Week 8 TOYS!

Hello everyone!

Toys!

Today we are frivolously talking about toys. Office toys, writing toys, reading toys, all sorts count. Because sometimes we act like toddlers, sometimes we feel like toddlers, and sometimes the world around us is filled with toddlers...

The inspiration for this was a run through a large store a few days ago, when I saw THESE!

And I don’t know who else would agree, but I think a rainbow-coloured pack of Sharpies would be absolutely awesome! There was even one that came in 56 colours! I didn’t buy them because I thought I should be sensible, but I just finished the biggest pile of revisions in history and I am thinking of going back for the 12-pack at least... If I wait till I finish the next batch maybe the 24??

What weird item makes you happy in your office? 

On second thoughts... Maybe my inner toddler shouldn't get hold of Sharpies....

Report in with the usual format for goals for last week, new goals, and discussion.

allan wilson

1. Finish current lab work run
2. 300 words a day on the mammal paper, for 4 days
3. write letter to editor
4. exercise for half an hour, at least 6 days
5. get to bed by 10pm every night
6. reward myself by finishing biological measurements (for a project I love)
7. explore possibility of new location for biological measurements

Contingent Cassandra

1. Try to keep up/build on the exercise habit
2. Try to keep up the bedtime routine
3. Continue work on boxes (another storage run and/or some packing/mailing, whichever fits in better around other things, including the weather)
4. Go grocery shopping; make soup

Daisy

REVISIONS!!!!

Danne

Do one PhD-related task a day to prepare for the probation review

Write fiction EVERY DAY

Cook good things for loved ones

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

1) Set up a half-hour planning meeting with myself for my writing--another hint from the tenure group.
2) Use some of the resistance techniques to get a few more footnotes done.
3) Figure out bribes that motivate me to work.
4) Move like water, float like mist

Earnest English

1. Research: Check second galleys. If possible, write a bit, read a bit. No stress.
2. Health: Good sleep. Good food. Good supplements. Don't stress. Take good care of self.
3. Family: Call piano teacher and put the lessons off until we can deal with them. Be with family when I'm with them, as much as I can.
4. Gardening/Herbalism: Consider blueberries. Start some seeds downstairs soon?
5. Work: I have a lot of grading that has been put aside because of all these meetings I've been going to. I've got to get on a good grading clip. I also really need to try not to get sucked in to big dramas at work whether via email or in meetings. Move like water, even when fire is what's coming at me.

Good Enough Woman

1) New Outline for Intro
2) Write 500 words of intro
3) read 40 pages of primary source
4) read one chapter/article
5) print chapter 1
6) Help son with gaming problem

heu mihi

1) Absolutely COMPLETE draft of talk
2) Start Article S
3) Go to conference and have fun staying with friend
4) Class prep for next week

Humming42

1 do scheduling for conference papers and extended abstract
2 read two essays for lit review for conference papers
3 write to important contact for conference paper

JaneB

1) bed before midnight, and ensure sufficient protein and fruit & veg in diet (even if accompanied by too many carbs and sweets) - continue to limit dairy (helps reduce cattarrh and general phlegmy disgustingness)

2) an hour of time spent with Picky Paper

3) something fun, e.g. guilt free novel reading BEFORE quiz grading!

Karen (from 7)

1. Exercise x3

2. No crazy late nights

3. Hold Friday afternoon writing time

4. Move like water and calmly get all the pieces in place for beginning of semester.

KJ Haxton (from 7)

1. Finish very short article on Loop project

2. Finish hat number 3

3. Get scary data in order to tackle second scary twin paper.

Kris (from week 5)

1. Finish the paper and send to group for comments

2. Pitch a short piece to the media

3. Sort out commitments to grant I don't like.

4. Keep up to date with my admin & leadership responsibilities.

Susan
1. Finish taxes (well, I meet with the accountant tomorrow, so...)
2. Read colleague's book for merit review (TRQ, really)
3. Prize books (this is now TRQ).
4. Exercise 4 times
5. Get regular sleep

Week 7 Overcoming Internal Resistance

A colleague shared a worksheet from his tenure support group that I found very helpful, if more than slightly uncomfortable.  It focuses on internal resistance to writing, making one name what is the internal resistance to working on a specific writing goal, and then work on ways to overcome it.

