Using magic is tiring! Even talking to fairies, or tossing a charmed object that someone else has enchanted, takes its toll on the person wielding it, let alone the enchanter's energy. Mostly in History and Literature of Magic, our jobs have only the normal stresses: reading, grading, writing, preparing classes, trying to hold the attention of students who would rather be doing applied work than learning about old stories. But sometimes we have extra magic-related expenses of energy, and then it's very important to replenish properly. The applied users have their rituals to raise and store magical energy, but the rest of us have to think about how to tend our energy levels. Sleep is an obvious method, and so is meditation; spending time outside is good, as is listening to music, making art, writing in a journal or on a fun project, creating something, spending time with pets or friends.
What energy-restoring ritual would you like to create this week?
Contingent Cassandra (held over)
--Engage in some sort of
purposeful movement – short or long walks, stretching, weight-lifting,
stair-climbing, and/or gardening – at least 5 out of every 7 days
Daisy
More visits
More grading
More fixing data issues
More thesis comments
More thesis rewrites
Dame Eleanor Hull
Exercise: cardio x5, yoga at least x4.
Work: sample syllabus for 1 course
proposal; ~3-5 hours/day on research (reading, translating, outlining,
writing); prep for Latin group; finish Alms section.
Social/outings: attend live
presentation at LRU library; take Basement Cat to vet.
Creative: find files on old
desktop; write out story climax idea/scene (may not have time for this, but
it's a nice thing to keep around).
Planning: make April trip
arrangements; make eye exam appt for me; assemble tax documents.
heu mihi
1. Exercise some; sit some
2. Read grad student's chapter
3. Initial assessment of two
journal submissions
4. Find reviewer(s) for other
journal's submission
5. Read 3 articles for research
JaneB
1a - move intentionally three days
1b - do seven household tasks
(check list in my bullet journal)
1c - reduce (lets be realistic
here) refined sugar for Lent
1d - make sure I do rest after a
few hours (I think that's part of what has messed up my sleep...)
1e - read one book on ADHD, 7
types of rest for burnout recovery reading
2a - spend some decent reading
time, do some doodling, knit
2b - do some D&D preparation
for a game I run, play D&D
2c - sort out cards and gifts for
Mothering Sunday (Sunday 10th in the UK) and my Mum's birthday (which is next
week, sigh)
3a - maintain boundaries, prepare
for Review, do minimal work hours (one grad student meeting in the diary,
possibly one more if it can be scheduled), & check for Gossip
4a - anything that comes up re:
future graduate students (I've had another enquiry!)
Julie
1. Viva tomorrow, write up joint report with external.
2. Finish marking (due Thursday).
3. Write final lecture for next
week.
4. Two PhD chapters for different
students.
5. Short report on research trips
last term for funder (due Thursday)
6. More meetings.
7. Nephew's birthday present.
Susan
1. Read revised chapters as they come in, upload
2. Spend a coherent 2-3 hours on
the introduction
3. Write the VERY LATE review. (I
have just emailed the journal and said it would arrive by next Monday.)
4. Maybe do some journals or
decluttering
5. Plan March trip to conference
and friends
6. Do something fun
7. Eat/ Move / Sleep
Timely prompt, as this week I finally crawl out from under the marking and get to breathe a little before the next batch. I am very badly in need of some restoration. Sleep is a priority, but also writing, reading fiction and finishing One Day on Netflix. And more exercise. And possibly some baking next weekend, which I intend to keep absolutely free of work (at least, the work I get paid for - the domestic work never ends).
ReplyDeleteLast week
1. Viva tomorrow, write up joint report with external. - YES
2. Finish marking (due Thursday). - YES (finished 11 pm Wednesday night, then one of the grad tutors was late with his marking so we missed the deadline anyway. Grrr.)
3. Write final lecture for next week. - YES (finished at 5 pm today, sigh)
4. Two PhD chapters for different students. - YES (and one was excelllent)
5. Short report on research trips last term for funder (due Thursday) - YES (it was very short)
6. More meetings. - YES
7. Nephew's birthday present. -YES
A lot of yes, but all stuff that had to be done, and getting it done meant a lot of hours...
This week:
1. Revise grant application to make use of positive feedback from colleagues.
2. Talk to research support staff about costings.
3. More meetings, but last week of term.
4. Try to do some other bit of research/writing if time.
5. Restorative stuff
6. Exercise: run x 3, pilates x 1
7. House jobs: aim for 3
8. Book theatre weekend for summer with friends.
I'm of the opinion that getting done the stuff that has to be done is for many of us a prerequisite for getting to the fun stuff, so I would not be sniffy about all the "yes"!
