Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Sherry, I know it can feel intimidating at first but do go ahead and give it a try. A little investment of time up front can save you so much time in the end! Online tests are fantastic in helping you speed grading and administer exams in an organized fashion too! Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Coping with Stress

David, Interesting approach. It sounds like you need to step away from your problems in order to find good solutions. This is actually a really helpful method and works well for many instructors. Working out seems like it's a good way for you to step away and get that break you need to find a good solution. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Coping with Stress

Ted, These are all great approaches and work well for other instructors. I should note that it's not always possible for instructors to jump in an do a bunch of new things at once. If this describes you, you might consider starting with just once of these things and working your way up. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Coping with Stress

Mark, Nice! That sounds like great exercise in the summertime any nice way to center yourself for the day. I imagine in the winter this routine can be a bit tough. Sometimes when we live in cities with extreme weather conditions, we've got to mix things up a bit. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Streamlining the Grading Process

Mario, Excellent to hear. I hope some of these new approaches work well for you. Try just one or two and see what happens. I do hope you are able to drive some great results in such a short semester. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Causes of Stress

Jeanine, So true. Expectations in our workplaces are often too high. When we combine these with expectations from our families, it can often be double trouble. We need to be realistic with ourselves when it comes to how much we can get done and communicate our capabilities to others. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Task Prioritization

Jacqueline, I like your thinking. Blocking specific times for specific tasks can make a big difference. Sometimes it can be challenging because we take up more time than we thought during a particular time block. If this happens to you often, I recommend building in a buffer block for overflow tasks. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Streamlining the Grading Process

Dennis, Interesting observation. Is it possible for you to ask your students to underline or highlight the most important parts of their essay answers. Perhaps they could highlight the thesis statement and three supporting arguments for example. I find this speeds essay grading for me. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Causes of Stress

Gerald, I completely understand. It sounds like you have a full schedule. Being your best in your multiple roles is likely at the forefront of your objectives. Extra requirements don't likely make it easy. Dr. Melissa Read

Dr. Melissa Read

Discussion Comment

Causes of Stress

Cynthia, Wow, sounds like you wear many hats. For some of us, switching between various roles can be time consuming. Each time we switch, we've got to ramp up on the new task and that can take extra focus. Dr. Melissa Read