For example, I am horrified at the enormity of revising all of my textual footnotes from the dissertation and putting them into English for the commentary.  My internal resistance is being overwhelmed.  One way to address that resistance would be to break the task down into small increments of time.  I started with fifteen minutes.

I also suffer from perfectionism, which I address by using a tip from my creative writing studies--not editing as I write.  All of my academic training goes against that sort of rough draft that is allowed to continue as rough as it starts until it is done. Also, I find that my internal critic is much like the toddler that interrupts every five seconds,  Finally, the interruptions  and second-guessing overcome any forward progress, and the writing grinds to a halt. However, the tenure support group is counseling the same thing--write without editing until the first draft of the article is done.

As a final example, I suffer from imposter syndrome.  I have to remind myself that I do have something to offer to the academic discussion, and that what I have to say does matter. After a  few minutes of positive conversation with myself, I can set the timer for fifteen minutes and write.

I offer this spreadsheet as a possibility, but I’d love to hear any other suggestions you have.

Report in with the usual format for goals for last week, new goals, and discussion.  And, as always, move like water.

allan wilson

1. Do overdue biological measurements

2. 10,000 steps each day

3. Stick to a nutritious eating plan

4. Do 250 words on the mammal paper.

So, this week my book project is again taking a back seat, but I think I will sit that goal out this week and focus on achieving these others.

Contingent Cassandra

1. Fit in more regular exercise

2. Keep working on establishing bedtime routine

3. Continue work on boxes (another storage run and/or some packing/mailing, whichever fits in better around other things, including the weather)

4. Make some more oatmeal, and some more soup

5. Try to figure out some kind of time off

Daisy

It is a short week with a holiday, but no teaching, so FINISH REVISIONS is all I'm doing.

Danne

Do one PhD-related task a day to prepare for the probation review

Write fiction EVERY DAY

Cook good things for loved ones

Earnest English

1. Research and Read: Finish article revisions this week and turn them in. Keep toe in the water with Research during this Service-intensive time by writing or reading. 3x

2. Health: My anxiety about one thing has spiraled off the charts, and it is clear to me that it is not based on any kind of rational foundation, but is just part of some hormonal ungluing/anxiety disorder. Perhaps this week I could move forward by even one exercise in the Anxiety or Stress CBT books? Other than this, I have to keep up the good work with food, supplements, and sleep. Must get sleep.

3. Family: So we have a couple things in the cooker for Spirited Son, and we need to move forward with that. I need to talk to his piano teacher and make plans for a friend of his to come over. We also need to look at the Cub Scouts. Perhaps some kind of gym class or something so he gets some movement. So I need to keep things moving here. My crucial work here is to stop talking about Cool Service Project and work at home. I need to be more with them when I'm with them. I think part of the answer to this is that when I'm home on the weekdays, I need to treat it more like a workday and leave the weekends completely family oriented. I need to remember to not talk or get emotive about work with them.

4. Herbalism and Gardening. It's the middle of February, and I need to get my act together with planning the gardening for the year. I started this, but I need to order some seeds and the blueberry plants. I also need to figure out when I need to start seeds in the basement. This is an important part of family actually. I'm also going to make that kava kava thing today.

5. Work: I need to keep up a decent grading pace while also leading a search and working very seriously this week on Big Service Project. I really think that the key to moving like water with all this is to moderate emotions and not let myself go into getting frustrated or anxious or angry. I need to work on changing my attitude a bit better (not in a silly pop-psycho way, but in a reframing way to see if there are better ways to think about it all). I do love what I'm doing in Big Service Project, so that really helps.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell

1) Another page of footnotes 2x.

2) Respond and support this group, which has been very good to me.

