Email is a challenge. Because I want to be timely in responding to emails from my online students, I've come up with a method that seems to be working much more effectively both for me and my students. In addition to posted office hours when the students know I'll be "in" and can answers emails and instant messages right away, I check email at designated times. By checking once in the morning and once in the evening, I'm able to be productive during the day and still responsive to students.
Dr. Faulk
Amanda,
I address the concerns you express in the post by setting internal deadlines and making things a competition.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I'm guilty of the worst time-waster of all...procrastination!
A life-long problem really. I think it stems from my poor skill in estimating how long any given task will take me to do. I unintentionally practice avoidance for tasks that I find uninteresting or tedious where it is difficult for me to keep focus. Unless there is a deadline looming closely over my head I find it very difficult to power through. I've been told I am a "strong finisher" but I hope to continue working on being strong all the way through a given task, rather than stressing myself out last-minute.
I have never been much for planning and organizing, but as I grow older I can see the merit in making schedules for myself. I know that I need to practice giving myself more time than I think I need...perhaps even more than a 20% cushion. I know now that when I have a full plate, it really will help to set goals and try to prioritize and schedule a plan of attack. Writing things down is becoming more essential for me to remember everything I need to do, and it does feel good to cross off anything from my to-dos.
I also know I need to stop practicing avoidance behaviors. It can be difficult for me to stay on task, but learning how to reward myself is helping. I am becoming better at recognizing when I've drifted off track.
Bill,
I tend to be chatty as well. I do find it easier to get off the phone than to end face to face conversations. Any ideas?
Jeffrey Schillinger
AN example of personal time waster for me is procratination. I have always been a last minute person but I always get my work done. Prioritizing and setting goals would benefit me tremendously.
Talking too much on the phone. Raised to be polite and thorough, I often spend too much time chitchatting, even though
things do get accomplished during the call. So now I tend to be personable but on a short time-leash. I think my colleagues appreciate it, too.
Saying No to colleagues and students is an important way to avoid using scheduled time to address THEIR issues.
I schedule time to talk with them if necessary
Jennifer,
I am the same way. Unless I have a very specific task to work on, i am better at the office. When I taught hight school, I went in early and stayed late most days and did little at home.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I find that I do not work well at home. I find that I do best at work in my cubicle where I can avoid distrations at home, such as the laundry, errands, cleaning...
Sharon,
Thanks for sharing this post. It is a polite way to end the conversation without offending.
Jeffrey Schillinger
When I have a meeting with people who tend to want to chat, rather than accomplish anything, I will often stand up when I feel the end of the meeting has concluded. I then let them know I have another appointment I need to prepare for and I would be happy to speak to them more later on the information that they ae giving me. Usually they figure out that they really don't have anything more to say and they don't reschedule.
I check my e-mails 3 times a day. 1st in the morning when I get to work, 2nd at lunch, #rd before i go home. My biggest problem is that I recive so many e-mails from people hitting all-users that I constintly reciveing e-mails that have nothing to do with my dept. I spend more time deleting useless mails than I do reading and repling to the ones the relate directly to my job.
Monique,
What are some examples of the "busy work" that gets in your way?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Busy work! I spend more time on busy work than needed work. For example if I have a deadline to meet for a specific goal, I tend to work on that one last and on the others that have no specific timeline. I think it is because there is no stress to completing it making it more attractive to do.
Monique
Mark,
Noise canceling headphones have worked well for me in noisy areas.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I would say email and distractions not related to my department are the two biggest time wasters that I face. The email speaks for itself. What I mean by distractions not related to me is that in my office environment it is very easy to hear, without trying to, what is going on in everyone elses area. This often becomes quite the distraction.
Scott,
Being prepared is one of the must important behaviors teachers can model for their students. Unprepared teachers make students feel like they are an afterthought.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Not being prepared before your class is a big time waster. When I was still new at this it was alot to take in and then you find yourself scrambling for what you need while doing lecture or demos. Now that I am experianced,I keep in the back of my mind what the plan is for the next day, and when I come in I already have a gameplan. Sometimes after my class I will start gathering the next day's things.
Ellen,
Thanks for sharing this post. The "clutter is just decisions that are being put off" is right on point.
Jeffrey Schillinger
I have many time wasters. I'm constantly trying to improve in the area of time management. I live a cluttered life. I was reading about "de-cluttering" and the suggestion that "clutter is just decisions that are being put off". That really hit home. Instead of putting things to the side, I've been trying to allocate small bits of time where I make permanent decisions and avoid endless clutter.