DeleteYou definitely got a lot of stuff done, hope there is room for some nicely restorative activities this week. I like the work-free baking weekend plan!
DeleteEnjoy the satisfaction of all that YES, however many hours it took!
DeleteIt is that point in the term where finding space for no gets harder and harder, and so keeping a weekend, or even a day, completely free is a really good ritual - especially if it involves things like baking which come with immediate, concrete rewards (unlike work, where the "reward" is more work and can take years to materialise if ever...).
DeleteI did some Extremely Lazy baking today (American pancake mix made up, added a load of berries, poured the whole lot into a big baking pan and oven baked it) - but that means I now have pancake slabs each with one portion of fruit in them waiting in the fridge for the rest of the week (and with yoghurt or a latte, for dairy protein, that's actually a reasonably healthy breakfast or lunch). immediate rewards for the win...
Mmmm fruity pancake slabs.
DeleteAh, rituals. I'd love to be able to make myself stick to habits and rituals effectively! Right now I'd especially like to have a "normal person" style bedtime routine and sleep pattern, but that might require colleagues over in the experimental modifications of life wing to install a Brain Off Button....
ReplyDeleteIt's been another week. First, the Review went... OK, but not well. Interim Head of Dept declared that neurodiversity is not necessarily a disability and that since I had excellent coping mechanisms to become a reader, I probably didn't need accommodations. And was not challenged by HR. Also when I raised parking anxiety she said "there are loads of spaces visible outside my window right now" which was ridiculous because first, it was 2:30 on a Thursday, which is not when anyone is usually trying to park to do a day's work, and second, her office overlooks the top-priced parking permit zone (mostly used by executive level admin peoples or full professors) and the visitor parking area, so... not relevant. I probably talked too much. I felt really awkward and judged. She assumed I'd be back in April, I said I'd wait to see what the Dr advised, and wanted to meet with Occupational Health to agree a return plan that met my needs (they've never been much use before, but maybe this time...). I'm still really struggling with not being allowed a partial return, and the morality of my obligations to collaborators and graduate students (and undergrads doing projects, and my colleagues), but it's out of my hands.
The next day, I got a call from the Autism service - you might recall earlier in this session I had to do a LOT of pages of forms and documentation, and get my sister to do some as well. The call was to cancel the appointment I had scheduled this coming week because, based on the initial interview (which I thought went badly) and the documentation I provided (which was of course wordy, being from me - the psychiatrist said it was "like reading a novel in places" but said it kindly), the "whole team is unanimous that you are autistic. So, not making it widely known until I have the actual report, but having spend most of last week in a state of "waiting for the review meeting and the appointment so cannot do anything else", well, I'm telling you lot. Because it's a relief! And another step along the road...
It wasn't a productive week, but I did tick off some small things!
LAST WEEK:
1a - move intentionally three days two and a bit - the bit was getting late evening itchy feet and dancing around to a couple of tracks I had playing, so small but not nothing
1b - do seven household tasks (check list in my bullet journal) maybe three?
1c - reduce (lets be realistic here) refined sugar for Lent not really. It wasn't a good food week
1d - make sure I do rest after a few hours (I think that's part of what has messed up my sleep...) ish. Also been having a lot of cannot-keep-my-eyes-open-in-daylight issues...
1e - read one book on ADHD, 7 types of rest for burnout recovery reading yes and yes
2a - spend some decent reading time, do some doodling, knit yes, made some cards for mothering sunday (UK one is today) and my Mum's birthday, and one for my Dad who had dental surgery last week, and did a little knitting. I am remembering why I'm not a great knitter - I just... get bored, or get so into it my arm is in pain for days. Nothing in between!
Delete2b - do some D&D preparation for a game I run, play D&D ish, played once
2c - sort out cards and gifts for Mothering Sunday and my Mum's birthday yes - including searching the internet then having multiple email exchanges with a small specialist home-baking business in her area to deliver a box containing a few "luscious cream cakes" which is the only gift she actually asked for - a couple days after her birthday, but cake is always good, right? Hope that works out...