Good Enough Woman

1) Read article by guy I met at the conference

2) Print, read, and reconsider outline for intro

3) Write 500 words of intro

4) Finish reading/reviewing Chapter 2

5) Read 75 pages of primary source

6) Put my phone away when I'm with the kiddos (I don't look at it very often, but I feel self-conscious when I do. I want to model more mindfulness, not the need to check messages as a reflex.)

7) Help son figure out his gaming problem.

heu mihi

1) Ideally, go through the whole to-do list on the talk and fill in the blanks (with notes if not actual paragraphs)

2) Complete Article H

3) Start the next article on my list

4) Firm up plans for Feb. conference travel (i.e. look at the damn bus schedule already)

Humming42

No new goals set; previous goals met!

JaneB

1) bed before midnight, and ensure sufficient protein and fruit & veg in diet (even if accompanied by too many carbs and sweets) - continue to limit dairy (helps reduce cattarrh and general phlegmy disgustingness)

2) an hour of time spent with Picky Paper

3) something fun, e.g. guilt free novel reading BEFORE quiz grading!

karen

1. Exercise x3

2. No crazy late nights

3. Hold Friday afternoon writing time

4. Move like water and calmly get all the pieces in place for beginning of semester.

KJ Haxton

1. Finish very short article on Loop project

2. Finish hat number 3

3. Get scary data in order to tackle second scary twin paper.

Kris (from week 5)

1. Finish the paper and send to group for comments

2. Pitch a short piece to the media

3. Sort out commitments to grant I don't like.

4. Keep up to date with my admin & leadership responsibilities.

Susan

1. Finish ms and email to press

2. Finish book review

3. Read at least one prize book

4. Prepare for meeting with accountant re. taxes

5. Exercise 5 times

6. Sleep regularly

Week 6 Things we've done right

Good morning everyone!
Many of us have had a few very rough weeks this year already for many reasons. The year feels like it has been quite long already, despite being only a month and a half old... It is now the middle of February, the time in the year where I start getting cabin fever and winter blahs, and it is really showing in my work and my level of engagement with writing. I think we can use a bit of cheer-leading and sparkles...

For this week's topic you have to make a list of five (yes 5!) things that you have done since January 1st that you are proud of. It can be anything, a new habit, a completed piece of work or crafts, the pile of chocolate that did not get eaten in a huff, anything...
Now of course we're usually pretty reluctant about doing something like that, so here is the alternative: make a list of 5 things you did since January; things that if a friend had done them, you'd be telling her/him that you are impressed or proud :)

On to the goals from last week now!

Report in with the usual format for goals for last week, new goals, and discussion.

allan wilson

1. Physical health: exercise (walk) at least 4x
2. Mental health: spend half an hour a day on my own, without interruptions, every day
3. Family: go to son's sports day for half a day. Cook a really nice dinner once.
4. Work: TLQ - look at, examine and reconstruct if necessary, 5 year goals.
5. Also, TRQ- write request for a piece of equipment, which first requires email conversation with overseas colleague that may or may not be productive
5. Fun: I can't even think of anything here, but imagine it will probably cross over with my half hour alone each day.

Contingent Cassandra

1. Fit in more regular exercise
2. Keep working on establishing bedtime routine
3. Continue work on boxes
4. Try to take a full day off

Daisy

ONLY Revisions - again and ongoing...
Lots of grading and other teaching things this week so I'm picking any others.

Danne

Write for three pomodori every day (only one today, to get started).

Reread and submit on Sunday/Monday morning.

Also, do not forget to prepare a conference proposal for Friday.

Do some creative writing, if possible.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell: (from Week 3)

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!

Earnest English

1. Research: Write at least 3x for half hour. Work on article revisions.
2. Health: Here I need to be good to my leg and take my supplements and generally be very good to myself when it comes to food and stress.
3. Read: Bring a book for the plane and to help go to sleep.
4. Family: Love them this weekend.
5. Herbalism: Nothing doing on this front.
6. Work: I'm taking grading with me on my trip, and I'd like to get at least five projects done per day. I also have some short pieces to grade, and I'd like to get those done also, but that might be a bit much. I also need to prep Friday while I'm gone.

