Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

James, I like your thinking. In work and in personal life, we can carefully plan and prioritize. At the end of the day however, sometimes we have to override our plans and do what makes the most sense in the moment. Always allow for the unexpected. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Jeff, Sounds like you take a proactive approach and that serves you well. However, I wonder if you ever feel overwhelmed by your work. Some of us struggle with immediacy, the feeling that we have to get everything done right away. This can be as stressful as the feeling of procrastination. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Shara, Instructors must often lead by example. If we can show students we are organized, they will be in a better position to be organized too. I often find that students really want to get organized, they just don't know how. Giving them example methodologies to reaching that goal can be life changing. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Michael, Yes, it's easy to write a to-do list once and then just kind of forget about them. Many instructors end up doing this and the utility of those lists of course decreases significantly. It's important to follow through, where we can, and keep our lists up to date by re-prioritizing. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Melissa, I like the idea of pacing yourself in the way you describe. Sometimes, we just don't have it in us to muscle through a task completely. Some tasks span over several days and in some cases, several weeks or months. So we've got to be reasonable with ourselves. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Streamlining the Grading Process

Pamela, Grading can be tough when students dispute their scores. My best approach has been to explain to students that I do not give them grades, that they 'earn' grades instead. This typically gives them a new approach and point of view on the grading process. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Teresa, Great approach. Sometimes large tasks feel unmanageable. When we get overwhelmed, it's hard to move forward. Breaking up tasks gives us shorter term and more realistic goals. This can help us stay motivated to proceed. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Coping with Stress

Michael, That sounds like a very healthy approach. Thanks for sharing. I think a lot of instructors could use this 'technique' effectively. Coping with stress doesn't have to be hard, time consuming or exhausting. Sometimes being light hearted and fun works too! Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Sandra, I know it's hard to get started. It seems overwhelming to prioritize and put numbers to tasks - like an extra step. I can assure you that for most instructors, it's well worth the time investment. I recommend starting small and working your way up. Perhaps you can just circle the priority tasks for the day and go from there. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Coping with Stress

James, Sounds like you have developed a healthy strategy for dealing with stressors that cannot be eliminated or reduced. Really glad to hear you have this method in your arsenal. It's something you will likely rely on now and years to come! Dr. Melissa Read