Hi everyone! This is technically our second to last week of the session, but unless anyone has any objectives, I'm thinking to go on until the 21at on the assumption that many (most?) of us will still be working in the week leading up to the 21at and therewfore will have TLQ goals for that week and maybe even a bit of time to finish up session goals as teaching winds down, and also because it might be a nice idea to set ourselves some PERSONAL TLQ goals for the end of year vacation period that will help us rest and refresh actively rather than just hoping it will happen if we just go with the flow (one of the things I definitely learnt when I was on sick leave a couple years ago is that it's important to make getting into the restorative things like doing crafts, connecting with people, working on personal or house projects as easy, just as it is for academic stuff - we talk about parking on a downhill slope for our writing, so how do we downhill slope resting and self-care?
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| Shoutypants likes to try out every beverage. He's unreasonably keen on apple-ginger tea at the moment... clearly it's for him, it's in a cat mug! |
This week's stationary topic is a timely one, calendars/diaries - what's your system for keeping track of days and their obligations? or if that feels too daunting at this time of year, do you have an advent calendar? Or several? We'd love to hear about that too!
<b>LAST WEEK:</b>
Daisy
New/Old paper to coauthors
Review committee homework and meeting
Read grad student chapters (one for each would be good)
Data for students
Association proposals urgent
Keep practicing like maniac for upcoming shows
Dame Eleanor Hull
- at least 4 writing sessions
- finish final exam for grads
- add policies and send sample syllabus
- finalize PhD exam
- pay bills
- set December goals
heu mihi (carried over)
2. Write a letter of nomination for a teaching award for a grad student
3. Work out 3-4 times (including a yoga class)
4. Enjoy family
5. Read a little for research on a subject I'm just interested in, not planning to write about (what luxury!)
JaneB
a) intentional movement for at least 15 minutes three days
b) ring GPs to see if I can make a non-urgent review appointment
c) wrapping Christmas stuff, finishing Christmas shopping
d) making a couple of times a week
e) two gently social things (D&D hopefully)
f) keep up reading for pleasure
IMPROVING MY ENVIRONMENT
a) 75%+ of the weekly list of chores
b) make a plan for the shelving in the living room
c) don't make clothes worse
d) set up advent calendar (I got a fancy one...)
TEACHING AND ADMIN:
a) mark late (extension) submissions for big assignment
b) limit teaching and admin to 5 hours at weekend
c) start on feedback for Senior MSc by Thesis student
RESEARCH
a) read revised manuscript from last autumn's visiting post-doc.
b) read chapter for meeting in December
c) work on outline grant text
d) work on modelling - check pilot results, plan next steps
Julie
2. Review an article.
3. Practice interviews for university applicants.
4. House/life admin: more Xmas presents, start on making calendars for parents, more financial stuff, get work done on car, follow up with plumber, book meetings with daughter's teachers.
5. Self-care/fun: exercise, read, sleep, journal, do something creative, book club, wander round local Christmas fair on Friday.
Susan
2. Read student piece before I meet her
3. Deal with questions for BIG COLLABORATION
4. Clear all the piles of paper
5. Draft Christmas letter (yes, I still send actual cards!)
6. Start planning party
7. Keep up with all the admin stuff and work
8. Make sure that I'm far enough ahead on anything I can do that when proofs come I have mental space and a clean desk
9. Keep up with exercise
10. Do something fun sometime (tonight I went to the Holiday Pops concert from our symphony, so progress.)
Calendars and Diaries: right now I use the outlook calendar, just because it's the easiest way for me to keep track of the various meetings I have, since they all come as calendar invites through email. But I'm thinking I'll go back to a paper diary once I retire and am less tied to the Outlook world! I used to have one of those filofax notebook type things, which was really handy, but also big, requiring a large-ish bag to carry it in. Hmmm. Things to imagine!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes for hanging in through the 21st!
How I did:
1. Read article from colleague YES
2. Read student piece before I meet her YES
3. Deal with questions for BIG COLLABORATION YES
4. Clear all the piles of paper YES
5. Draft Christmas letter (yes, I still send actual cards!) NO
6. Start planning party
7. Keep up with all the admin stuff and work
8. Make sure that I'm far enough ahead on anything I can do that when proofs come I have mental space and a clean desk MAYBE?
9. Keep up with exercise YES
10. Do something fun sometime (tonight I went to the Holiday Pops concert from our symphony, so progress.) YES
And also: dealt with car, went to dentist, bought Christmas tree and started to trim it, paid bills, planned end of year charitable gifts, met with realtor so cleaned house, dealt with remainders of the endless project about a stupid policy that I thought was done. It seems neverending.
So not a bad week, but I realize I'm running out of steam, and really eager for the end of classes (that's Tuesday for me), even though the week has events on campus 4 days, and I'm hosting my annual party on Friday, which is the official last day of classes.
Goals for this week: (beyond survive):
1. Get in expenses for events and travel
2. Organize Christmas presents that need to be ordered/shipped
3. Clear journals off desk by putting in zotero and recycling
4. Be kind to my students
5. Deal with the administrative stuff and budget mess with out completely losing my mind
6. Keep up with exercise, healthy eating
7. Get enough sleep
8. Draft Christmas letter (it would be nice to send out cards BEFORE Christmas for once!)
Sorry that the stupid policy is dragging on. Those things take up far too much mental space and energy. But a lot of yes.
DeleteI hardly sent any cards last year, as I was too exhausted and something had to give. Postal prices have really gone up in the UK, which I think has put a lot of people off. This year I have splashed out on some pretty cards from the British Library and am sending, but only to very close friends, a couple of neighbours (since I can hand-deliver!), and to older family members. I do think cards are a nice tradition, they just take so much time!
Well, of course all beverages are for Shoutypants. Who else could there be of any importance?
ReplyDeleteI am happy to continue until the 21st - we are heading off for Christmas on the 22nd, so that would be tidy. I love the idea of setting non-academic goals.
Diaries/calendars: these are very important as my brain is still too foggy to remember things. I have spent years experimenting with different formats and now have settled on one by a company called Mark's Inc - no idea if they are a US company. They do 16 months academic year format, and have space for weekly, monthly and daily to-do lists alongside a weekly schedule, which is perfect for me. And they come in different colours! This year's is mint green.
Last week:
1. Finish other chapter. - YES
2. Review an article. - NO
3. Practice interviews for university applicants. - YES
4. House/life admin: more Xmas presents, start on making calendars for parents, more financial stuff, get work done on car, follow up with plumber, book meetings with daughter's teachers.- YES, YES (and finished!), NO, YES (expensive!), NO, YES
5. Self-care/fun: exercise, read, sleep, journal, do something creative, book club, wander round local Christmas fair on Friday.- YES, SOME, SOME, NO, YES (an hour painting by numbers), YES, YES (mostly gifts for others, but bought an apple-scented candle and a lampshade for my study)
This week:
1. Review article.
2. Tidy study, organise papers and folders (paper and online).
3. Follow up a few references I found reading for the chapter.
4. Write reference for student.
5. Title and abstract for invited seminar in April.
6. House/life admin: more Christmas, financial stuff, plumber, organise cookery books when new bookcase arrives.
7. Self-care/fun: exercise, read, journal, something creative, sleep, catch up with friends.