3a - maintain boundaries, prepare for Review, do minimal work hours (one grad student meeting in the diary, possibly one more if it can be scheduled), & check for Gossip maybe, not really because I didn't entirely know how, 4 hours 15 this week between grad students and review meetings and email triage, Gossip Acquired(the new Head of School joining in July came for a visit and no-one knows why he wants to come to us from his current (much better) place, or why he claims we are capable of being the best small beach studies department in the country when we are so worn down and out of resources - the university wouldn't even let us have coffee/tea for the meeting, and grad students are now instructed to postpone lab work until the new financial year in August...
4a - anything that comes up re: future graduate students (I've had another enquiry!) well, Consortium our candidate was rejected, so no joy there. Northern our candidate is reserve, so might get funded if some of the top choices reject the university's offer, and as I said Exotic has already failed. So THAT feels like a total waste of effort right now, and another Sign from the Universe that I am coming to the end of my time at Northern Uni or as an academic. Hopefully that's just me being a sore loser and a tired person! The enquiry I'm going to deal with after Easter, it's not urgent (local student, self-funding, we've had email exchanges that establish the basics, they don't need to apply until end of May...
COMING WEEK:
1a - move intentionally three days
1b - do seven household tasks (check list in my bullet journal)
1c - eat mindfully
1d - make sure I do rest after a few hours
1e - read one book on neurodiversity
1f - the decluttering woman cometh, so I need to brace for that! Some VERY dusty bookcases are going to be purged...
2a - spend some decent fiction reading time, do some doodling, knit/crochet
2b - do some D&D preparation for a game I run, play D&D
3a - maintain boundaries, do minimal work hours (no meetings in the diary for the coming week, so will just aim to do email triage once)
Oooh, a "Brain Off" button would be amazing... I would sign up for that in a minute! Especially if it came with an add-on that replaced racing brain panic with the sound of cats purring contentedly...
DeleteSorry to hear the review meeting was difficult. So unfortunate that a phased return plan is not an option, it sounds so much more logical than the all/none approach they seem to be attached to...
Hang in there!
Yes, a "Brain Off" button would be great! I agree with Daisy on all counts. Your situation sounds very frustrating. At least you have a definite diagnosis and some time back, I suppose. The "novel" comment may be deserved not just on length but on well-observed detail and humor---you really are a good writer, as we have had many occasions to observe!
DeleteApparently "phased return" means "accepting the principle of full pay for partial performance" which is "unacceptable".
DeleteHaving had partial pay for full+ performance for decades, all at this institution, I am VERY aware of how naive and STUPID I have been to actually attempt to serve the insitution rather than skimping on all work except that that benefitted me alone, and actually partially believing all the rhetoric about collegiality etc.
Not helped by more messages about the dire financial situation - coupled with a recent paper from a previous vice chancellor coming out in a prestigious location about their successes in puttin the organisation on a sound financial footing for at least the next five years, which was done about... two years ago. When ALL the current trends were VERY visible to even us lowly peons with no access to the national and international data or the various ministries. Yet here we are back with the "voluntary" redundancies and peer institutions openly talking about getting rid of "old, expensive" staff to replace them with "agile, fixed term rising stars" (which we all know means people who will lack the expertise and institutional knowledge but also will work like stink dreaming of permanent jobs and believing, as I did, in the fundamental decency and fairness of the system. Well, maybe they'll be more cynical - in which case, my experience is that older staff remaining will have to carry them along anyway along with their work for the sake of the students whilst watching most of the tiny research support funds available channelled to the newbies...). Apparently today is also cynical!
Senior management can be so tone deaf! Sorry, it must be really frustrating and exhausting, having to fight for what you need all the time. I hope the autism diagnosis is helpful. I can't remember if I've mentioned it before, but I found Katherine May's book, The Electricity of Every Living Thing very interesting: she was diagnosed with autism in her 40s. I hope you manage some self-care this week.
DeleteSo, "we're going to exploit idealistic, hopeful young people until they wise up," similar to the NHS's treatment of medical staff (as I understand it from reading blogs, mainly by the parents of young doctors, since the docs themselves haven't the time to blog). Cynicism seems an appropriate response. Sigh.
