And So it Begins

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Last night and early this morning, as I was thinking about this post (that I hoped I would have had time to post already), I had my topic all worked out -- learning to set boundaries for tasks that have oozed out of their allotted time slots and into leisure time. It went something like this:

'Tis the season to grade papers -- it's one set after another -- and I'm working on keeping things on an even keel. I could spend large chunks of days doing nothing but grading and, in the end, I probably will. But it's also the season for other things, and I would like to have a life.

I've been at this long enough that I'm slowly learning how to find balance, though admittedly, it has been an uphill battle. 

I was so excited when I first got this job that I threw myself into it completely. I willingly gave it all of my free time, assuming that at some point, with experience, it would get better. Unfortunately, the schedule I set stuck and, before I knew it, every day was a work day, at least in part.

Now I'm emerging and loosening. I'm realizing that not every paper has to be given back at the next class meeting. And, more important, it's better for both my students and me if I don't do that. Taking time to grade papers means that I grade them more thoughtfully and patiently and the feedback I give is better and more useful. Not responding to emails at all hours of the night means that I'm more prepared to start fresh the next day. Rediscovering weekends means I'm less grumpy when I'm doing all of this.

That was yesterday.

Today, one class and three meetings stayed (mostly) neatly within their allotted time slots, but e-mails of desperation flooded my inbox, joining their comrades that appeared between 11pm and midnight last night, necessitating quick, if not immediate responses.

Tonight, I turn off my phone (and its nagging email chime) at a reasonable hour.

It's a balancing act and...say it with me...

It's a process.

STYLE to the Rescue!

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The semester is drawing to a close, and, if the paper blizzard in my house is any indication, my organizational systems could use some tweaking. True, many of these papers will be returned to my students, and, in my defense, this is the first semester I've taught three classes, and the first time I've assigned homework on close to a daily basis. As a result, the number of papers I've had to deal with has increased tremendously, overwhelming any system I had in place in my small home office and making my I need to see it/drop and run default styles readily apparent to anyone who steps into my house.

Now what?

Simple. Go back to STYLE.

• Start with successes. Right now, this is challenging. My system and I are both so overwhelmed that it's harder to see what's working than what isn't. Some of the things that have homes do make it there somewhat regularly. Others that don't...well, they follow a pattern. Despite the fact that I know file drawers and binders don't work for me as a drop and run organizer, I love the fact that when I do use them, retrieval is easy, so I keep trying to make them work...and ending up with paper blizzards. So, I know that filing things is good (a success), but, when life gets busy, having to file them in more than a drop and run fashion doesn't happen. Consequently, the files need to be all in one place, general and flexible (try filing by class instead of class, unit and topic -- one step instead of three) and easily accessible.
• Take small steps. Papers don't belong on a chair in the living room, and yet that is where they are living. Taking even five minutes at a time to sort, clear and return my chair to its intended function yields a huge payoff. I know. I've tried it.
• Yes, it has a home! No, it doesn't, in most cases. Therein lies the problem.
• Let it go! This one will be easy. The majority of the papers will be returned to their rightful owners. Anything that remains will be sorted, giving me a visual of what needs to be tossed and what needs to be kept. The size and composition of the keepers will help me to determine what adjustments I need to make. Do I need to clear a drawer in my neglected file cabinet and establish it as the home for all course paperwork? While this is not typically the best choice for an I need to see it person, an active file used daily and color coded by one parameter (class) just might work.
• Easy upkeep. Why bother? The semester is over. Why not just clear the clutter, file what remains and move on without making any changes? Because I am likely to have this same course load again next fall. Spending a busy semester using an outgrown system left me feeling scattered and left my house reflecting that fact. Something needs to change for easy upkeep of both my living space and my sanity.

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As I finish this post, I feel simultaneously energized and overwhelmed. I want to dig in and do this stuff, but there are papers and projects to grade, and those must come first. Still, keeping what comes next in mind and chipping away at it gradually as I work will help me make the progress I need to make. Knowing my new system will focus on a revised version of my current class-by-class system, I'm going to grab three bins from the basement (one for each class -- and, yes, I always have containers on hand) and sort by class as I go, making both my current work and my future work easier.

Ahh. STYLE.