ticking off goals. The aim is thus to ensure my calendar has time slots for stuff I really want or need to do (everything from exercise to lunch) that administrivia or whatever can't overtake easily. . .
ReplyDeleteThis week's goals:
1) exercise at least three times. TWICE. I'm ok with that.
2) write for at least two hours on the novel. I HAVE WORDS ON PAPER. Although, they are for my idea for novel 2 not novel 1, so slight panic avoidance going on here, but that's ok. Words are on paper. It's a start. (And I hope Jane B is also succeeding with her novel!)
3) do a bit more of the submission process stuff. NO. Total avoidance. I will try again on this one.
This week's goals:
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
allan wilson
Ouch- I guess everyone will be able to tell last week from this week! I guess my brain has gone on holiday early! aw
Deleteand I came across a great motivator for finishing manuscripts the other day. A guy I know has a wine rack, where the number of bottles exactly matches his unfinished projects. Every time he finishes one, he gets to drink a bottle. I am seriously considering implementing something similar - great visual cues, and a reward. aw
DeleteLOVE the wine rack idea :) I want one!
DeleteA much-needed prompt, as research was left behind in the upheaval of the first week of teaching and service. I am confident that much of the first-of-the-semester stuff will be cleared away and I will be better able to manage what I want to do with what I need to do.
ReplyDeleteMy approach this year is to try to think of myself as a writer first, and a teacher and bureaucrat second and third. This tact was far easier to maintain when I was home and not on campus with people who have expectations and needs. With hope, I can figure out how to tie my identity to this particular part of myself.
last week:
1 Figure out requirements and write outline for short biography piece: somewhat
2 Finish and submit photo book review: no, for no good reason other than I let it slide
3 Send short emails to two project contacts: sent one
The email I sent ended up as a reply to a blog post because I could not find another way to communicate with this contact. I was really disappointed because the reply message sounds very fan-like since I couldn’t really appropriately state my credentials. Nor could I figure out how to post to a wordpress blog without using the pseudonym I use here, so that further diminished my credibility. Oh well.
this week:
1 read for short bio piece
2 start drafting extended abstract
3 ok, finish book review
4 send another contact email
Hi all, is it too late to join you?
ReplyDeleteThis week's goals:
1. Revise a little bit of the chapter sub-section every day.
2. Read one chapter or article a day (Thursday may be an exception)
3. Give myself regular time for creative writing.
Topic: I try to keep teaching-related tasks within certain time limits. Unless I have specific tasks to perform (reading, assessment) I keep all the material at school to avoid dabbling in it when I'm home working on research.
ReplyDeleteHi Danne! Welcome!
DeleteThanks JaneB! I tried posting another comment mentioning my goals twice but it doesn't appear on the page, I'm not sure why.
DeleteLikewise, I posted my goals for the session under week 1 but it didn't stick.
DeleteHi all, I hope it's not too late to join you!
ReplyDeleteMy goals for the week:
1 Revise a little bit of the chapter section each day
2 Read one article or chapter a day
3 Make time for some creative writing regularly
Topic: My new favourite way to keep teaching to a manageable level is to schedule 2 reasonable sized blocks during the week to deal with ALL prep and grading, and only teaching, nothing else. The block size can vary, but it has to be pre-scheduled. If it doesn't get done in that block I have to bring things home to do after hours and I don't like that, so it is a nice built-in incentive.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me very careful of how I use my time for those blocks (specifically discourages internet rabbit holes for finding "even more great material") and as mentioned has the "punishment" built right in, so I tent do follow it quite well. I find it does take about 3 weeks to get the system working properly for every new term. Some weeks run over when essays come in or midterms have to be marked, but in general it forces me to work ahead a little too and plan for busy periods. For example, when I'm done with the specific goal for that block I cannot switch to other tasks, so I have to work on something for future weeks.
Last week's goals:
My revisions got delayed by data complications that looked simple at first but turned out terribly time-consuming to redo. I also got a pile of brand new data on Friday to process for an abstract deadline on Monday, so I did that instead.