Good Enough Woman

1) Drink fluids and sleep enough to prevent worsening of cold.
2) Finish conference paper and slides (this will be TRQ soon)
3) Finish primary source (this is a big goal, but I need to finish this novel!)
4) Read Magic chapter and write notes for chapter revision and article
5) Read a secondary source article/chapter
6) Write 1000 words for intro
7) Acquire everything I need to celebrate Valentine's Day upon my return (I return from conference on V-Day)

heu mihi

1) Get a really rough, but complete-ish, draft of my talk together.

2) Start organizing things for upcoming conferences and summer research travel.

3) Work through Article H to the best of my ability.

4) Allow myself to neglect my Latin translation for a while.

Humming42

1 finish short bio piece
2 finish extended abstract

JaneB

From Week 5

1) sleep and food

2) gym once (this weekend, Sat or Sun. Meant to go yesterday, ended up being at work from 08:30 to 7pm and after that I'd just had enough of people)

3) reply to DrVisit about a joint paper.

4) freewrite about Picky Paper. I think I have an emotional problem with Picky Paper I just can't quite catch hold of it and drag it out into the light to take a good look at it and see if it's a mouse or a mammoth, as the strategies need to be different depending).

Karen:

From Week 5

1. Finish pulling apart paper.

2. 15 minutes freewriting at beginning of each work day

3. 250 words added (minimum) each day.

4. 3 x exercise

5. 10.30 screen time curfew, and evening work to be only set small tasks with time limit.

KJHaxton

1. Establish order in the TLQ ranks - I need to make a priority list of what needs to be done first, chase down a couple of 'may be things' that need to be on the radar screen, and work out deadlines.
2. Make the hat.
3. Get a handle on the TRQ and generally make lists, deal with the easy items and clear space for TLQ in the coming weeks.

Kris

1. Finish the paper and send to group for comments
2. Pitch a short piece to the media
3. Sort out commitments to grant I don't like.
4. Keep up to date with my admin & leadership responsibilities.

Matilda (from week 2)

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

Scottish Writer (from week 2)

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
1. Finish book review
2. Read two books for book prize
3. Get organized for next week's writing retreat (taking place in my house, but I'm declaring the long weekend a writing retreat!)
4. Do one journal
5 Exercise four times
6. Sleep regularity

Have a great week!

Week 5 Distractions

Hello all! This past week was a tough one for me on a personal level, as I will detail in my report.  However, it did give rise to a topic for the week. One evening, I was catching up on a television show and knitting.  My son came in to ask me about dinner, with about 2 minutes left in the show.  We have a longstanding joke that I am always interrupted within the last 5 minutes of a show, so I responded that he was honing the craft by cutting the time down by half. He then pointed out that I was not only watching the show and knitting, but playing a game on my phone. Although he wasn’t overly upset at my chiding him, he then texted my husband, relating the story, and ending by asking, “How do you do it?”

Despite recent studies that multitasking is not truly possible, I still see time management posts that offer it as a solution to our finite time resources.  I have ADD, so multitasking is fatal to mindful work in my case. Am I the only one to be easily distracted by shiny objects?  My family teases me by saying, “Squirrel!” when I hop from topic to topic, in honor of our Standard Poodle who drops everything at the glimpse of a squirrel.

We have talked about email distractions in previous weeks,  (If you need to shut off Outlook notifications, I copied DH’s instructions into my comment in Week 2).  If you have more to say about email, please feel free. Are there other distractions that plague you? How do you address them?

Allan Wilson:

1) deal to FS draft that I have been avoiding

2) work on CR ms that I have also been avoiding

3) find a way to exercise more during the week. Maybe goal of 8,000 steps a day?

Contingent Cassandra:

1. Fit in regular exercise

2. Keep working on establishing bedtime routine

3. Continue work on boxes (one drop off; maybe another load; more sorting/packing)

4. Do some cooking if time.

Daisy:

Only one: Finish the revisions since they are now so TRQ it is not even funny...