DeleteEnergy restoration in real life for me is usually reading in bed with cats… I did get to do some of that this weekend, I actually cancelled a non-urgent thing to make some room for lab work which also allowed for some reading time. I also took full advantage of the take-out instead of cooking option this week. In the magical realm I would love to have the option of a “pause” button that allows one to take a few hours to recharge (or just nap!) and then step right back in where you left off. I feel like in our systems where there is very little slack the main problem with taking unscheduled or extra time for rest it that time keeps marching on, creating the inevitable backlog of stuff that is waiting when one returns… Magical pause button aside, this week I am planning to drink all the coffee in the world and just barge through everything that needs to be done…
ReplyDeleteLast week’s goals
More visits DONE, NOW DECISIONS…
More grading DONE
More fixing data issues IN PROGRESS
More thesis comments IN PROGRESS
More thesis rewrites IN PROGRESS
This weekend I did a bunch of lab work that was urgent, have one more day of that to do this coming week. The next few weeks are going to be insane, but I know it is only for a short time… I have a conference at the end of the week where I’m giving a talk that is professionally important for me, and before leaving for that I’m giving a talk at a student event that is important for our department. The week after that I’m playing in a huge concert for the university, and the week after has a chamber music concert and an Easter concert... So basically March is going to be nutty but all for good reasons.
This week’s goals
Learn new and review old music for upcoming concerts
Urgent lab work day, send off samples
ALL the student thesis rewrites
Make and give conference presentation, enjoy conference
Make and give student event presentation
Funny, it doesn’t look so bad when it is all written out like that… Maybe that is a good omen!
I hope it will be a good omen! I wish I could get my cats to come to bed with me. Bribes will get them to come in, but not to stay. Congrats on getting the grading done!
DeleteYay reading with cats (Fluffball liked that, but only if I tolerated at least half an hour of him being between me and my reading material demanding attention - I kept meaning to look into a projector to put the words on the ceiling!). If only they made heated blankets which purred (I am now remembering the "live fur" in the Vorkosigan Saga...)..
DeleteMarch sounds insanely busy, but concerts sound like the right kind of possibly restorative busy!
DeleteWellll ok. Last week, I was literally thinking, "At least no grad students have gone on leave this week!", when I got an email in which a grad student--who is teaching his own course AND covering a course for someone on leave--told me that he's leaving the University/academia altogether after spring break (so next week). Luckily, if somewhat inappropriately, he'd already talked to potential replacements, so at least that part was easy-ish.
ReplyDeleteMuch worse, one of our students on medical leave got just about the worst possible diagnosis last week, so that's a blow.
Rest and restoration sound like a great idea right now, although I've been doing pretty well at not letting these stressors creep into my personal life too much. The problem is that they take up a lot of my work life, so other work gets pushed; this past weekend, for instance, I spent many hours both Saturday and Sunday reading for my graduate seminar. But spring break is very soon....
Last week:
1. Exercise some; sit some--Ran three times, one yoga class, sat once. So that's okay.
2. Read grad student's chapter--YES
3. Initial assessment of two journal submissions--YES
4. Find reviewer(s) for other journal's submission--Found one; still need one
5. Read 3 articles for research--HA HA NO
This week:
1. Get set up for spring break writing: reorient myself with my current chapter and/or think through ch. 5 some more; try to make some kind of progress on the floundering abstract of nonsense
2. Students: Read advisee's prospectus, take care of an incomplete, bunch of little things for my class
3. Send next issue of journal off to the press
4. Start ch. 3 revisions
This list should be manageable, but I ought to know better by now.
I guess well done to your grad student for making the right choice for them, but oh no for the other and for you/the rest of the staff scrambling to deal - reliance on GTAs and fixed term staff does bring extra instability!
DeleteGetting set up for spring break sounds like a really good TLQ priority to have for the week!
Oh, dear! So sorry for the challenges of the graduate director! I get the decision to leave, but can't your student see the semester through? But it appears that if the outside world had not intervened, it would have been a good week.
DeleteOh no, another grad student down! You should maybe have a prize for the last one standing...Hope this week is better.
DeleteI hope the student got a really terrific job offer and isn't quitting mid-semester due to mental or physical health problems, at least! I mean, the result is the same for heu mihi in terms of staffing, but it sounds like there's enough harrowing news about students without any more. I also hope you can have the week as planned, without any unexpected monkey wrenches tossed in this time!
DeleteYes--at least that student (the latest one) is leaving for a new job which he's excited about. And I suspect that it is the best choice for him. So it is kind of good news, in the end!
DeleteAnd definitely better than the other student's diagnosis. I mean, this particular diagnosis is usually terminal, and usually quickly. It's really shocking.
That sounds so tough! We went through something similar about 20 years ago and I still remember it and think of the poor family and student.