1)Finish revisions 3/4 DONE and got EXTENSION for complications in data...
2)Read 5 new papers very seriously for new area DONE
3)Run, inside and out, to each HALF DONE (the inside half of course)
BONUS: has first ski lesson with child and we both had a fabulous time. We'll definitely go back this weekend!
This week's goals:
1) Finish revisions
2) Finish new data processing
3) Write outline of talk for local conference
4) Run
I had not really considered designating pre-scheduled times for teaching/prep--time that I must use on those things. I'll have to think about that.
DeleteCongrats on doing the inside running, and double congrats on the skiing!
That's me, GEW. Signed in wrong.
DeleteFor me, teaching and grading (four classes, three of them comp of some sort) can suck up all of my time. I also must be careful as I come back from sabbatical. Many people have been eagerly awaiting my return to committees, etc. I plan to proceed with caution. The good thing is that sabbatical has given me a new "detached observer" lens through which I've gained a new perspective on old work habits, and I'm finding myself doing a better job of keeping email in its place (not checking it before bed!), and prioritizing TLQ in general. I was very proud of myself on Friday. It's my only day without classes (a rare occurrence), and I did no prep, grading, or service. I just worked on the dissertation. The sabbatical offered so much time for deep, uninterrupted focus, that I'm doing a better job of protecting that kind of time now. I worry that within a few weeks, though, everything will go to hell in a hand basket. I look forward to using strategies I see here to avoid that, and I will keep my good enough principle in mind. One of the biggest things I did this week was treat my TLQ goals as priority. As a result, I actually completed them (for the most part).
ReplyDeleteLast week's goals:
1) Write 2,000 words for introduction. YES! (well, 1300, but I'm counting that as a win).
2) Whittle down conference paper to 12 pages (that will at least send me in the right direction). YES!
3) Read 75 pages of primary source material. YES!
4) Read one critical article or chapter. YES!
5) Help son with presentation. YES (a little bit)
6) Feel no guilt about giving my kids mediocre food this week (e.g., fried chicken from the grocery store). YES!
7) Exercise 3x. CLOSE! 2x plus one session of very gentle yoga (to get rid of tension headache)
Treating my TLQ goals as serious business really helped me this week.
This week's goals:
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!
Congratulations on an awesome week!
Deletetopic My problem is with the urgent but not important stuff. Teaching matters, and I like the way the important bits of it - marking and planning and delivering - come in chunks (even if I end up breaking my marking down into one-essay units to make it bearable, it's still 53 discrete, measurable, plannable units). They can be planned, they are moderately elastic (they do have a compressability limit, but also it's fairly clear when they are getting out of order (by the number of web tabs I have open...)). The problem for me comes with the non-important bits that are urgent - emails, drop-ins (Student Satisfaction!), colleagues wanting to do stuff at their convenience not mine (how dare they!), administration, politics, demands for lists and papers and documents and help - things that all do need doing, I guess, and that nibble away at time. At home I ignore this stuff more but that's why my environment is such a tip. The end products - happy students, clean houses, a colleagial reputation - are things I want, but I struggle to reconcile the time management stuff.
ReplyDeleteSome interesting tips above, especially about grading - we've recently been strongly encouraged to use the "three things I like, three things to work on" formula, but I often find it hard to pick three things that aren't trivial for at least one of the two categories (or that don't need mini-essays, or that aren't specific to the assignment therefore not helpful for future learning...). Interestingly, those colleagues who HAVE adopted it are now getting comments on evaluations like "the comments on my essay were generic and seemed to have been cut and pasted from everyone else's essays" - so much for "e marking will be loved by everyone, just write a bank of response phrases and copy and paste them!" Though it suggests students do read their feedback and compare it with their friends...
last week
last week was not a good week. Too much STUFF involving people, and then I had a fairly minor dental treatment but didn't react well to the local and was generally fed up and not very productive for a few days. AM still generally fed up, but today was more productive (the approach of the new teaching period and the deadline for assessment marks can be quite galvanising).
TLQ goals
1) exercise. 2 visits to gym none
2) Picky paper. Give it an hour. no. It looked hard.