Extra goal: As stated above - finish little things instead of letting them carry over. The perceived "improvement" from thinking about them too long is not worth the actual time it takes...

Danne:

Write something for the chapter section every day

-Read one chapter or article a day

-Do some creative writing each day

Earnest English:

1. Research: I got revisions this week for an article I wrote. I at least need to email the editor back. Other than that, I don't have it in me to make goals about research. I'd like to do my morning journaling.

2. Health: I must eat lunch at work. I'm trying to eat better/more vegetables and fewer sweets and simple carbs. I must take exquisite care of myself and my ankle to the point that I feel like I'm wrapped in a loving self-hug all the time. I have to let myself be slow (there's no other way). I need to figure out whether I need to get to the doctor for the shot before I get on a plane. Eat regularly and well. Get good sleep. Take magnesium at night and other supplements religiously. Health has to be priority #1 even though it may not be as exciting as changing the world, one service opportunity at a time.

3. Read. Yes, that's a good idea. Read fun stuff while putting my leg up.

4. Family: Try not to be Crap Mom (see recent blogpost on that if you like) but don't push self too hard to be a perfect mom either. Focusing on my health and attitude helps the family. Pursue piano. Maybe go to homeschooling class with Spirited. Watch X-files with Husband. Try to enjoy here.

5. Herbalism: get the stuff for the Kava Kava drink ordered!

6. Keeping up with work: this week I'll get more to grade, and I need to keep up with it even though I will be out next week. I think I really need to move like water this week -- I have a lot scheduled. I need to keep up and not drive myself crazy and be loving to myself so I'll get well and do everything better.

Elizabeth Anne Mitchell: (from Week 3)

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!

Good Enough Woman:

1) Help son finish/practice presentation that he'll give on Saturday (it's about getting a rocket into orbit in the game/simulation called Kerbal Space Program)

2) Figure out how to celebrate husband's b-day (in addition to family dinner).

3) Get daughter ready for camp in a non-stressful way.

4) Conference paper down to 10 pages.

5) Start putting together a few slides for conference paper (let's say four images)

6) Print Magic chapter.

7) one chapter/article of criticism

8) Write 500 words for intro

9) 40 pages of primary text

Heu mihi:

1) Shift priority towards talk by reading over chapter that I intend to focus on and doing some generative free-writing re. its key points and what I want to emphasize.

2) When (1) is done, brainstorm/draft a couple of paragraphs about ch. 4 and 5 that rough in the material that I want to bring in to the talk.

3) Grade 4 (short) papers/day.

4) Read friend's chapter for Friday's writing group.

humming42:

1 draft short bio piece

2 draft extended abstract

3 decide whether to submit fascinating abstract

JaneB:

1) sleep and food

2) gym once (this weekend, Sat or Sun. Meant to go yesterday, ended up being at work from 08:30 to 7pm and after that I'd just had enough of people)

3) reply to DrVisit about a joint paper.

4) freewrite about Picky Paper. I think I have an emotional problem with Picky Paper I just can't quite catch hold of it and drag it out into the light to take a good look at it and see if it's a mouse or a mammoth, as the strategies need to be different depending).

Karen:

1. Finish pulling apart paper.

2. 15 minutes freewriting at beginning of each work day

3. 250 words added (minimum) each day.

4. 3 x exercise

5. 10.30 screen time curfew, and evening work to be only set small tasks with time limit.

KJHaxton:

Marking. Anything beyond that is a bonus.

Kris: (from week 3)

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.

Matilda (from week 2)

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

Scottish Writer (from week 2)

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:

1. Read book and write book review which is now (a little) overdue

2. Start reading books for book prize committee

3. Get one journal off the shelf -- go through, read relevant articles, and put potential teaching or future project stuff in zotero

4. Keep up with exercise -- goal of 5 days is good.

5. Get sleep schedule regular

6. Get in some weeding. We've been having rain, which means weeds are *very* happy!