DeleteRituals and recharging? I am a ritual person, I mean I go to church (in a liturgical tradition) every week! I think it's mostly spending time with friends, but also reading books that have nothing to do with work and may have no literary or social value. I like reading in bed, and have recently started doing the crossword in bed. (Last week I did Monday to Thursday easily, and crashed on the weekend.) Also, I generally stop work when I go eat dinner, and then watch some dumb tv.
ReplyDeleteHow I did
1. Read revised chapters as they come in, upload YES
2. Spend a coherent 2-3 hours on the introduction NO
3. Write the VERY LATE review. (I have just emailed the journal and said it would arrive by next Monday.) YES
4. Maybe do some journals or decluttering ONE JOURNAL
5. Plan March trip to conference and friends SOME
6. Do something fun YES
7. Eat/ Move / Sleep YES
So it was a pretty good week, though I sent the review to the journal 15 minutes ago - I wouldn't let myself post here until it was done. I carried the book to the UK last summer, had it as a goal for the fall session, so this is LONG overdue. Otherwise, I never got the time on the introduction, but decided the review took precedence. Had a nice day in the nearby big city, and did some surprise shopping, so that was good.
Goals for the week ahead:
1. In theory everyone is supposed to get everything on big collaboration to us by Friday. So most of my time this week will be on that.
-- work on introduction
-- start work on illustration table in the form they want it
--read and deal with essays that come in late
--zoom meeting with co-editor
--communicate with authors who are late
2. Administrivia: there are meetings on several subjects that need attention. I will chair one tomorrow, and need to do it with friendliness and grace
-- reach out to admitted students about questions
3. Find time to plan time at conference in great midwestern city. What sessions will I go to? Which museum will I go to when I play truant?
4. Deal with necessary phone calls, schedule cat for boarding, etc.
5. 3 journals
6. Take a trip to the dump with stuff in garage. Maybe go to storage unit for a preliminary scan of the challenge there.
7. Test drive one of the cars I am thinking of buying when I get rid of the current car.
7. Something nice/fun. Eat/sleep/move
Lots of YES! Congratulations on getting that review off your plate. I hope the meeting today goes well. If your midwestern city is in my neck of the woods, let me know!
DeleteIt is :) Will email you
DeletePlanning places to go truant during a conference is a great move!
DeleteI hope that the collaborators turn their stuff in on time!
DeleteWell done on getting the review in! Planning museums around conference sessions is always great.
ReplyDeleteI have a ritual for starting the work day, which is only effective b/c I'm on sabbatical: some Greek drill online, then some translation for Latin group, and then I move on to a writing project. During the semester, this would mean languages were all the "research" I did, many days, but I enjoy them as warm-up to writing ATM. I'm trying to be more mindful about taking a "real" break between tasks or when feeling frustrated/stuck: that is, going outside, or having a snack or making tea, something that isn't sitting at the computer browsing blog archives. I think I ought to try again on meditating: that's something that comes and goes in my life (mostly goes, if I'm honest), but I do try periodically and hope that eventually it will stick.
ReplyDeleteHow I did:
Exercise: cardio x5, yoga at least x4. YES
Work: sample syllabus for 1 course proposal; ~3-5 hours/day on research (reading, translating, outlining, writing); prep for Latin group; finish Alms section. NO (I think I have a block on this task! Quite a bit of it is wanting to put in All The Things and knowing that won't work); MOSTLY; YES; NO.
Social/outings: attend live presentation at LRU library; take Basement Cat to vet. YES BOTH.
Creative: find files on old desktop; write out story climax idea/scene (may not have time for this, but it's a nice thing to keep around). YES/NO. At least I have the files!
Planning: make April trip arrangements; make eye exam appt for me; assemble tax documents. STARTED (it's a complicated trip!), YES; NO.
New goals:
Exercise: cardio x5, yoga at least x4. Swim x1. Trainer x1.
Work: do something on sample syllabus for 1 course proposal; ~3-5 hours/day on research (reading, translating, outlining, writing); prep for Latin group; finish Alms section; conference paper work.
Social/outings: Zoom with conference collaborator; eye exam; read book for group next week.
Creative: write out story climax idea/scene (may not have time for this, but it's a nice thing to keep around).
Planning: finish April trip arrangements; assemble tax documents
It sounds as if things are moving, even if not at the pace you wanted!
ReplyDelete