Work and Life Balance
How do you balance work and life when teaching online?
Schedules are such a good idea. We have our students prepare a time management calendar type of schedule so they can block out time for not only school work, but family and other activities like work and chores. I think it might be a good idea for faculty to complete such a calendar to help us see that we are including sufficient "My Time" in our weeks.
Donna,
I sometimes think I would get more done if I had an office to go to so I would have less distractions. I never thought about a coffee shop. There is one nearby so I think I will try that out. I work well when there is other sounds and people around so that would not be a major distraction for me and since I would want to complete my work and get going I think this would help me stay on task. Great suggestion. Thank you.
Dr. Crews,
This can be difficult. I plan my teaching and work time around when my husband leaves for work in the morning and try to conclude most of my work by the time he comes home in the evening so that we can have dinner together and relax.
I do most of my work during the weekdays. As a best practice we need to launch and provide an announcement either Friday or no later than Saturday noon. I always try to get this done on Friday so I do not not have as much work on Saturday. I do check into the threads and respond to students on Saturday or Sunday, but spend most of the weekend with my family.
I also schedule break times during the day and specific days of the week for running errands when I'm not having large amounts of grading due.
I do have to be flexible. Live chats usually have to take place after students get home from work so those can cut into my evenings. I just do not make that a nightly activity.
Terri,
It's good to make sure you have time for teaching, other work and family. Good mix.
Dr. Crews,
I create a schedule for online chats, grading and consultations and I make sure to stick to it. For e-mails, though, I make it a habit to check it and respond right away several times a day (EXCEPT if it is after 8 PM)so that I will not get too overwhelmed. I also create a discussion forum where students can post and/or answer questions to reduce the e-mails that I receive.
Thanks,
Christine
I designate a certain time for "online" work and make sure my family understands that although I may be home, I am still working This minimizes distractions
My wife works full time, so in order to spend more time with her, I schedule my online lectures and office hours when she is at work - within the guidelines of the school requirements.
I have prepared worksheets and spreadsheets that I update as I work online, which keep me organized and balanced in my approaches, even if I have to break off from some repetitive exercise like grading. This not only gives students more uniform responses to similar questions, but allows me more time to add specific needed comments, too.
Online allows both the student and the instructor to do the work when it is most convenient for each. This allows students to better balance their work, school and life, too.
Natasha,
Are you ever in a situation that you have to deviate from your schedule? If so, what practice do you use to get you back on schedule?
The way I do this, is by sticking to a schedule and daily routine. It starts in the morning. I get up early and go into my classes. This includes checking and responding to e-mails, posting in the discussions and any other function that needs to be done. I spend about 2 hours each morning. After I am done, I take care of any personal things that may need my attention. When done with that, I will go back into my classes mostly to check e-mails. I have found that sticking to a routine, I am able to take care of my classes and also manage my personal time much more efficiently.
I set so much time aside aday to just teach. This allows me time to do my school work and time to spend with my family .
Nathan,
It's good to have a schedule and to let students know what that schedule is. Thanks for your input.
I have a set time of day where I teach. This allows me to to manage the rest of my schedule, and my 4 daughters. :) This means I normally teach after they go to bed. Structure has always been a key component to teaching online for me.
Michelle and Roger,
Excellent. I'm glad you are open to trying new things. Nice job.
Michelle,
Family time is good and then I schedule my work time to get everything else done. Thank you.
Stephanie,
Those two things go perfectly hand-in-hand. You can't prioritize unless you are organized. Thanks!
Kimberley,
Absolutely. The responsibilities are real and must be considered important jobs and a definite part of the job. Thanks!
Roger,
I appreciate this approach. I have often wondered if I adopted these practices, if it would reduce some of the confusion during the course. It appears that I SHOULD try this! Thank you for this information.
I am still struggling in this area. I learned to make the most of my time while my children are away at school. I have also blocked out a large part of my afternoon for "family" time such as cooking, homework, etc. This is an area in which I struggle, especially during the weekends.
Organization and prioritization. I have certain times I set aside almost every day of the week and during those times, I know what tasks I must complete because I have prioritized them by importance or deadline. I find this helps to prevent overload (though sometimes there is still overload because of the amount of grading) and keep things compartmentalized. If I don't I will start to feel overwhelmed and all of my tasks will start to bleed together.
Stephanie