3) Other People's Papers. An hour a day? one hour total
4) bed before midnight and deliberate food choices (even if I choose chocolate... dieting does not go with grading). well ISH. I had several days when I got in from work fraught and with my lower back or hip sulking, and in order to stop the mindless eating after my evening meal I went upstairs and lay down for half an hour, and woke up several hours later, then got up and did stuff (useful, necessary stuff) then went to bed again in the wee hours. This actually WORKS for me... as long as I don't have to be out of the house before about 10:30 the following morning. So I have to stop doing it. I chose a variety of tasty food and once again did the unnecessary experiment of proving that bakery bread is delicious and has seriously negative effects on my digestive system.
On top of all that lack-of-success I'm also behind on two of the three the TRQ things, grading and teaching prep (I'm on top of administrivia for the moment).
the coming week
DeleteWell, the started week. The last one before teaching kicks into high gear. I have a really tough 5 week block after that (statistics to the entire second year, who will almost to a student resist learning anything, and which means multiple repeats of the exact same lecture and lab to sullen faces. Timetabling has given me tricky hours - 4 til 6 on a Friday for one section, poor bunnies. Poor me too!) so I need to get everything I can tidied away. From a TRQ point of view that means grading, and getting the first week's materials ready to go for all my classes. I also have to 'lead an activity' related to my Lemonade Stand Admin Job at the staff meeting next week, which is also going to involve sullen participants at a guess. I just have to keep plugging away - I think making very detailed lists might be useful again this week, it helped today as I just worked in hour blocks going through the list, then took 5-10 minutes away from the computer to do some minor domestic chores (loaded, ran and emptied the dishwasher twice so I now have a choice of plates and cutlery again, did a load of laundry, made simple meals) - moving around the house isn't much exercise but it definitely makes a difference! I overbooked today, but that often happens, and I've left Thursday quite empty to catch some overflow. The promise of a weekend off is alluring... although if I get the TRQ done I should TLQ in the weekend really. But I don't think I will!
TLQ goals for this week should be modest.
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.
I'm sorry about your negative response to the dental anesthetic. I hope you are better!
DeleteAnd oh my goodness, I can't imagine facing a group of students on a Friday 4-6. I can't imagine what they would be like. You have might sympathy.
Hope sleep schedule gets on track and that you feel up to one trip to the gym. Decided to "just go" even once, seems like a good plan.
Previous reply is from me, GEW. Signed in wrong.
DeleteThe only trick I have (which I'm working on) is not to prepare class before the night before. When I was new, an almost-retiring prof who had been exceedingly productive for that institution said his trick was to prepare class the night before. It's easier when you're teaching something you've taught 40 times before of course, but the principle is good.
ReplyDeleteI didn't quite wait till the night before this week, since I've got a new prep with lots of stuff I know little about, but I did all the other things I wanted to do yesterday, and only started on the teaching at about 3 PM. Of course the downside is that I worked until 10:30...
Goals from last week:
1. Get class up and running DONE
2. Take some time next weekend for writing NO
3. Four days of exercise YES
4. Be kind to Mom and to self. YES
Analysis: my mother left the hospital and went home on Tuesday, and classes started Wednesday. I had to set up home care, and try to visit as much as possible. Things are going pretty well now, and she is getting stronger, even realizing that while she won't indeed live forever, she probably won't die this week or next. (Or indeed in the next few months-- we just know that she has a medical issue which will probably, at some point, prove fatal.) So while I'm still visiting daily, I can stop by for a half hour, instead of hours... But I'm just exhausted, and trying to catch up with life, email, and all the things that got put on hold for five weeks.
BUT: I did get a readers report on my book prospectus, so need to respond to that.
Goals for this week:
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
We'll see!
I'm glad your mother is getting settled, and I hope that this week provides time for rest and some good TLQ time.
DeleteGlad things with your mom are a bit calmer. It sounds like even a few-week (month?) hiatus between crises would be helpful at this point.
DeleteAnd congrats on readers report; sounds like progress.